Important! : Dirty filter?

30th September 2011, 11:49

About 50% of the time when i try and start the car it does a little back fire from under the bonnet ( Like from where near the air filter is) Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 attempts for it to start and then there's a smell of fumes but not petrol more like exhaust fumes but from the from. Is my filter clogged do you think or something totally different?

Thanks

30th September 2011, 11:54

Could be a number of things. What's the engine/year/condition of the car?

When was the car last servised? Could do it some good giving it a good going over, like air/fuel/oil filter, new plugs and oil, ect, ect..

They are easy to change/clean, just a couple of clips and it's off.

30th September 2011, 11:58

Its a 1999 mk1 vtr in pretty clean cond, ive had it 4 months and its not had a service in that time, ive got a cone filter on it but looks abit manky, How do i clean it? Hoover? Damp cloth?
Cheers

30th September 2011, 12:02

I've also got a starter motor problem sometimes it just spins, I've got a new one and fitting it at weekend then i will see how bad this backfire problem is because between that and the starter motor i could be sat there 20 minutes trying to get it started.

30th September 2011, 12:07

Never understood why people do this, buy a car and don't service it?

Get a full service on it -

Oil
Oil filter
Take that shit air filter off get standard airbox on get a k&n or panel filter in there.
Spark plugs
fuel filter
Gearbox oil
Brake fluid
Flush coolant and replace it.
Check front and back brakes for wear if there fucked change them.

Do that if you still have problem's get a code read on it.

30th September 2011, 12:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wongo69

Its a 1999 mk1 vtr in pretty clean cond, ive had it 4 months and its not had a service in that time, ive got a cone filter on it but looks abit manky, How do i clean it? Hoover? Damp cloth?
Cheers

just go halfords and get a K&N filter cleaner to clean it.

Have a look at the service history to see when it was last serviced, can do it any harm doing the service.

Also, as said above, can be done for under £50.

30th September 2011, 12:17

Gearbox oil new (Just had a new clutch in) New brakes and fluid, Flushed coolant and replaced thermostat day before yesterday. Had a standard airbox on when i bought it ive changed to this one as im in the process of running a cool air to feed to the front when i get a pipe off ebay. Fuel filter, Spark plugs and fresh oil it is then

30th September 2011, 15:41

Update: I've had the service history out and it seems that it's last service was in may. Should it be due for another already?

30th September 2011, 16:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wongo69

Update: I've had the service history out and it seems that it's last service was in may. Should it be due for another already?

I would but how many miles have you done since?

30th September 2011, 17:32

It's done a few, Used everyday and 3 nights a week for a driving job for about 3 month solid. I've had a thought, Because my filter is clipped straight to the back and not using a pipe to get it closer to the front could it be sucking in the warm air whilst trying to start, I've noticed when the starters behaving it fires up first time in the morning when it's cold.

30th September 2011, 17:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wongo69

It's done a few, Used everyday and 3 nights a week for a driving job for about 3 month solid. I've had a thought, Because my filter is clipped straight to the back and not using a pipe to get it closer to the front could it be sucking in the warm air whilst trying to start, I've noticed when the starters behaving it fires up first time in the morning when it's cold.

Just get rid of the open induction kit full stop mate, All it will do is soak up hot air from around the bay pointless. Just put standard airbox on all the standard piping on and put in a performance panel filter, Green, Pipercross, K&n, Bmc will all do just fine.

30th September 2011, 17:43

I think i might end up doing, i have still got it all in a box somewhere it's just remembering how to put it back on again.

30th September 2011, 21:44

one of the boys had this problem the car was overfueling because of a dirty filter we literally checked everything from the cold start temp senor to the map sensor but in the end we found it was the filter start with the simple things first.......

1st October 2011, 01:12

The only reason i'm swayed towards it is because of the backfire, It's right where the filter is!

1st October 2011, 03:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChAdS

Never understood why people do this, buy a car and don't service it?

Get a full service on it -

Oil
Oil filter
Take that shit air filter off get standard airbox on get a k&n or panel filter in there.
Spark plugs
fuel filter
Gearbox oil
Brake fluid
Flush coolant and replace it.
Check front and back brakes for wear if there fucked change them.

Do that if you still have problem's get a code read on it.

+1 follow all this advice, exactly what I did what I bought my VTR nearly 3 years ago and hasn't really let me down since.

and would do this to any other car I bought

1st October 2011, 10:52

Well im nearly half way through that list, Filter's getting done today and getting plugs and oil sorted monday, The car runs sweet as a nut when its mobile it's just the pop when starting it up.

1st October 2011, 12:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveWC

+1 follow all this advice, exactly what I did what I bought my VTR nearly 3 years ago and hasn't really let me down since.

and would do this to any other car I bought

U have serviced it since though right?

1st October 2011, 18:25

Turns out it was something to do with the starter, New starter on...No pops backfires or anything, Job sorted. Now for slamming the back end lol