Cold weather starting woes

[_DeeJay_]

To add to my problems (glowing manifolds etc) the car is now refusing to start.
All I wanted to do was get it to offords for a service!

Anyway, having had a look at it:

1) The coil seems to be producing a strong spark
2) The leads are fairly recent and in good condition
3) I've just replaced the plug lead extenders (had some in the garage and figured it couldn't do any harm)
4) The dissy cap contacts have probably seen better days
5) The car has been getting more difficult to start of late
6) It's got a new battery

My current line of thoughts are that perhaps I've fouled the plugs (cranking with a low battery previously) and i'm now paying the price.

Does that sound plausible? I've ordered a new set, and will also probably order a rotor arm and dissy cap just to be sure.

The only other (slightly embarrassing) thing is that I've no idea how to get at the Spark Plugs. I presume I need the right size socket set and an extender to get to the damned things once I've removed the extender and leads? Is this just a trip to Halfords, and if so, could anyone tell me the right size socket I'll need?

thanks all,
D

[_DeeJay_]

Hmm, I don't understand it; if I remove the fuel pump fuse the car starts, runs for a few seconds then stalls.

If I then retry with the fuel pump running it won't start at all.

So, I figure it's getting too much fuel, but don't know why or what to do about it!

Short on the air flow meter perhaps??

D

[victormeldrew]

You'll need a Spark Plug Socket! They are 14mm spark plugs, but confusingly these have a 21mm hex. You want a 14mm spark plug socket, or a 21mm deep "normal" socket; a 13/16 deep socket will also fit perfectly.

You might be better of with a spark plug wrench rather than a socket, I have an old trusty one with a flexible rubber T bar handle which is perfect (something like this,



but I have had mine 20 years so probably not that exact one!). Otherwise you might find yourself needing a universal joint and short extension bar as well as the socket.

Edited by victormeldrew on Wednesday 24th January 12:01

[_DeeJay_]

victormeldrew said:

You'll need a Spark Plug Socket! They are 14mm spark plugs, but confusingly these have a 21mm hex. You want a 14mm spark plug socket, or a 21mm deep "normal" socket; a 13/16 deep socket will also fit perfectly.

You might be better of with a spark plug wrench rather than a socket, I have an old trusty one with a flexible rubber T bar handle which is perfect (something like this, but I have had mine 20 years so probably not that exact one!). Otherwise you might find yourself needing a universal joint and short extension bar as well as the socket.

Brillant - thanks. I'll go and fetch one this evening.

It looks like I'm going to have to work out what's wrong first though - if the car will start without the fuel pump running then they can't be that bad, and I'll probably just wreck the new ones if I fit them.

I've just got to work out why it (seemingly) delivers too much fuel now

[victormeldrew]

Cranking with a low battery may well have fouled the plugs, I've done that before now.

[_DeeJay_]

victormeldrew said:

Cranking with a low battery may well have fouled the plugs, I've done that before now.

That's what I figured, but then why would it start when I remove the fuel pump relay?
Surely the plugs are fouled or they aren't? Without the relay it starts and runs for 2-3 seconds (then runs out of fuel).

[GreenGriff400]

Try a swapping the fuel pump relay, the bosch metal one.

[GreenV8S]

Can you get it running and then enable the fuel pump before it dies? Normally if it's flooded, there's enough fuel sloshing around to get it to fire a few times and once it does fire you can turn the fuel back on. You might need to replace the fuse with a couple of wires you can just squeeze together to make the circuit so you can do it from the driver's seat, or get your glamorous assistant to do that bit for you.

[_DeeJay_]

GreenV8S said:

Can you get it running and then enable the fuel pump before it dies? Normally if it's flooded, there's enough fuel sloshing around to get it to fire a few times and once it does fire you can turn the fuel back on. You might need to replace the fuse with a couple of wires you can just squeeze together to make the circuit so you can do it from the driver's seat, or get your glamorous assistant to do that bit for you.

I tried that (having read one of your earlier posts on a similar subject), and it just seems to snuff it out.

It's like the fuel pump is dumping a lot too much fuel whenever it runs..

[andy-w]

_DeeJay_ said:

GreenV8S said:

Can you get it running and then enable the fuel pump before it dies? Normally if it's flooded, there's enough fuel sloshing around to get it to fire a few times and once it does fire you can turn the fuel back on. You might need to replace the fuse with a couple of wires you can just squeeze together to make the circuit so you can do it from the driver's seat, or get your glamorous assistant to do that bit for you.

I tried that (having read one of your earlier posts on a similar subject), and it just seems to snuff it out.

It's like the fuel pump is dumping a lot too much fuel whenever it runs..

Fuel relay shot?
If you turn the key with everything connected does the fuel pump stop whirring after a couple of seconds....?
I had a knackered fuel relay and when you turned the ignition on it would prime and just keep on priming until you either turne d the ignition ogg or pulled the relay.

or could the fuel pressure regulator be shot?

[_DeeJay_]

andy-w said:

_DeeJay_ said:

GreenV8S said:

Can you get it running and then enable the fuel pump before it dies? Normally if it's flooded, there's enough fuel sloshing around to get it to fire a few times and once it does fire you can turn the fuel back on. You might need to replace the fuse with a couple of wires you can just squeeze together to make the circuit so you can do it from the driver's seat, or get your glamorous assistant to do that bit for you.

I tried that (having read one of your earlier posts on a similar subject), and it just seems to snuff it out.

It's like the fuel pump is dumping a lot too much fuel whenever it runs..

It primes as usual (and stops).

I could change the relay around between the fuel pump and CPU though just to eradicate this.
The car ran fine yesterday, though as I reported on another thread, the main cat was glowing when I stopped! I figure they're likely to be same issue (i.e. too much fuel, some ending up unburned at the cat).

D


Fuel relay shot?
If you turn the key with everything connected does the fuel pump stop whirring after a couple of seconds....?
I had a knackered fuel relay and when you turned the ignition on it would prime and just keep on priming until you either turne d the ignition ogg or pulled the relay.

or could the fuel pressure regulator be shot?

[_DeeJay_]

Damned thing. Swapped the relays around and still no joy.

Well, a new set of plugs should arrive in the morning, so fingers crossed that sorts it (though I suspect it won't, and will no doubt be colder outside then )