Tekara 0 Posted October 19, 2004 Im sure this has been asked hundreds of times before. Just been out to take the old girl for a drive, not used since the weekend. Tired to start it up and it wont catch. The started motor kicks in and tries to turn the engine over it just wont have any of it. Tried to start it about 5 times leaving a 20-30 gap between attempts. Occasionally the rev gauge flicks up to 3000rpm ish but still doesn't start. Any suggestions, talk about bad timing its due in the garage in the morning. I was wondering if its the fuel pump, i cant hear any whine from the rear with the ignition on. Currently got the battery on charge to check that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crazymarcel 0 Posted October 19, 2004 I would check first too see if you gettin a spark when turning it over, My fuel pump only makes a noise when it primes other then that its pritty quiet/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henny 0 Posted October 19, 2004 check your earth strap from the battery to the chassis and then onto the gearbox... if it's green this is your problem... The colder, wetter weather we're having now will mean that the copper is even more resistive and will be causing your starter to not get the current it requires... Either that, or your battery's shafted! :roll: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tekara 0 Posted October 19, 2004 Tried it again this time jump starting it, still no go :( I can smell fuel so i believe its getting its juice. Looking around the engine bay its not half wet in there. Wondering if its shorting while trying to spark. Dont have the tools at hand to remove the plugs which is a pain. Will have to leave till morning and see if the garage will collect :mad: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim 2 Posted October 19, 2004 Just a word of warning - don't try and bump start it, if you didn't know - I have heard a few times on this subject that VR6 engines don't like it a lot and it can lead to serious engine damage. Water getting in the bay sounds like a possibility, especially if your coil pack is cracked or some of your leads are past their best? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tekara 0 Posted October 20, 2004 Garage have now dragged the car away for repair. Got a call turns out the HT leads were shot and the Coil Pack is near dead. Guess that answers why it wouldnt start, now ive got an even larger bill to pay :cry: Thanks for your advice guys Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim 2 Posted October 20, 2004 Bloody hell - a correct VR related diagnosis for me! Hooray! Sorry about your repair bill though! :( Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_mat 0 Posted October 20, 2004 Aye, rumour has it that jump starting VRs can prematurely stretch the timing chains. Dunno how true it is, but it's gotta be worth avoiding, just in case... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dinkus 10 Posted October 20, 2004 Aye, rumour has it that jump starting VRs can prematurely stretch the timing chains. Dunno how true it is, but it's gotta be worth avoiding, just in case... Jump starting should be ok, just not bump starting...;) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tekara 0 Posted October 20, 2004 Good advice on the bump starting, had to do that once on my old VR after the starter motor went funny. Luckily that car went back to the trader. Any advice for preventing things like this again, damp in the engine bay is a little unavoidable is it not ? Cant get it in the garage but ill work on clearing that out i think. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dinkus 10 Posted October 20, 2004 Good advice on the bump starting, had to do that once on my old VR after the starter motor went funny. Luckily that car went back to the trader. Any advice for preventing things like this again, damp in the engine bay is a little unavoidable is it not ? Cant get it in the garage but ill work on clearing that out i think. If you coil pack and HT leads are in good nick it shouldn't be a problem as they will be properly sealed from moisture. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roger Blassberg 0 Posted October 20, 2004 I can't understand how bump-starting could do the timing chains or the tensioners any damage. As far as the timing gear is concerned, it is being driven by the crankshaft, irrespective of whether that is being driven by the starter motor or by the gearbox. Everything is rotating in its intended direction within the normal range of speeds. The only possibly damaging scenario would be if reverse gear were engaged whilst the car was being towed forwards, causing the engine to be rotated backwards, putting tension on the wrong side of the chains and rubbing the contact faces of the tensioners in the opposite direction. Anyone have further clarification on this? Best wishes RB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henny 0 Posted October 20, 2004 it's the sudden BUMP from the crank up the chains that can cause the problems... when you start the car off a starter motor, the change in tension on the chains is all nice and gradual, when the engine's running and you change revs, again it's all gradual changes... when you BUMP start a car, you suddenly slam the engine into a state where it's trying to suddenly accellerate to a couple of thousand RPM from standstill and that stresses things a LOT and can cause chains to jump teeth... :| Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roger Blassberg 0 Posted October 20, 2004 Thanks for that, Henny. The moral of the story is to keep a set of jump leads tucked away in the car. Best wishes RB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted October 20, 2004 Yep with Henny, you shouldn't really bump a VR. Cambelt engines are OK as the belt can take it but the chains are metal and once you stretch them, there's no going back. They won't jump teeth (if the upper tensioner is sound) but repeated bumping will stretch them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henny 0 Posted October 20, 2004 same principle actually occurs with Cam-BELTs too, but they get changed more often than chains, and don't tend to stretch like chains do.... Basically, frequent BUMP starts aren't a particularly good idea in any car... :| Anyone who saw my car at Inters (and Bruntingthorpe) knows the kinda tool kit I tend to lug about with me 'cos I'm paranoid about the car leaving me stranded :oops: so there's nearly always a set of jump leads in my car! :lol: *Edit* damn, my reply got Kev'd! :lol: 8) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vr6storm 0 Posted October 20, 2004 Im sure this has been asked hundreds of times before. Just been out to take the old girl for a drive, not used since the weekend. Tired to start it up and it wont catch. The started motor kicks in and tries to turn the engine over it just wont have any of it. Tried to start it about 5 times leaving a 20-30 gap between attempts. Occasionally the rev gauge flicks up to 3000rpm ish but still doesn't start. Any suggestions, talk about bad timing its due in the garage in the morning. I was wondering if its the fuel pump, i cant hear any whine from the rear with the ignition on. Currently got the battery on charge to check that. tbh sounds like yer coolant temp sensor...............£10-ish for part and under 30 mins labour charge :wink: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
