Help..... broke down at Tesco’s...advice needed

[chalced]

Annoyingly broke down at Tesco's earlier today and had to be towed back home !

Car is turning over ok, but not firing up. Can smell petrol when cranking, so think fuel is getting through ok, but perhaps not sparking?

Has anyone else had similar issues or any idea where to start looking when I get time to get my head under the bonnet ?

BTw .... central locking hasn't been working for a while, but don't think that would be anything associated with it unless it affects the immobiliser?

Cheers.

Mel

[Joesson]

Sorry to hear that.
Not starting again, after running ok? on the occasions when it happened to me I found to be timing related, but in retrospect there had been previous audible indication of trouble brewing.
Hopefully not the cause of your dilemma, as you say you can smell fuel then sparks would typically be the next thing to check.

[tomaky]

Annoyingly broke down at Tesco's earlier today and had to be towed back home !

Car is turning over ok, but not firing up. Can smell petrol when cranking, so think fuel is getting through ok, but perhaps not sparking?

Has anyone else had similar issues or any idea where to start looking when I get time to get my head under the bonnet ?

BTw .... central locking hasn't been working for a while, but don't think that would be anything associated with it unless it affects the immobiliser?

Cheers.

Mel

Could be immobiliser. Don't think the chip works in the remote if the battery is dud. Could be that the central locking hasn't been working g when the battery is cold.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

[Call the midlife!]

Annoyingly broke down at Tesco's earlier today and had to be towed back home !

Car is turning over ok, but not firing up. Can smell petrol when cranking, so think fuel is getting through ok, but perhaps not sparking?

Has anyone else had similar issues or any idea where to start looking when I get time to get my head under the bonnet ?

BTw .... central locking hasn't been working for a while, but don't think that would be anything associated with it unless it affects the immobiliser?

Cheers.

Mel

Could be immobiliser. Don't think the chip works in the remote if the battery is dud. Could be that the central locking hasn't been working g when the battery is cold.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

Immobiliser cuts the fuel pump though doesn't it Tom? So if there's a smell of fuel you'd assume it's not the immobiliser?


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[jonbill]

Ignition timing light is an easy way to tell if it's sparking and whether the sparks are at the right time.
Not much help if you haven't got a timing light I know [emoji849]

[Carolyn]

Ignition timing light is an easy way to tell if it's sparking and whether the sparks are at the right time.
Not much help if you haven't got a timing light I know [emoji849]

Where would you get your signal from?

Chalced: It's a strange one.  Even if the spark is out, you really shouldn't be smelling fuel (unless you cranked it for ages).  Did you (accidentally) have your foot on the accelerator?  That's will stop them from starting and then it can flood up a little.  Should start OK after an hour or so's rest.

Otherwise, it needs diagnosing by someone with expertise.

Need to start by pulling the spark plugs and checking for spark.

[chalced]

Yes... checking for a spark is my next port of call... just don't have any time till end of week to work on it.
Not flooding as left it for several hours and still same problem.
I read somewhere that there could be a possible crankshaft sensor fault which causes a similar problem. Just not sure where that sensor is to check it though (awaits next reply in anticipation).
No ignition light to look at that, but I would have thought it would at least try to fire a little if that was out? Besides would it really go that far out after driving ok just 10 mins earlier?

[jonbill]

Ignition timing light is an easy way to tell if it's sparking and whether the sparks are at the right time.
Not much help if you haven't got a timing light I know [emoji849]

Where would you get your signal from?

I confess is was picturing spark plug leads [emoji847]. I guess I'd pull the whole cop from #1

[tomaky]

Annoyingly broke down at Tesco's earlier today and had to be towed back home !

Car is turning over ok, but not firing up. Can smell petrol when cranking, so think fuel is getting through ok, but perhaps not sparking?

Has anyone else had similar issues or any idea where to start looking when I get time to get my head under the bonnet ?

BTw .... central locking hasn't been working for a while, but don't think that would be anything associated with it unless it affects the immobiliser?

