4.0 won't start
Discussion
Hi,
My chimaera 4.0 '96 has decided to no longer start.
The battery is kept charged via an optimate charger so no problem there.
Checked dist cap and rotor arm, both look ok, no worn out contacts or carbon build up.
I suspect the ignition coil.
Any tips on the best way to diagnose this?
Is the best replacement the Bosch p/n PRC 6574
Regards
Brian
My chimaera 4.0 '96 has decided to no longer start.
The battery is kept charged via an optimate charger so no problem there.
Checked dist cap and rotor arm, both look ok, no worn out contacts or carbon build up.
I suspect the ignition coil.
Any tips on the best way to diagnose this?
Is the best replacement the Bosch p/n PRC 6574
Regards
Brian
Naybr said:
Can you hear the fuel pump prime when you turn the ignition/immobiliser on?
Immobiliser??? My 98 immobiliser has just gone on the blink and is currently being replaced. This forum has identified a growing number of flakey original Meta immobiliser/alarms, due to age. Worth a check. First clue is when fuel pump refuses to prime after switching on ignition.
Note that the visible presence of a spark doesn't necessarily mean that your coil is okay. My failed coil was still producing a visible spark, but I believe it's much easier for a spark to jump a gap at atmospheric pressure than it is inside the cylinder at TDC, so you may still be getting no spark when the plug is back inside the cylinder.
Marlboro said:
Hi all,
Many thanks for the help.
Took a plug out today and have a spark.(plug looked good just fouled with fuel).
So there's a spark and fuel but no life at all when turning over.
Doesn't even missfire.
Confused
Brian
See Dr Mike Oxgreen comment above. my plugs were sparking bur car wouldnt start, AA'd to the dealer who replaced the coil and fixed it.Many thanks for the help.
Took a plug out today and have a spark.(plug looked good just fouled with fuel).
So there's a spark and fuel but no life at all when turning over.
Doesn't even missfire.
Confused
Brian
try replacing the coil with a known good one or get it to your nearest dealer to fix before you throw any more money at it.
A spark plug finds it harder to create a spark under compression, so pulling the plugs out isn't always a sure-fire way of checking for spark. You really want an inline-bulb tester (Laser do a set quite cheap).
The other thing it may be worth checking is your battery. I've had EFi cars before which crank over fine, have a spark and have fuel. But the battery may be struggling to generate as much current as it did in it's youth and sometimes that being the case, the ignition amp and various sensors don't get the right amount of juice to function correctly. I had one car which was sparking, priming and turning over fine. Just wouldn't start. Every now and then it'd try to catch, almost tripping over itself...turned out the spark was erratic to say the least! So I'd try either charging the battery, or better yet switching it for a known good one to see if it makes any difference. Or boost it from another vehicle. You might find it makes no difference, or it might spring into life. Just look out for any difference however small to give you clues.
The other thing it may be worth checking is your battery. I've had EFi cars before which crank over fine, have a spark and have fuel. But the battery may be struggling to generate as much current as it did in it's youth and sometimes that being the case, the ignition amp and various sensors don't get the right amount of juice to function correctly. I had one car which was sparking, priming and turning over fine. Just wouldn't start. Every now and then it'd try to catch, almost tripping over itself...turned out the spark was erratic to say the least! So I'd try either charging the battery, or better yet switching it for a known good one to see if it makes any difference. Or boost it from another vehicle. You might find it makes no difference, or it might spring into life. Just look out for any difference however small to give you clues.
Might be worth pulling the fuel pump relay, and cranking the engine over, might just have flooded, this will help to purge out the petrol sat in the combustion chamber, leave it for a few hours do it again and then try it with the relay back in, but if that fails it would appear to be an spark problem.
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