Alibro

Alibro

Well-Known Member
Not sure it this should be called a fault or a feature but the missus finds the throttle in our 2004 K series overly sensitive when tiddling about in first gear. It makes the car awkward to drive smoothly in car parks or queues of traffic and she is complaining about it having kangaroo petrol. I noticed if you just touch the pedal while out of gear the engine jumps up to around 2000rpm and it is difficult to make the revs to climb smoothly from tickover to say 1000rpm or 1500rpm. Oddly it is less of an issue while the car is cold.
Is this a K series thing? My MGF has a similarly sensitive throttle but probably having a higher geared first gear it seems to be less of an issue. Either that or I rarely drive it that way.
Is this common to all K series or is it a fault? If not is there a way to reduce the sensitivity at initial touch of the pedal?

Sorry for such a stupid question but it is annoying the missus enough the car might have to go. She isn't a great driver and wouldn't be able to change her driving style to compensate. It has taken me weeks to even understand what the problem really is as she just keeps going on about kangaroo petrol. I thought it was a clutch problem at first as there is a very slight shudder in the clutch.
 
Alibro said:
Not sure it this should be called a fault or a feature but the missus finds the throttle in our 2004 K series overly sensitive when tiddling about in first gear. It makes the car awkward to drive smoothly in car parks or queues of traffic and she is complaining about it having kangaroo petrol. I noticed if you just touch the pedal while out of gear the engine jumps up to around 2000rpm and it is difficult to make the revs to climb smoothly from tickover to say 1000rpm or 1500rpm. Oddly it is less of an issue while the car is cold.
Is this a K series thing? My MGF has a similarly sensitive throttle but probably having a higher geared first gear it seems to be less of an issue. Either that or I rarely drive it that way.
Is this common to all K series or is it a fault? If not is there a way to reduce the sensitivity at initial touch of the pedal?

Sorry for such a stupid question but it is annoying the missus enough the car might have to go. She isn't a great driver and wouldn't be able to change her driving style to compensate. It has taken me weeks to even understand what the problem really is as she just keeps going on about kangaroo petrol. I thought it was a clutch problem at first as there is a very slight shudder in the clutch.
Click to expand...

I would check/clean replace the TPS (throttle position sensor) located on the throttle body. Also the idle control valve. Give that a clean out or replace. Also check the vac pipes. Also check there is a little slack in the throttle cable. In my experience, erratic engine idle/throttling is not a normal trait.

Clutch shudder can be a slightly warped pressure plate. Seems more prevalent on the later ones. I had one with 10K miles on a 2004 plate the same. L/R would not change it under warranty, despite the service manager admitting it was a fairly common fault. More noticable when hot.
 
Thanks for the reply. I already cleaned the idle control valve as the car was hunting a lot on tickover, a spray of WD40 helped a lot. Not perfect now but much better, maybe it should be replaced. I also took off the TPS today but there isn't much to it and nothing to clean. If there was a problem with the TPS wouldn't it throw up an error? I guess it is just a potentiometer so it could be dodgy.
What is it that makes the revs rise, when the throttle is opened? The TPS is connected to it and turns at the same time so is it the TPS or the increase in air entering the throttle body?
 
I don't think the TPS would throw up an error.

The tps tells the ecu the throttle position and thus fuelling.

Dead giveaway of a bad TPS is when you are on a very slight incline going up the gears...and the revs don't drop quickly enough. The TPS's are not overly cheap.

Am sure this is a daft question, but do you have a metal or plastic throttle body?.
 
Stupid question but is it 52mm or 48mm? If 48 is there any point in upgrading to 52?
 
Been checking ebay for TPS, they seem to vary in price from £40 up to £100, any idea if the cheaper ones are worth trying? The image shown seems the same for all of them but I'm sure there must be cheap rubbish copies out there.
 
Alibro said:
Been checking ebay for TPS, they seem to vary in price from £40 up to £100, any idea if the cheaper ones are worth trying? The image shown seems the same for all of them but I'm sure there must be cheap rubbish copies out there.
Click to expand...

Cant tell you on that one. I was lucky enough to pick up an entire 0 milage throttle body and inlet manifold off a Rover 400. I changed my old SU (my bad on the Webber) plastic body and used the new metal one. The TPS was already on it...and all injectors and loom on the manifold!. Total damage £25 inc post.

Guess i was lucky.
 
Alibro said:
Nice one, wasn't sure if the TPS/TB were common across MG/Rover cars.
Click to expand...

Seem to be. Sometimes a little sneaky R&D can work wonders.

Also thinking about it, might be worth checking the wiring on the tps, may be damaged..also the inlet temp sensor on the manifold (usually green, not sure on yours).

Also a reset of the TPS position (Unlikely, but possible?)

Have a look at the wiring on the inlet temp sensor. And maybe unscrew it out and give it (carefully) a clean. Never had to do that on mine. But its another avenue?.
 
Just thought!...you have a MAP sensor on your manifold!. Check that out (Sorry, forgot yours is a later one).
 
Wonder if a previous owner has put a 52mm TB on yours.

I have a 52mm on mine - its a little more twitchy than the original 48
 
Brack said:
Wonder if a previous owner has put a 52mm TB on yours.

I have a 52mm on mine - its a little more twitchy than the original 48
Click to expand...

The K series is known for swift throttle response ;). Adding a 52mm TB does nothing for power but makes throttle response even faster.

To the OP If the Freelander's throttle response is already to swift, giving the Kangaroo effect, swapping to the 52mm version will make it worse.

Make sure there is the correct amount of slack in the throttle cable and the lower tie bar bush is sound.
 
Nodge68 said:
The K series is known for swift throttle response ;). Adding a 52mm TB does nothing for power but makes throttle response even faster.

To the OP If the Freelander's throttle response is already to swift, giving the Kangaroo effect, swapping to the 52mm version will make it worse.

Make sure there is the correct amount of slack in the throttle cable and the lower tie bar bush is sound.
Click to expand...

The throttle body is alloy so not sure if it is 52mm or 48mm, I checked last time I had it off but couldn't find any markings to confirm. I had considered buying a 2nd hand 48mm TB to see if it makes any difference. Slack is fine as if too tight the HDC light comes on.
 
Right so I've gone through everything I can think of and am now believe there is more than one issue causing the problem.
First I replaced the TPS on the throttle body, went through the recalibrate procedure and the revs were more controllable, I could now bring the RPM up to 1500 ish from idle (out of gear) instead of them leaping up to 2000rpm and then falling back. (This was happening with the slightest touch of the throttle pedal)
Today I replaced the coil packs and it seems smoother and less inclined to misfire under load. I think it is also slightly easier to control the revs from idle. as I can now easily bring the RPM up to 1100 or 1200.

So far so good but I can still feel something wobbling if I'm rough with the accelerator. It is almost as if the engine is rocking but I have already replaced the large tie rod bushes (upper and lower). I was wondering if running Mondo mode would contribute to this as the engine would be held by the drive shaft to some degree.
It would wouldn't it?
 
Hiya
My k series 2001 is exactly the same it has a very anoying vibration when idleing i can feel it through the seat and see the bonnet vibrating also have a ticking noise aswell its so bloody anoying. Im gonna check my lower engine mount the weekend. Iv also taken my complete prop shaft of aswell but still the same.
 
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