Cheers.

Mel

Could be immobiliser. Don't think the chip works in the remote if the battery is dud. Could be that the central locking hasn't been working g when the battery is cold.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

Immobiliser cuts the fuel pump though doesn't it Tom? So if there's a smell of fuel you'd assume it's not the immobiliser?

Could have a point there.

[Carolyn]

Yes... checking for a spark is my next port of call... just don't have any time till end of week to work on it.
Not flooding as left it for several hours and still same problem.
I read somewhere that there could be a possible crankshaft sensor fault which causes a similar problem. Just not sure where that sensor is to check it though (awaits next reply in anticipation).
No ignition light to look at that, but I would have thought it would at least try to fire a little if that was out? Besides would it really go that far out after driving ok just 10 mins earlier?

Here's a pic of the crank sensor.  A bit of a piglet to get at in the car- but very do-able. Very often, a dirty earth (right next to the sensor) is the culprit.

[chalced]

Thanks.

May check this out first if I can manage to find it!

[PhilzMR2]

I would try plugging in a code reader. It only takes a minute, so no big deal if it doesn't show anything.
When the crank sensor failed on my Alfa it produced an error code, so could be worth a look.

[chalced]

No codes showing.

Just checked for sparks and everything looks good there.

Plugs were wet with fuel, so I am pretty sure the petrol is getting through. Still not firing though.

Do you still get a spark if the crankcase sensor is faulty? And I presume I have to access that from below as I can't even see it from the top!?

Thanks

[Joesson]

My not starting/ timing issue was in the days of carburettors, and distributors but, you have fuel and you have sparks so I'm still thinking they are not at the same/ correct time.

[Carolyn]

It occurs to me that if you have sparks and wet plugs, there should be no reason why the car won't run, as the timing of the ignition and injection is all done by the ECU and two sensors.  The crank sensor and the cam sensor, neither of which can go out of timing. 

So, either one of those sensors is giving a dodgy signal or there's something else strangely amiss. 

Both those senors need their earths disconnected, cleaned and reconnected.  The earth for the camshaft sensor is to be found on the end of the cylinder head at the gearbox end. The earth for the crank sensor is just above it on the timing cover. You'll need to put the car up on jack-stands and then it's not hard to get to.

At the same time, check that the throttle cable has a little free play and that the throttle butterfly is not sticking slightly open. 

Any open throttle at starting will give the symptoms you are reporting.

[Joesson]

So, what happened next, don't leave us in suspenders!

[Joesson]

So, @chalced ,what happened next, don't leave us in suspenders!

[chalced]

lol... went on me hols last week, so didnt get chance to work on it.

Cant get to cam sensors... nearly took all skin off my knuckles trying!

Think it must be something on the timing side though as everything else seems fine.

Now in the process of looking for a mobile mechanic in the Coventry area as I think I have gone as far as I can on my limited experience!

[StuC]

lol... went on me hols last week, so didnt get chance to work on it.

Cant get to cam sensors... nearly took all skin off my knuckles trying!

Think it must be something on the timing side though as everything else seems fine.

Now in the process of looking for a mobile mechanic in the Coventry area as I think I have gone as far as I can on my limited experience!

Give Steve@d1 customs (look in affiliates section) a call. He is only in Loughborough. He'll get it sorted for you.

[chalced]

Thanks - tried phoning him today, but not answering 

[StuC]

I'll see if I can raise him for you.

[chalced]

Oooerrrr... that makes you sound like a necromancer .... lol

[StuC]

Raise him is very different to raise him up from the dead. Lol.

I have no word from him yet either. He is deffo your man though.

[chalced]

Lol... just tried again today and no answer.

Will try again tomorrow but if no luck will have to try elsewhere.

Frustrating having all this good weather and the cars off the road!

[Joesson]

Thanks for the update @chalced  but coming up to time for another.
Did Steve get resurrected?
Unfortunately it is often the case that people in the know are popular but that popularity can make them sometimes difficult to contact!
Or maybe his "hols" as well