Help needed, another big problem

[boab 0]

tried to start my car today and no joy, i found yet another bursthose on radiator, top one. thats not the big problem though, my car was just not managing to turnover, i noticed a lot of oil on top of engine, so i pulled out the left hand side spark plug thingey and noticed it is full of oil, none of the other ones are like this. How could this possibly happen? as ive never spilled any directly in it while puttin oil in, its wanting to start but just not kicking in, ive tried to soak as much as i can out but it just doesnt seem to go away at all, anyone any idea at all what could be the cause of this?

[aide 0]

my car was just not managing to turnover

 

is your battery ok?

 

its wanting to start but just not kicking in

[/quote:cf3d5]

 

For starters check you have the two essentials of fuel and spark: -

 

Pull out an injector and when cranking make sure the injector is spraying a fine mist, then check for a spark; using an old plug may be easier.

 

Check these out then we'll get onto more complex causes :lol:

[boab 0]

yeah theres fuel in the car, surely the sparkplug shouldnt have oil in it though, it was literally swimming in it, and it was the only left hand which had this in it, yeah and my battery is fine, just had a full charge the other night. when i turn the key the engine starts but it just doesnt stay on if that makes any sense

[aide 0]

no your plugs shouldn't have oil round them! so would recommend you get that cleaned up, then once we get your car started you look to see where the oil is coming from!

 

i'm releived there's fuel in your car :wink: what we need to establish is whether it's getting to your injectors. are you saying you turn ignition, car starts up and then dies?

[boab 0]

yeah, well i suppose, when i turn the key it starts but doesnt run, then when i turn key back it goes off again, although sometimes when i was trying to start it would sort of start for a split second and id hear the exhaust kick in and puff of smoke come out the back, ive tried soaking out as much as i can but its still in there, do all 4 spark plugs have to be connected to start the car?

[aide 0]

Right, i think what your saying is when you turn the key your engine cranks but does not start, but occasionally when you let the key rest the engine seems to fire - but only very very quickly?

 

If so, i've had a similar problem - and IN MY CASE :!: it was a sticking metering rod in the fuel distributor, this is checked by carefully lifting the metering head, and checking the plunger moves freely beneath...

 

if you don't know where the metering head is i'd get your local mobile mechanic to look for you.

 

must stress my symptoms were similar, and in my case it was the fault above. there are tonnes of causes for non starting 1.8 valvers (i've had my share of em) but it's almost impossible to diagnose over a forum page :(

[stevemac 0]

Oil in your cylinder can only come from 2 places :-

 

1. knackered headgasket

2. damaged crankcase breather causing excess pressure & forcing oil in through the inlet system.

 

I would favour the second problem as the most likely. Check your inlet manifold for oil & start checking your breather pipes.. :wink:

 

Don't attempt to start the engine anymore until you find the source of the oil - you run the risk of hydraulic-locking the engine & bending/breaking con-rods, etc.

[boab 0]

ok cheers for the info, much appreciated, ive got a mechanic to have a look at in the mornin, im gettin it fixed and its gone!! had enough of it, im considering someones g60 on this forum, its just gettin down to get it! or maybe even a nissan 300zx 3ltr twin turbo!

[Rossco 0]

or maybe even a nissan 300zx 3ltr twin turbo!

:shock: Stay away from the rice man :lol:

[Henny 0]

Erm, is the oil on the TOP of the plug, or actually on the electrodes of the plug (the bits wot are inside the engine :wink: :lol: )

 

From that first post, it sounds like you have a leaky rocker cover gasket on your Valver and oil has gotten down the sparkplug access tubes and is shorting out the no.4 plug lead...

[aide 0]

yeh Henny that's the way i read it too!

[emmafwa 0]

Henny helped me when I also had the same problem a while ago, the oil was leaking through the damaged rocker cover gasget. Now I have renewed it all fine, but saying that mine had no trouble starting.