Engine cutting out...
Discussion
Evening All,
A good friend is having intermittent problems with his standard 4.0 litre Chimaera. Engine cuts out for (apparently) no reason at random times. Today when I was with him it happened on the motorway!!! We'd already covered around 90 miles of mixed driving; town and motorway, etc. then this. Luckily we were able to cruise over onto the hard shoulder and engage hazards. Don't get me started about 'smart' motorways. Total madness, who's idea was that? Potentially lethal!
When it dies, it dies. No spluttering and rev counter goes straight to zero. Once the car has stopped, the ignition comes on when the key is turned, fuel pump primes and the starter cranks perfectly well. But nothing. Then after a few minutes it will start again without any spluttering or fuss and we're off once more. Today it happend a second time a few miles later. Same symptoms and result Thereafer, the journey home (120 miles) was trouble free - although we diidn't stray too far away from the hard shoulder!
This isn't the first time, although occurences are recent. In that time, the following have been changed: Dizzy cap and rotor arm, ignition amplifier and coil. All are quality parts but the problems continue. I have a couple of thoughts but I don't want to lead the witness.
PS. Maybe related but after the second incident today when neutral was engaged, the engine spent a couple of minutes revving to circa 2000 rpm, then returning to idle. Up and down constantly, each cycle taking about 2 seconds. As said, it was for a couple of minutes, then normal idling resumed without further fuss.
Related or coincidence? Answer and/or suggestions hugely appreciated. Thanks in advance
A good friend is having intermittent problems with his standard 4.0 litre Chimaera. Engine cuts out for (apparently) no reason at random times. Today when I was with him it happened on the motorway!!! We'd already covered around 90 miles of mixed driving; town and motorway, etc. then this. Luckily we were able to cruise over onto the hard shoulder and engage hazards. Don't get me started about 'smart' motorways. Total madness, who's idea was that? Potentially lethal!
When it dies, it dies. No spluttering and rev counter goes straight to zero. Once the car has stopped, the ignition comes on when the key is turned, fuel pump primes and the starter cranks perfectly well. But nothing. Then after a few minutes it will start again without any spluttering or fuss and we're off once more. Today it happend a second time a few miles later. Same symptoms and result Thereafer, the journey home (120 miles) was trouble free - although we diidn't stray too far away from the hard shoulder!
This isn't the first time, although occurences are recent. In that time, the following have been changed: Dizzy cap and rotor arm, ignition amplifier and coil. All are quality parts but the problems continue. I have a couple of thoughts but I don't want to lead the witness.
PS. Maybe related but after the second incident today when neutral was engaged, the engine spent a couple of minutes revving to circa 2000 rpm, then returning to idle. Up and down constantly, each cycle taking about 2 seconds. As said, it was for a couple of minutes, then normal idling resumed without further fuss.
Related or coincidence? Answer and/or suggestions hugely appreciated. Thanks in advance
If it dies and I mean properly dies suddenly, it could be the immobiliser. This happened to me a couple of times and I had to replace the alarm and immobiliser. Locking and unlocking the car worked at first, but then it happened again.
But if the car is cranking and failing to start, you may have an additional problem, if the fuel pump is running? The immobiliser isolates the starting circuit and the ecu / fuel pump as the 2 immobilised circuits, presuming it is still on the original system that is.
But if the car is cranking and failing to start, you may have an additional problem, if the fuel pump is running? The immobiliser isolates the starting circuit and the ecu / fuel pump as the 2 immobilised circuits, presuming it is still on the original system that is.
Had a similar issue a few years ago on my 400… have a close look at the 100a fuses and the holder… mine had a hairline crack in it and the holder was well past it’s best! Mine used to restart like your and the idle used to run all over the place as a result of the ECU resetting and the idle valve recycling. I changed the holder and the fuse for uprated ones and no problem since. I put it down to vibration and heat ingress due to location… good luck!
When the car cuts out the oil and ignition lights are illuminated as it's rolling to the side of the road?
I take it that he is trying to crank it off of the key as it's coasting to the side of the road and the starter is spinning but the cars not starting, he's also tried jumping it before it comes to a standstill?
Has it got an immobiliser light on it anywhere that works? When he gets it running after coming to a standstill has he disabled the immobiliser?
