Can anybody diagnose this please:
When starting from cold the tickover goes to 2000 rpm then comes back down to 1000 as the engine warms up - any ideas why?
John

should have said - it is a standard 1.4 Metro gti engine in a K3

Sounds similar to a problem I've got with my Rover 25 1.6... turns out that the ecu temperature sensor connector had failed through corrosion. This sensor being faulty forces the ecu to take temperature readings from the oil temperature sensor, which obviously warms up at a different rate to the water and is less accurate with regards to engine temperature. Result is slight over-fueling of the engine by the ecu as it appears to it to be colder than it is in reality, hence the raised revs. Mine also needs a small amount of throttle to start it from stone cold, but is fine once warming/warmed up.

Pretty sure the 1.4K is the same as the 1.6K in the sensor dept. There are two temperature sensors on the cylinder head coolant outlet elbow (front of engine, gearbox end), the blue one (circled in blue in the pic) is for the dash temperature gauge and the black one (red circles for the sensor and the detached plug) is for the ecu. Top left of the pic is the exhaust manifold and top hose to radiator for reference.

http://www.lucaselectrical.co.uk/ and https://www.simpsonsupplies.co.uk may help. May be different sensor part numbers for different aged engines.

The Haynes manual indictates that a "re-mapping" sessition at you local ex-Rover dealer can sort this -- £26 worse off having followed the Haynes advice the, now Proton dealer, said I should change the throttle potentiometer which wasn't returning to zero properly -- I suggest you check this out physically as a first step and then clean the potentiometer with spray on stuff from Maplin etc -- that's my plan prior to buying a new pot via e-bay etc

There is a special way of resetting the stepper motor. I seem to remember this being quite a common problem. Now all I have to do is remember how you do it

Found it.

Ignition on, fully press throttle pedal steadily 6 times, ignition off, wait a minute (or probably less, I think you'll here the click, but to be sure), then start as normal.


A faulty Lamda would do it. Or an air leak.

Sounds a bit daft but have you tried it without the throttle cable connected? Just to make sure it's not sticking.

Thank you all very much for taking the trouble to respond, especially Pete with the photo as well!
I will work my way through the suggestions.
Kind regards,
John