Won't start - help please
Discussion
I'm just hoping someone has any ideas about what's wrong with it now. Rolled it out the garage and tried to start, nothing, all I get is the whirling sound on pressing the button. However, it doesn't stop after a couple of seconds like normal it just continues. I thought it could be fuel but I've just put 2 5l cans in. Any help will be greatly appreciated. It's a 4.2 1996.
I have just replaced some of the carpet next to the immobiliser socket, I did have to get a little physical to remove the old stuff. It's the black button on the steering wheel, usually I press it there is 4 to 5seconds of whirling and then it stops, now it's continuous. Going to check fuses now, fingers crossed.
I'm wondering if I have pulled a wire or somthing when changing some of the carpet. I've had a flat battery on it before and it jumped no problem, I'm worried about why the fuel pump is constantly priming and not stopping like normal. Is it an auto electrician or a mechanic I need? Thanks everyone.
Edited by harry henderson on Saturday 13th June 21:55
That's a relief because I haven't got a clue about electrics. Do you think it could have something to do with fuel? It had 1/4 of a tank when I went to move it last week and it wouldn't start, I assumed it was too low on fuel, found out 1/4 of a tank is actually an empty tank when I first got it. I put 10 litres in now though.
Most starting problems and strange electrical gremlins I have had in the last 12 months on 4 different cars have been solved by attaching a fresh battery and trying again.
I would urge you to stop spending your time randomly changing things that probably don't need changing, and fit a new battery first.
Unless you tell me otherwise, your present one is probably old (they have a 5-6 year life, less if allowed to go flat regularly), and has been knackered by the long periods not using the car.
That will eliminate the most likely cause of your problems.
By the way, the last starting problem I had was last week - wife's Saab wouldn't turn over, having been fine the previous day. No, she hadn't left the lights on.
Strange bongings, and warnings on the dash.
Tested the battery with my multimeter, 12.4 volts.
Puzzled, I had expected 2.4 volts, and the battery looked pretty new, but we have only recently bought the car.
Took the battery to my local Auto spares indie, they stuck the battery tester on it.....61 amps. It should have been 610 amps.
New battery purchased for £55, inserted in car by me, car now works fine.
PS
My TVR has been the one car I own that has been fine throughout, of course, no battery problems, but I use it every week.
The others were German and Swedish rubbish. Nuff said.
I would urge you to stop spending your time randomly changing things that probably don't need changing, and fit a new battery first.
Unless you tell me otherwise, your present one is probably old (they have a 5-6 year life, less if allowed to go flat regularly), and has been knackered by the long periods not using the car.
That will eliminate the most likely cause of your problems.
By the way, the last starting problem I had was last week - wife's Saab wouldn't turn over, having been fine the previous day. No, she hadn't left the lights on.
Strange bongings, and warnings on the dash.
Tested the battery with my multimeter, 12.4 volts.
Puzzled, I had expected 2.4 volts, and the battery looked pretty new, but we have only recently bought the car.
Took the battery to my local Auto spares indie, they stuck the battery tester on it.....61 amps. It should have been 610 amps.
New battery purchased for £55, inserted in car by me, car now works fine.
PS
My TVR has been the one car I own that has been fine throughout, of course, no battery problems, but I use it every week.
The others were German and Swedish rubbish. Nuff said.
Gazzab said:
Phew we got there :-)
Yup, IMHO you had already hit the nail on the head, I just applied the 6 lb lump hammer.....
I/we could still be wrong, but at least this will eliminate the obvious.
I am just remembering the hours I spent trying to fix the non-starting problems on my Audi A8 a couple of months ago. It had had a new battery in November (Exide Excel), and it took me hours to realise "it MUST be the battery", check the voltage, take it back to the shop showing 10 volts, get it tested by them, and get a replacement FOC. It was simply a duff cell in the almost new battery, but even one cell down it won't start the car, and that's only a 3 litre V6.....
At one point I had six different fault warnings on the dash display
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