Failing to start
Discussion
Right so the Rover failed to start this morning (no HGF jokes pleasee, had enough of them today haha). Parked up last night, all good. Tried it today, no joy. Starter motor turns and turns, but it doesn't fire up :/. Been running fine since the MoT two weeks ago, when new plugs were fitted, apart from the other day when it seemed to be missing a little bit when cold. HT leads seem fine, plenty of fuel, fuel pump itself is priming ok, air intake not blocked. I'm thinking it's the plugs, but I would appreciate tips from here please 
It's a 1600 k-series, one of the first. Thanks, hope you've all had a good day
It's a 1600 k-series, one of the first. Thanks, hope you've all had a good dayYou need three things for ignition - fuel, spark, and compression.
With an old car it would be reasonably simple to check this, but on fuel injection cars the injection system does draw a lot of current to run the injectors. Even if you have fuel at the pump it might not be injecting the fuel.
With an old car it would be reasonably simple to check this, but on fuel injection cars the injection system does draw a lot of current to run the injectors. Even if you have fuel at the pump it might not be injecting the fuel.
snotrag said:
Is the starter definitely turning the engine?
I once had one that the gear drive thing stuck, so the motor just whizzed round. Just had to t
t it hard enough to free off!?
Hmm I'll give this a go, couldn't hurt! Snuffle I did check for moisture, seemed to be fine. Didn't take the plugs out thoughI once had one that the gear drive thing stuck, so the motor just whizzed round. Just had to t
t it hard enough to free off!? 
Anymore ideas? Or the gloating in work will be endless... I hate having the most interesting, but unrelable cars.This time of year an iffy battery will cause what you describe on any car. It may turn the engine over and as the starter demands more from a battery than any other electrical item on the car, there may not be sufficient battery power available to operate other things like even a spark at the plugs. Inside the combustion chamber is not the same as outside where a healthy spark my be shown.
So, prime suspect on the list and first thing to check ... battery. Use a known good one rather than trying jumper leads from another car.
By the way, unreliable car users and owners outnumber unreliable cars. The car always gets the blame though.
So, prime suspect on the list and first thing to check ... battery. Use a known good one rather than trying jumper leads from another car.
By the way, unreliable car users and owners outnumber unreliable cars. The car always gets the blame though.
Thanks 
Ah yes, this is too true. Easy to blame the tools and all that!Alx323 said:
Changed the dizzy cap and rotor arm. All perfect now, thanks guys
I love a happy ending. As the car stood unused for a long period, drive it being all eyes and ears until you are confident all is as it should be. Inactivity can mean a Water Pump wears prematurely and that will allow coolant to escape. Allow coolant to reach as certain lower level means overheating and that can damage the cylinder head gasket and other parts of the engine if not noticed in time.
So, watch it like a hawk until you're confident.
.
Yeah the rotor arm was knackered, looked like the original! Happy enough, was easy to do. Yeah I am keeping a very close eye on things, the temperature guage has a mind of its own though, which doesn't help overheating wise. Seemed a bit iffy earlier, just idling, went to flash the main beam and the revs dropped enough for it to nearly stall. Odd, seemed a little rough all round. Gonna do a full service next week, do the alternator belt too. Reckon it's worth doing the HT leads/coil now? These will be a weak link now that the dizzy is up to full power as it were, or am I talking rubbish?
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