I'd rip the immobiliser out anyway, they're useless hateful things that can be bypassed in seconds. Stick a disclock on it to slow the opportunists down.
I've got a new King Charles 50p on it being a spark/heat/wiring issue. Buy a spark light tester for next time it's stuck at the side of the road and have a multimeter just to check everything is getting power
I take it that he is trying to crank it off of the key as it's coasting to the side of the road and the starter is spinning but the cars not starting, he's also tried jumping it before it comes to a standstill?
Has it got an immobiliser light on it anywhere that works? When he gets it running after coming to a standstill has he disabled the immobiliser?
I'd rip the immobiliser out anyway, they're useless hateful things that can be bypassed in seconds. Stick a disclock on it to slow the opportunists down.
I've got a new King Charles 50p on it being a spark/heat/wiring issue. Buy a spark light tester for next time it's stuck at the side of the road and have a multimeter just to check everything is getting power
Belle427 said:
You say quality parts were used but sadly they don't exist anymore so what did you use?
I've heard of Bosch coils failing prematurely.
Fair comment. I believe most, if not all parts came from partsfortvrs.com or Racing Green or X-Part, or whoever they are now.I've heard of Bosch coils failing prematurely.
The coil was actually my old Bosch coil, which came off mine when I switched over to Canems ECU a few years ago. (Chimaera since replaced by T350) It hadn't done many miles and was fine when it came off my car.
s p a c e m a n said:
When the car cuts out the oil and ignition lights are illuminated as it's rolling to the side of the road?
I take it that he is trying to crank it off of the key as it's coasting to the side of the road and the starter is spinning but the cars not starting, he's also tried jumping it before it comes to a standstill?
Has it got an immobiliser light on it anywhere that works? When he gets it running after coming to a standstill has he disabled the immobiliser?
I'd rip the immobiliser out anyway, they're useless hateful things that can be bypassed in seconds. Stick a disclock on it to slow the opportunists down.
I've got a new King Charles 50p on it being a spark/heat/wiring issue. Buy a spark light tester for next time it's stuck at the side of the road and have a multimeter just to check everything is getting power
I believe the ignition lights were illuminated as it rolled to the side of the road.I take it that he is trying to crank it off of the key as it's coasting to the side of the road and the starter is spinning but the cars not starting, he's also tried jumping it before it comes to a standstill?
Has it got an immobiliser light on it anywhere that works? When he gets it running after coming to a standstill has he disabled the immobiliser?
I'd rip the immobiliser out anyway, they're useless hateful things that can be bypassed in seconds. Stick a disclock on it to slow the opportunists down.
I've got a new King Charles 50p on it being a spark/heat/wiring issue. Buy a spark light tester for next time it's stuck at the side of the road and have a multimeter just to check everything is getting power
No cranking until we stopped as navigating off the M3 to the hard shoulder was quite enough, without trying to restart the car in motion. No bumping either. Standard Meta alarm. Disabled as normal prior to cranking. No sign of life when it would not start, then after a few minutes, bingo, straight into life.
Once it's running again, there's no fault to find - it's all fine (!) from then on. Infuriating!
Random thoughts from a carpark.
If the fuel pump is priming and it's cranking I doubt it's the immobiliser as the ECU has to be working for it to prime and the starter motor is working.
From the many times that I've lost fuel pressure it's always sputtered back into life rather than start immediately, however if you've primed the system multiple times trying to start it your results may vary.
If it was battery/fuse related messing with the immobiliser whilst driving I would also expect it to start straight away once the immobiliser had been reset.
Definitely sounds random heat wiring spark issue, needs a spark tester and multimeter in the boot
If the fuel pump is priming and it's cranking I doubt it's the immobiliser as the ECU has to be working for it to prime and the starter motor is working.
From the many times that I've lost fuel pressure it's always sputtered back into life rather than start immediately, however if you've primed the system multiple times trying to start it your results may vary.
If it was battery/fuse related messing with the immobiliser whilst driving I would also expect it to start straight away once the immobiliser had been reset.
Definitely sounds random heat wiring spark issue, needs a spark tester and multimeter in the boot
Jordie Barretts sock said:
glow worm said:
Any faults logged on Rover Gauge ?
Where can I get this for my laptop? And where would I get the cable? Thanks!or from blitzracing I think
Edited by glow worm on Saturday 1st October 09:20
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