HELP PLEASE - Engine CUT OUT and non-starter
Discussion
Hello All,
Problem with the Chimaera 500. Whilst accelerating in the fast lane on the motorway the engine just cut out. Luckily I was carrying enough speed to coast to the hard shoulder. The AA gave me and passenger a lift home and tried to fix it (bless 'em they did try). However, it's a non-starter. The pump appears to prime (the usual whirring noise, so I assume there is fuel getting to the engine), there is a healthy spark, and the engine turns over, but it just does not start. I've changed the solenoids in the footwell and no fuses in the footwell are obviously blown. I assume it's not the immobiliser as the engine is turning over and when the immobiliser is on the engine does not turn over at all.
What about the 100 amp fuses? I do wonder if there is a blockage in the fuel lines though. If fuel was getting to the engine, but for whatever reason not starting, then I might suspect engine flooding given the number of times the engine was turned over, but there's no evidence of petrol fumes due to flooding.
Open to ides. Many thanks in advance.
Kim
Problem with the Chimaera 500. Whilst accelerating in the fast lane on the motorway the engine just cut out. Luckily I was carrying enough speed to coast to the hard shoulder. The AA gave me and passenger a lift home and tried to fix it (bless 'em they did try). However, it's a non-starter. The pump appears to prime (the usual whirring noise, so I assume there is fuel getting to the engine), there is a healthy spark, and the engine turns over, but it just does not start. I've changed the solenoids in the footwell and no fuses in the footwell are obviously blown. I assume it's not the immobiliser as the engine is turning over and when the immobiliser is on the engine does not turn over at all.
What about the 100 amp fuses? I do wonder if there is a blockage in the fuel lines though. If fuel was getting to the engine, but for whatever reason not starting, then I might suspect engine flooding given the number of times the engine was turned over, but there's no evidence of petrol fumes due to flooding.
Open to ides. Many thanks in advance.
Kim
Edited by tesstickles on Monday 28th August 01:14
Your logic sounds good to me.
It won't be the 100 amp fuse under the car - you wouldn't have the battery to keep turning the engine over like that.
I think the 80 amp fuse in the rats nest by the battery (in a black fuse holder) failing would make most things not work, but cannot remember as I have never had that fail, so it may be worth checking.
When I had a similar thing happen it was fuel not getting through. I assume the AA man checked he had a spark by testing at a spark plug. My RAC man did, and said he was not allowed to test fuel rail pressure at the road side for fear of fire, but was pretty sure that was the problem. He was right, in that fuel was my issue, but he was stumped by Elf and Safety. So the car went to my TVR expert, who worked it out in 20 minutes.
My problem was a very unusual one - I had had a battery fail and boil acid over onto the carpet a couple of years previously. I had spotted it and had cleaned up the acid, changed the battery, and all was well again......or so I thought.
What I didn't know was that some acid had got into the ECU case, and two years later had finally damaged the little fuelling chip on the edge of the circuit board just enough for it to suddenly stop working. Swapped my ECU over for a spare, and bingo, it lived, and ran reasonably! Swapped the main chip over between ECUs (my car had a bespoke 5 litre chip, the spare ECU was 4 litre) and it ran properly.
I needed the diagnostic knowledge of my TVR expert that day - I would never have found that fault, but he checked the fuel pressure at the rail, and the lack of fuel smell, and then deduced that the injectors, all 8 of them, weren't opening. So it had to be the ECU.
You might just take your ECU off, and then re-attach it. That will make sure it is properly connected, and also will reset it.
It won't be the 100 amp fuse under the car - you wouldn't have the battery to keep turning the engine over like that.
I think the 80 amp fuse in the rats nest by the battery (in a black fuse holder) failing would make most things not work, but cannot remember as I have never had that fail, so it may be worth checking.
When I had a similar thing happen it was fuel not getting through. I assume the AA man checked he had a spark by testing at a spark plug. My RAC man did, and said he was not allowed to test fuel rail pressure at the road side for fear of fire, but was pretty sure that was the problem. He was right, in that fuel was my issue, but he was stumped by Elf and Safety. So the car went to my TVR expert, who worked it out in 20 minutes.
My problem was a very unusual one - I had had a battery fail and boil acid over onto the carpet a couple of years previously. I had spotted it and had cleaned up the acid, changed the battery, and all was well again......or so I thought.
What I didn't know was that some acid had got into the ECU case, and two years later had finally damaged the little fuelling chip on the edge of the circuit board just enough for it to suddenly stop working. Swapped my ECU over for a spare, and bingo, it lived, and ran reasonably! Swapped the main chip over between ECUs (my car had a bespoke 5 litre chip, the spare ECU was 4 litre) and it ran properly.
I needed the diagnostic knowledge of my TVR expert that day - I would never have found that fault, but he checked the fuel pressure at the rail, and the lack of fuel smell, and then deduced that the injectors, all 8 of them, weren't opening. So it had to be the ECU.
You might just take your ECU off, and then re-attach it. That will make sure it is properly connected, and also will reset it.
Edited by QBee on Monday 28th August 06:01
Many thanks for the advice. I'll have a go with the ECU. Can't say I've had anything as exciting as a battery boil over the acid though.
The AA man did check fuel pressure and some did squirt out. When the fuel pump was primed again, he checked pressure again and it seemed OK.
There was a healthy spark from the lead he tested, so presume the ignition is possibly OK.
Hopefully Mr TVR man will fix it with some pixie dust and his trusty spanner.
The AA man did check fuel pressure and some did squirt out. When the fuel pump was primed again, he checked pressure again and it seemed OK.
There was a healthy spark from the lead he tested, so presume the ignition is possibly OK.
Hopefully Mr TVR man will fix it with some pixie dust and his trusty spanner.
Edited by tesstickles on Monday 28th August 18:38
tesstickles said:
Many thanks for the advice. I'll have a go with the ECU. The AA man did check fuel pressure and some did squirt out.
I would copy what the AA man did and release all the fuel pressure until none comes out. Use a rag or bucket to catch the fuel, do NOT let it spray all over the engine.Then turn the ignition on but do not start, listening out for the pump priming. Once it has stopped switch off and carry out the test again. Be careful, there should be at least 40 psi pressure if all is good so it will spray out fast.
If it sprays out under good pressure then it would suggest the pump is pressurising and delivering.
If it dribbles out or a very short flow then there is a problem.
Ideally a fuel gauge would be a better indication.
Just a simple test you can do yourself to maybe help pinpoint the fault.
I would also undo and remake the connections at the fuel pump, cleaning up as you go along. It is behind the passenger side rear wheel so easy to locate. It is close to the ground and near a wheel so is bombarded with water and dirt.
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