BIG problem please help

[Typhy 0]

I hope this is the correct section for posting this, so here goes,

Recently my 1.8 16v has started revving up n down i put this to having washed the engine and hopnig it would dry out, but now the car wont start at all. its alway taken quite a few turns to get it going but nw it wotn go at all.

so

i have changed the coil and checked that power is going to it and coming out of it.

Ihave power and i have spark really strong one.

also a very strong smell of petrol so im guessing that must be getting through.

Engine turns but dosent fire???? :@ :mad2: :mad2:

 

What could this be????? i will try anything :)

 

thanks in advance luke.

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

Assuming everything's dry, it's always worth cleaning up the earths.

 

I had similar problems on a 16V. Replaced everything possible without success. Shined up all the earthing points and fired up immediately.

 

Worth replacing the standard cables with some thick welding cable, too.

 

Hope this helps. Good luck.

[Typhy 0]

where are the earth points? and what do you mean use welding wire :\

[Typhy 0]

cleaned up earth by battery but still nothing :( argh

[n3p 3]

Also check vacuum hoses - stumped me the other day, but there was a hidden one i repeatedly overlooked :bad-words: Plugged it back in and it fired right away

[Typhy 0]

which are where??? cleaned the earth and also tightened all plugs up were a lil loose tbh, still nothing.

[n3p 3]

Mainly around/under the throttlebody and airbox area, check all of the hoses are connected. I think there is a sneaky hose on the dizzy side too, but i doubt that would prevent the engine from firing, all i got from leaving that disconnected was a very lumpy idle :lol:

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

There's an earthing point on top of the gearbox case, IIRC, another near the starter motor somewhere, I think. Just look around in the engine bay for the earth straps, you can't miss them. It's worth doing all of them. Undo the nuts and sand all the metal until it's shiny, including the point on the engine, gearbox or body it's bolted to. If you see rust, it's a clue that it's causing problems or soon will do. Nothing lost if that's not the issue, to keep from getting a big voltage drop when you try starting.

 

Welding cable is big, fat chunky stuff which is infinitely superior to the original earth cables. You should be able to get it either from an electrical wholesalers or a discount motor supplies. Remove original cable and replace with welding cable.

 

Good point on the vacuum hoses bananOr. Also check the circlip aand seals on the rubbery hoses from the MAF. I had one come loose once and the car misfired and started badly 'til I found it.

 

I assume you've WD40'd everything, including distributor?

[aide 0]

if you have a strong spark then your earths are probably ok, but as anton says always worthwhile making them better, welding wire is just thicker/ better conducting stuff

 

vacuum pipes - basicaly check ur whole bay for loose or disconnected rubber/ plastic pipes especially round the manifold, throttle body and air box inlet pipework

 

have you checked your timing?

[Typhy 0]

yeah ive done all this but still feck all, i did sand all the earths down done it a millino times on my old mini haha but nothing, checked hoses now and nothing! WD40'd like no tomoz :( heeeellllllllllp auto electrician coming tomoz but if he dunt no owt then i gota take to garage cos im stumped!

[aide 0]

you might smell fuel but are you sure the injectors are spraying when you crank the car - you'll need to pull them to be sure

 

sometimes with valvers it's just a case of cranking & crnking & cranking if it's been stood for a while

[Typhy 0]

it hasnt been stood at all i drove it all day, and the next day i got up turned it on drove it into drive then when i came to start it again like 5mins later it wouldnt start. hmm injectors just udo and put back in?

[aide 0]

it's difficult to diagnose of a forum :( and not much comfort but there's a lot than can go wrong, but in that you have air, fuel and spark and only drove it earlier you should at least be getting something - sounds like ur getting nothing at all, and that considered i wouldn't bother pulling the injectors

 

the woodruff key on the cam cog has been known to shear in valvers knocking the timing way out, that's why you should check the timing

[n3p 3]

Have you tried bumpstarting it? Or swearing at it lots?

[Typhy 0]

i have sworn ALOT!! and no i havent tried bumpin it as what the point if it not even tryin to fire?

[n3p 3]

You said you would try anything :norty:

 

You should be able to bump it, if it works then your starter motor could be at fault or incorrectly fitted

[Typhy 0]

hmmm would it still turn and have spark if the started motor died??

[n3p 3]

It's a common thing to do in the failure of other starting methods (starter motor/battery/etc), and the starter motor isn't involved. I think that when you bump a motor the motion of the wheels sort of act as a starter once the gears/clutch are engaged. No harm in trying - get a friend to push you or roll down a hill and drop the clutch :norty:

[Typhy 0]

hmm ill give it ago tomoz afternoon, prob is getting car back in garden then if it dunt go back up the hill haha, priced starter motors 67quid at GSF maybe ill give that ago tomoz too :mad2:

[n3p 3]

Bump starting, also known as push starting or pop starting, is the process of starting an internal combustion engine - typically in a motor vehicle - without the use of the starter motor. This can be useful when the starting battery is dead or the starter motor is broken.

 

The process is as follows. The vehicle transmission is placed in either first or second gear, and the clutch is depressed. The key must be in the run position. The car is then rolled forward either by gravity when on a hill or by additional persons or vehicles pushing. Once the car is moving 3-5mph the clutch is engaged abruptly. This causes the movement of the vehicle to drive the engine back through the transmission. This will turn the engine over in much the same way as the starting motor would. Once the engine has started, the clutch can be quickly disengaged to avoid stalling the car, but this is not always necessary.

 

Bump starting a car is typically only possible in manual transmission vehicles, as automatic transmissions often rely on hydraulic transfer of power from the engine to the gearbox for their operation.

 

;)

[aide 0]

if the engine is cranking over then the starter motor is clearly okay.... please tell me the car is cranking over???!

 

if you push it down the nearest hill you'll be finding yourself having a long push back uphill imo...

[Typhy 0]

yes car is turning as normal, you can never trust wiki tbh as any1 can edit it its open to public, i could change that to say you cant bump manuals but you can bump autos, i will give it ago but i dont no what will happen. its a good job i dont live on a massive hill int it haha :lol:

 

car turns but does not fire

[n3p 3]

Petrol? :lol:

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

Obviously not the starter motor then! I've had good results getting valvers going by bump starting when they wouldn't fire up on the key, tho'. Defo worth a go, mate.

 

As aide said a page back, it's difficult off a forum, 'cos it could be one or more of so many things. As a last try, check ECU's bone dry, disconnect it and plug it back in. Sometimes works. Otherwise, you'll just have to threaten it with Gordon Clown's scappage scheme.

 

Don't suppose you've got Home Start breakdown cover?

[Typhy 0]

yeah ive got home start, whats the three prong plug just below the dizzy cap at the front?? its got three wires going to it from a think loom wrapped wire, this has a lot of oil and wetness in it think oil has been splashing up from engine sum where or just dirt n grime over years, prob is this cant be replaced very easily as its into the loom piece