350 wont start
Discussion
I dont bloody believe it, went to go out in the wedge last night and it wouldnt start, nearly started then wouldnt fire at all, I had been running it yesterday afternoon, seemed fine.
I assumed it was lacking in fuel so I have bought a can of fuel put it in and it still wont bloody start.
Car is cranking over fine, occasionally feels like it is going to fire but doesnt. I cant find any loose wires, all the fuses etc seem to be ok but I dont have a diagram of what fuse is where. Where does the ecu hide?
The car doesnt smell flooded,
any ideas folks?
I assumed it was lacking in fuel so I have bought a can of fuel put it in and it still wont bloody start.
Car is cranking over fine, occasionally feels like it is going to fire but doesnt. I cant find any loose wires, all the fuses etc seem to be ok but I dont have a diagram of what fuse is where. Where does the ecu hide?
The car doesnt smell flooded,
any ideas folks?
When a car won't start you have to go right to the beginning and use elimination to cure the problem. First you have to establish if it's a fuel or electrical problem. If it's a fuel problem it can be anything from fuel pump, fuel pressure, injectors fuel line etc. If its electrical it can be anything from the coil to ignition leads, ecu fuses etc. Buy, beg, borrow or steal an in line spark tester and put it on lead one and see if there is a spark and then work your way from there. You don't say if the car is a V8 hotwire or flapper or is it a 2.8? Does it have an alarm or mobiliser?
Tony. TCB.
Tony. TCB.
Bizarre.
left it for a couple of hours, took the plug off the cold start injector, cranked it with my foot to the floor and it eventually fired! ran like a bag of spanners for a few minutes, put the plug back on the injector to see if it made any difference (no) once it had cleared all the excess fuel out of the system it ran fine, took it for more fuel and it restarted ok, revs cleanly and pulled well on my little test route home.
I just dont understand it, i havent really done anything to fix it but it is working.
left it for a couple of hours, took the plug off the cold start injector, cranked it with my foot to the floor and it eventually fired! ran like a bag of spanners for a few minutes, put the plug back on the injector to see if it made any difference (no) once it had cleared all the excess fuel out of the system it ran fine, took it for more fuel and it restarted ok, revs cleanly and pulled well on my little test route home.
I just dont understand it, i havent really done anything to fix it but it is working.
It's cranking so the solenoid is good.
I am thinking maybe a leaking injector? So after you stop it, the injector leaks into the plenum and the fuel sits there and it's horridly overfuelled when you go to start it next time. As it won't fire the plugs stay wet.
You'll need a fuel pressure gauge on it to check for this.
Tomorrow morning try starting it with wide open throttle to clear out any excess fuel - it might help.
I am thinking maybe a leaking injector? So after you stop it, the injector leaks into the plenum and the fuel sits there and it's horridly overfuelled when you go to start it next time. As it won't fire the plugs stay wet.
You'll need a fuel pressure gauge on it to check for this.
Tomorrow morning try starting it with wide open throttle to clear out any excess fuel - it might help.
This applies to the flapper setup and MAY apply to the hot wire as well.
When trying to start the car don't try loads of little jabs at the starter. The ECU is set to supply extra starting fuel for around 12 seconds of cranking and will flood the engine by wetting the spark-plugs.
I think the enrichment is supplied through the cold-start injector so disconnecting this will help - but if the plugs are wet then only time or removing the plugs and burning them off on the gas hob will work.
So if it doesn't start at first, stop cranking and look for a fault, sniff the exhaust to see if it smells of fuel which will indicate flooding.
Second time, throttle to the floor to see if it shows any indication of firing and when it does start then it may be lumpy as each plug in turn dries up and starts firing.
All this assumes a healthy battery.
Russ
When trying to start the car don't try loads of little jabs at the starter. The ECU is set to supply extra starting fuel for around 12 seconds of cranking and will flood the engine by wetting the spark-plugs.
I think the enrichment is supplied through the cold-start injector so disconnecting this will help - but if the plugs are wet then only time or removing the plugs and burning them off on the gas hob will work.
So if it doesn't start at first, stop cranking and look for a fault, sniff the exhaust to see if it smells of fuel which will indicate flooding.
Second time, throttle to the floor to see if it shows any indication of firing and when it does start then it may be lumpy as each plug in turn dries up and starts firing.
All this assumes a healthy battery.
Russ
This morning it started after 3or 4 seconds, ran really roughly at idle for a minute then stalled and didnt want to restart. Removed lead off the cold start injector and it eventually re fired but it runs badly until it is warm, I'm not convinced that the cold idle is set right, it is trying to tick over @800rpm ish, when it is warm it ticks over at 900-1000. I dont want to start buggering about and potentially make things worse any suggestions?
I am also leaning towards a leaky injector as when it starts it feels like it is flooded.
I am also leaning towards a leaky injector as when it starts it feels like it is flooded.
The flapper needs a signal from the ignition amplifier. Without this signal the engine would not run (ECU doesn't fire the injectors). This cable (think black white or white black) runs from the ignition amplifier on the side of the distributor underneath the AFM. At the AFM there is a bullet connector that can work itself loose.... Had this on mine and reconnected and taped it up, no problems any more that looked like yours.
Rob
Rob
Gassing Station | Wedges | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff