XH XR6 ute playing up, help.

XR6xhute · 26-10-2006, 09:21 AM

Hi all, my XR6 XH ute is playing up and I have no idea what the problem could be. My car at the moment runs like it is not getting enough fuel sometimes, not all the time though. When I drive it, it sometimes runs great and then it will run like a pig and cough and splatter like it isn't getting any fuel or something. I have new leads on the car, spark plugs, there is no fuel blockage anywhere, the fuel pump seems to be ok. I have noticed a slight leak of coolant coming out of the drivers side of the head, only a little mind you. It doesn't seem to be using any water so I don't know if its water leaking into the pots every-now-and again? I can't seem to find anything out of place or wrong. I thought it may have been my injectors but I changed them over with some others that I have and it still does the same thing. It seems to me that it does it more often when the car is not warmed up, when its warmed up it seems to run better but every now and again it will have its moment of running like a big for about 5 secs. I've check my fuel regulator, its seems to be working fine.

I'm out of ideas, someone please suggest something to me. ha ha.

James.

Kenaz · 26-10-2006, 10:02 AM

So the fuel filter is ok?

XR6xhute · 26-10-2006, 12:39 PM

Yeah, the fuel filter is brand new.

DEVL-XR · 26-10-2006, 05:02 PM

from what iv read sounds like what my eb xr6 was doing. worked out it was the fuel i was using. i only use BP fuel now, i had used shell and it coughed and wouldnt run right. but yeh my mechanic said that when the fuel tankers fill up the underground tanks at service stations, all the dirt particles get mixed around before settling on the tank floor again. so if you fill up just after the tanks have been filled you can get dirt particles in your fuel and causes it to run crap. another thing is if water gets in your fuel somehow too, same affect. my car fixed itself and hasnt done it sence.

BLKPHN · 26-10-2006, 05:11 PM

it might be your fuel pump they can just die or in you case give you greif but coughing and spluttering and so on mine was doing that, i put a new fuel pump in it and wow what a diference

Holbrookau · 26-10-2006, 05:22 PM

I'll second the fuel pump being the likely cause.

XR6xhute · 26-10-2006, 06:01 PM

Yeah, I was thinking the fuel pump. It really only does it when the engine is cold, and only sometime when its warm. So I don't know about the fuel pump. Could be though.

Bipolar · 26-10-2006, 08:12 PM

See if this has anything to do with it - http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=42570

ef_classic · 26-10-2006, 08:29 PM

If it runs like a dog on cold mornings and there is some coolant leaking from the head, then i reckon its a headgasket.

The collant could be getting into the cylinders when its cold, causing it to run ruff, and when it warms, it expands and "seals" itself.

My two cents!!!

XR6xhute · 27-10-2006, 10:03 AM

Thanks ef_classic, yeah I think that might be what's causing the prob. I guess the only way I could check is maybe a compression test on a couple of the cylinders where the leak is or just change my head gasket?

Any other insights or suggestions would be great, but I do think I might be my head gasket.

James.