Zafira 2.2 Direct, Petrol, 56 plate - poor idle / noisy at 1500rpm

insomniak

Hi, we have a 56 plate Zafira 2.2 Direct, Petrol, Automatic over the last few weeks it has cut out a few times out just before you go to pull away. There seems to be a lack of power when accelerating and a more noticeable shaking when idling, which you can only really notice when sitting in the car. Also if you hold the revs at around 1500rpm there seems to be a deep hum which seems to only be noticeable in the car.

It had a full service just over a year ago, including a fuel filter. I have so far tried changing the spark plugs, air filter, coil pack and also gave the throttle body & air pipe a clean with some carb spray but it's still the same.

The engine is has sounded a bit like a diesel for quite a while now when ticking over, but has been fine up until a few weeks ago.

There is no engine management light on either.

I believe the engine is the Z22YH, can anyone tell me if it has an EGR valve as this would the next thing I would try cleaning?

I am hoping it is not a timing chain issue as according to the history it had a new one done less than 2 years ago.

I've uploaded a photo of the engine with the plastic cover removed.

I will post some videos on YouTube of the starting up & idling and also under the bonnet and link them here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkLavQT1n7Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI7aFIg2-Ps

Graham2704

That sounds like the chain is slack and hitting the guide at the top of the sprockets I would take the rocker cover off and check the chain is still on also check the Plastic guide rail it's only a 10 min job

insomniak

Hi thanks for your reply, I will probably get someone else to take a look at that as I am not comfortable with taking the engine to bits.

If the chain is slack can it be tightened without replacing the whole lot? or would it be best to have it all done with new tensioners & new chain ect?

Also I am guessing that a slack chain wouldn't throw up the engine management light?

evocarlos

insomniak said:
Hi thanks for your reply, I will probably get someone else to take a look at that as I am not comfortable with taking the engine to bits.

If the chain is slack can it be tightened without replacing the whole lot? or would it be best to have it all done with new tensioners & new chain ect?

Also I am guessing that a slack chain wouldn't throw up the engine management light?

with the z22yh once the chain gets too long the engine won't start as the engine has a cam sensor that puts the system out i have personally seen and fixed a couple of instances where the chain got too long and allowed the exhaust cam to jump 1-2 teeth putting the timing out
the only way to fix a slack chain is to replace it
the tensioner is self adjusting once it passes the point it can no longer self adjust then it need changing asap this would be shown as slack at the top as graham said

insomniak

Hi @[deleted] thanks for the info, will try to have a look at it later this week and see if it looks slack. According to an invoice and the service booklet it had "timing & balance chain" done at 85,000 in Feb 13, I bought it in March 13 and it's now done 94,000.

I drove it home from Leicester to Romford, Essex and it ran perfect, when I got it home I remember my wife even commenting on how quiet the engine was. Then after a few months of use the engine management light came on and the code was
**P0443 Evaporative emission control system purge controlvalve **I also seem to remember the "blowing exhaust noise" occuring during this time, however this turned out to be a split hose and actually cost 50 pence and about 5 minutes to sort it out, the MIL went off and the noise went away. Then a few months later the coolant leaked into the auto gearbox oil and ruined the transmission (a common Zafira automatic fault) this cost around £1400 to put right and the garage fitted an external cooler to stop the problem happening again.

So if it does turn out to be the timing chain it can only mean that either the work was not carried out and the invoice is fake and was fabricated to aid the sale of the car, or it was done but using cheap parts and I would suspect not the using the modified tensioner part given the car has not even done 10k since it was last done?

evocarlos

there was one case where we had ticking like it was the chain and it turned out to be the clutch pulley on the alternator had failed
might be worth wiping the rocker cover off and just checking the chain if it has been done you will see that right away or like you say if it has and the chains droopy already from cheapo parts
theres also identification of the chain tensioner

the alternator pulley is an easy confirmation between the clutch type and the fixed type
this is clutch type you would have to remove the aux belt and stop the insides from moving to confirm the clutch was working or not

so theres a few things to check lol