Discussion
So it's sunny, it's a four day weekend - it's time for a few nice long drives right?
Apparently the Chim doesn't think so
Thursday morning the throttle cable broke - not a problem as I had a spare in the boot, so I idled it to my local indy garage and asked them to fit it. Two hours later she was up and running (some recent rough running problems completely gone) and I was as happy as Larry. Off I go, get home and give the beast a good clean ready for a run to the coast on Friday.
Friday morning comes, so I get up early with that "I'm going for a nice long drive in the Tiv" feeling and accompanying grin... We pile into the car, start her up and pull off the driveway and it stalls. With a rueful grin I try and start it up, and... nothing. The engine turns over fine for 5-10 seconds, but there is only a brief cough of ignition, and then back to turning over. I try again and again, and there is no spark. I leave it for 10 minutes, go back and she starts up OK, but stalls again after a few seconds (I was keeping the revs at about 2000 to be sure it wasn't me).
So, what the hell could the problem be? I'm guessing it is either some water has got where it shouldn't while I was washing the car, or the garage has adjusted/knocked something out of alignment.
I must note that the car was running very well after the visit to the garage - I went for a 10 mile drive, stopped and restarted it and drove 10 miles back, all before washing the car, so I would think that water is probably the problem, but I have never had any similar problems in two years - even driving though deep puddles and torrential rain...
Obviously, I would take it back to the garage, but they're closed until Tuesday, and I really want to get out... Has anyone got any suggestions (bear in mind that I can follow a manual, but I'm no mechanic!)
Cheers,
Chris.
Apparently the Chim doesn't think so
Thursday morning the throttle cable broke - not a problem as I had a spare in the boot, so I idled it to my local indy garage and asked them to fit it. Two hours later she was up and running (some recent rough running problems completely gone) and I was as happy as Larry. Off I go, get home and give the beast a good clean ready for a run to the coast on Friday.
Friday morning comes, so I get up early with that "I'm going for a nice long drive in the Tiv" feeling and accompanying grin... We pile into the car, start her up and pull off the driveway and it stalls. With a rueful grin I try and start it up, and... nothing. The engine turns over fine for 5-10 seconds, but there is only a brief cough of ignition, and then back to turning over. I try again and again, and there is no spark. I leave it for 10 minutes, go back and she starts up OK, but stalls again after a few seconds (I was keeping the revs at about 2000 to be sure it wasn't me).
So, what the hell could the problem be? I'm guessing it is either some water has got where it shouldn't while I was washing the car, or the garage has adjusted/knocked something out of alignment.
I must note that the car was running very well after the visit to the garage - I went for a 10 mile drive, stopped and restarted it and drove 10 miles back, all before washing the car, so I would think that water is probably the problem, but I have never had any similar problems in two years - even driving though deep puddles and torrential rain...
Obviously, I would take it back to the garage, but they're closed until Tuesday, and I really want to get out... Has anyone got any suggestions (bear in mind that I can follow a manual, but I'm no mechanic!)
Cheers,
Chris.
At the risk of eggs, a drill bit and a man made vacuum.
Is you drive on an upward slope? If so, and you're lowish on fuel, you may hear a hollow whirr of the fuel pump instead of a loaded, deeper sound. Mine did this to me the other day. When on the flat, it had just enough jiuse to get to the pterol station (few!). I rarely let the level get down too far, but this time I chanced it and got bitten on the arse. Other than that, a long list of checking connectors for damp (coil etc) but i would honestly be suprised if a wash did this.
Hope this helps,
Nick
Is you drive on an upward slope? If so, and you're lowish on fuel, you may hear a hollow whirr of the fuel pump instead of a loaded, deeper sound. Mine did this to me the other day. When on the flat, it had just enough jiuse to get to the pterol station (few!). I rarely let the level get down too far, but this time I chanced it and got bitten on the arse. Other than that, a long list of checking connectors for damp (coil etc) but i would honestly be suprised if a wash did this.
Hope this helps,
Nick
Thanks Nick.
There's 3/4 tank of petrol and the pump primes as usual. You might be right in that it's not getting petrol to the engine, but I would have though that that would have shown up before being left on the drive overnight.
I'll have a check under the bonnet to check coil, plugs etc...
There's 3/4 tank of petrol and the pump primes as usual. You might be right in that it's not getting petrol to the engine, but I would have though that that would have shown up before being left on the drive overnight.
I'll have a check under the bonnet to check coil, plugs etc...
You've flooded the engine. Leave it for a few minutes and try again, with no gas pedal action until it catches.
Best thing is to pull the 2 metal relays from the loom in the passenger footwell (on/by the battery). One is the fuel pump. The car should now start and run for 2-3 seconds, then stall (no more fuel coming through). Put the relays back, start up and off you go.
Best thing is to pull the 2 metal relays from the loom in the passenger footwell (on/by the battery). One is the fuel pump. The car should now start and run for 2-3 seconds, then stall (no more fuel coming through). Put the relays back, start up and off you go.
Sounds like a flooded engine... mine does that from time to time if I don't leave it idling a few minutes after starting it up from cold, worse still if I have started and driven it only a few yards into the garage the night before, as I imagine a rich mixture is hanging around in the cylinders etc..
Differing opinions on this last time, some even said it shouldn't work because of the engine management system.... but what definately works for me is the tried and tested method of foot to the floor with the accelerator to keep the throttle fully open until the cylinders clear and the engine catches. You need to be brave and resist your natural instinct to lift off before it catches though.
Differing opinions on this last time, some even said it shouldn't work because of the engine management system.... but what definately works for me is the tried and tested method of foot to the floor with the accelerator to keep the throttle fully open until the cylinders clear and the engine catches. You need to be brave and resist your natural instinct to lift off before it catches though.
Red V8 said:
Sounds like a flooded engine... mine does that from time to time if I don't leave it idling a few minutes after starting it up from cold, worse still if I have started and driven it only a few yards into the garage the night before, as I imagine a rich mixture is hanging around in the cylinders etc..
Differing opinions on this last time, some even said it shouldn't work because of the engine management system.... but what definately works for me is the tried and tested method of foot to the floor with the accelerator to keep the throttle fully open until the cylinders clear and the engine catches. You need to be brave and resist your natural instinct to lift off before it catches though.
Differing opinions on this last time, some even said it shouldn't work because of the engine management system.... but what definately works for me is the tried and tested method of foot to the floor with the accelerator to keep the throttle fully open until the cylinders clear and the engine catches. You need to be brave and resist your natural instinct to lift off before it catches though.
AA man told me that trick when I did exactly the same thing to my Audi. Happens to lots of cars. Not tried it on a Chimaera though. Certainly took the A6 a good few seconds of churning to get it going.
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