A little help needed

[hallsie]

The Silver one is now fully rebuilt, and has been for about a month now.....

All the clearances are correct, new leads, cleaned up plugs, all fluids present and correct and all cables wireas and pipes back where they came from!

She turns over no problems, and fires for about 2 seconds, just enough for the initial rev up, and then dies, and no matter what position I time it to I cant get it to run correctly....

Any ideas as to what I could be missing?

Im now clutching at straws and going to put in fresh fuel for the weekend and see what happens.

Any input greatly recieved.

Stu

[KelWedge]

Petrol!

or not enough of it getting where it should.

[adam quantrill]

280i is it? Check the fuel return line is clear (disconnect at the regulator and blow down it) as if it is blocked it will seriously overfuel and cut out.

[Campbell]

I would check the timming, remove all the plugs whitch allow the engine to be turned over easer, remove the left rocker cover and set cylinder 1 on TDC then remove the dizy and see if its pointing at no1.

I dont know a lot about the 280 but im sure a hayne manual on the 280 capri will help or ask Mr Ziga as im sure he has gone throught most of his injection folt finding

Cambelt

Edited by Campbell on Thursday 1st March 23:02

[TOPTON]

You haven't said you've checked this so the first thing I would do here stu, is hard wire the fuel pump from the battery to check it is working correctly. Then if it is, try starting it while still wired like that.
If it starts, it could be a sticky relay fault.

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Mate..Pull the plug off..(Green plug)..off the left side of the metering head,If looking from drivers seat...the fuel pump should come on when the ignition is turned on..Try that..Have you disconnected the fuel lines from the metering head?..If so have you put them back on right...the injector ones can go back in any order but the 7th injector and the return must go in the correct position..Sometimes things like the injectors, metering head and WUR can fail through not being used..The metering head especially as the plate between the two halves is so thin it can rust after a period of non-use..If this happens then you will loose any fuel pressure..Injectors can become gummed up..Have you looked at the sensor plate to make sure it moves?..First off though make sure you have enough fuel in the tanks..Ziga

[york33]

Little sensor (safety switch type thingy) on the side of the metering head? Once the engine starts doesn't this then switch a relay for normal running? Is the sensor connected/working. Is it hooked up to the relay at the other end ok and is said relay switching when/what it should? Thinking that as it cuts out after a couple of seconds of engine running then this could be a place to start?...........

cheers
Dave

[jeff m2]

york33 said:

Little sensor (safety switch type thingy) on the side of the metering head? Once the engine starts doesn't this then switch a relay for normal running? Is the sensor connected/working. Is it hooked up to the relay at the other end ok and is said relay switching when/what it should? Thinking that as it cuts out after a couple of seconds of engine running then this could be a place to start?...........

cheers
Dave

Yep there are basically two ignition circuits
12v from start pos of key to starter motor and ignition coil.

When the key is allowed to return to the on or run position the 12v travels via the ballast resister to the coil.

So check out the big blue curley wire.
You should be getting around 8volts on the coil. Or stick a test lamp on there with key in the on/run position (engine need not be running)

[hallsie]

OK
Thanks all, and in reply to most, in no particular order..

The fuel pump was long ago hard wired and runs on the first turn of the key, so plenty of fuel (albeit perhaps 6 months old and in need of a gallon more good stuff, tomorrow is the day for that)

The engine has just been rebuilt and the TDC on 1 is spot on with the dizzy,so no problems there, and ive got the dizzy just loose enough to move with a bar so I can keep trying in the general area.

Ill be going out to bring all the relays into the house for a stint on the radiator, that worked with the starter reaay a few weeks back.

Cut out switch on the metering head isnt somthing ive considered so that will be the first thing.
and as its been sitting for a time a good blow down the return and some engine start on the air flow inlet plate for a clean up for good measure.

I only disconnected the fuel feed to the WUR/AAD, and they are different sized banjo fittings so thats ok...

If I get time tomorrow Ill either get it going or Ill be thrashing around with a large bit of tree!!

Thanks for the replies

Stu

[350zwelgje]

Another idea: The ecu needs a signal that is provided by the ignition amplifier on the distributor. There is a white with black wire from it that provides this signal. On mine it runs from the distributor towards the airflow meter. It has a bullet connector in this wire close to the AFM. Had to clean mine and taped it for security, no intermittent starting and running problems anymore.

Sometimes it is worth disconnecting the large plug to the ecu a couple of times (removing oxidation) and make sure it is properly, fully connected.

Rob

Edit: forget about this written above, as it is RV8 related...

