Stuttering at low revs

[MG-FIDO]

Hi guys, a couple of weeks back I bought my first MX5 and had to wait a few days before insuring myself and driving it so I could concentrate on my fifth year of uni exams. Unfortunately, 2 days before my last exam some idiot decided to break my hand and has left me unable to drive the car for 6 weeks.

Today my dad drove me back from Bristol to Bournemouth, the cars first big drive (bar about 50 miles to and from a beach yesterday) and all seemed well (apart from the fact I think I can hear a metallic noise sometimes as if a break was binding). Anyway, we left the car for an hour or so having got home without issue and then went out to get a chinese. On the way home the car started to judder/ stutter when pulling away or accelerating steadily from low revs. If we go through the revs gently whilst stationary you get a bit of an initial wobble/ stutter/ splutter too.

I'll start the car up tomorrow from cold and see what happens, but I'm very worried- I'm a poor uni student who's spent what is to me a lot of money on what I was depending on being a reliable car to replace my less than reliable MGBGT which I'm still aiming to continue restoring with my dad. I can't afford expensive repair bills and my mum will skin me alive if the car I promised her would see me through uni has a problem the day we get it home!

Any suggestions would be great!

Thanks, Steve

[Firefox1]

If you have no service history and it clears ove 3000rpm try new plugs and leads, it is a common fault.

[MG-FIDO]

Thanks firefox, just to add a little more info incase it helps before I try that- We went for another drive and the car seems to idle fine, very smooth. Also, if you increase the revs very steadily when stationary there's no problem. When you're at idle and raise the revs more quckly while stationary it seems to splutter, and the car wobbles. When driving the problem does seem to be from idle through to about 2000rpm or maybe just over. I thought it felt like the exhaust was spluttering, the car kangaroos, wobbles but does as firefox said seem to clear higher up the revs. My dad said it felt a bit like the car was missing. There seemed to be a bit of a rattle from infront if we held the revs at 2000rpm while stopped, but that could just have been the dash.

[bluetone]

First/cheapest/no-brainer thing to do is change the plugs http://www.mx5parts.co.uk/product_info.php/product...

If no better, then leads. Do the leads have a black covering (probably original) or are they coloured (ie. aftermarket/replacement)? If original, would be a good idea to replace anyway..
Also, check your air intake pipework for loose joints/leaks and check your air filter; if it is clogged up this could cause rough running also (though probably more general than the quite specific symptoms your car has).

They ARE pretty bulletproof motors but still need good preventative maintenance..

Edited by bluetone on Sunday 21st June 22:26

[roverspeed]

An italian tune up wouldn't go a miss either

Mine was spluttery etc after sitting for a few weeks, good hard run, red lining all the way and she was as good as new.

Could have cleared partly cloughed vacuum hoses etc.