Edited by 350zwelgje on Friday 2nd March 20:17

[RCK974X]

Wait, wait, hang on a mo'... did you say you have a 280 with a sensor switch (on the fuel distributor head) AND the pump runs as soon as you turn the ignition on ??? 'Cos that's W-R-O-N-G !!

What should happen is the pump does NOT run until the metering flap lifts of its stop...If you have this wired the wrong way round, the engine will catch and then will die, which I think describes your symptoms pretty well.


Just a guess, but ....

Edited by RCK974X on Friday 2nd March 20:08

[hallsie]

RCK974X said:

Wait, wait, hang on a mo'... did you say you have a sensor switch AND the pump runs as soon as you turn the ignition on ??? 'Cos that's W-R-O-N-G !!

What should happen is the pump does NOT run on until the metering flap lifts of its stop...If you have this wired the wrong way round, the engine will catch and then will die, which I think describes your syptoms pretty well.


Just a guess, but ....

Wait wait wait wait,,,,, wooohaaaaaaa.

Im not sure about the sensor switch on the metering head, and the pump was like that a long time befor I got it..

The only reason for a rebuild was a blown head gasket and even then the car still ran ok, before the head gasket she ran like a dream, and everything has gone back in without even a single 'spare' bolt!!

Its too late to go out now and Ive spent more than my weekly allowance of hours sat on the M25, so its beer time and sort it tomorrow...

perhaps.

[mrzigazaga]

Hi mate..It can take a little time for the petrol to get everywhere it needs to..Mine did when i had the metering head changed..(A couple of minutes)..Even now when i start mine it only starts on 4 injectors and then the other two kick in..Its been known by capri owners as well..Even with new injectors..If yours is starting then its obviously getting fuel and a spark..Sounds like its not getting a constant supply of fuel..Sounds like you are almost there dude...Ziga

[RCK974X]

OK, sorry, - didn't mean to overreact there, but I thought it might just have been the eureka moment....and it's easy to wire the wrong way round....

What should happen is that the head sensor STOPS the pump when the engine is not turning, when the metering flap is on the bottom, as a safety feature.

The earlier 2.8 systems (Capri too) were wired with a relay to do this. Later 2.8 and other 'K' series systems had a tall purple relay type unit, which had an electronic timer in it, which runs for 2 secs, and is connected to the ignition, just like the tacho, which triggers it ON again. Those systems don't have the plug on the metering unit (if it's original that is). On those systems the pump will run for 2 secs when ignition turned on and then stop until cranking starts.

Zig, if you have only 4 injectors on start, it means you've got 2 slightly leaky injectors. This isn't unusual for older injectors. I think there's also some pressure valves in the metering head too....no big deal !

[GV]

Have you tried rotating your Dizzy 180 degrees? The reason being you may have set it up to fire on No6 cylinder 1st instead of No1.

[mrzigazaga]

RCK974X said:

Zig, if you have only 4 injectors on start, it means you've got 2 slightly leaky injectors. This isn't unusual for older injectors. I think there's also some pressure valves in the metering head too....no big deal !

Hi Mate..Do you mean the older style injectors as i have fitted brand new bosch injectors and had the metering head rebuilt..I suppose it could be where im missing a fuel accumulator as it was leaking fuel from the air breather so i capped it off...However i did read about it a few times on the capri forums and the ford guy said they have a habit of doing it..Although its not a great deal..Cheers..Ziga

[ihouston]

Stu - have you looked at the hose from the metering head to the plenum - mine used to do what you have described and it was a an air leak from this hose - check if you have any splits in the hose anywhere - you will have had to moved this in the rebuild and it could just be the cause of your problems.
Cheers
Ian

[Wedg1e]

RCK974X said:

Later 2.8 and other 'K' series systems had a tall purple relay type unit, which had an electronic timer in it, which runs for 2 secs, and is connected to the ignition, just like the tacho, which triggers it ON again.

Just to clarify what RCK is saying, this relay is fed with the pulse train from the negative terminal of the HT coil, so it looks to see if the sparks are firing before it'll switch the fuel pump on. It won't care which way the dizzy is pointing, just that the coil is making HT. It'd be worth checking wiring to the coil as a start.

[hallsie]

FFFAAAAARRRRRRRRKINNNNN GEEEEEEET IIIIINNNNNNNN!!!!!

a gallon of 99 ron fuel and 5 mins tightening the exhaust manifold and she running sweet and timed up correctly!

Thanks to all for you thoughts!

Now, what one do I take out tomorrow.?

Stu

[mrzigazaga]

..Nice one..Well done that man..Ziga