Won't start!

[JayKaybi]

Any help very much appreciated - Symptoms are -


1. Ignition turns on all electricals as normal, but fuel pump DOES NOT prime

2. Attempts to start just result in a solenoid 'click'


Have tried bump starting it - even at running speed, it half attempts to start but won't catch properly, 1st or 2nd gear.
Have pushed it back and forth to see if starter motor stuck - it's not.
Have tried reconfiguring the alarm/immobiliser button to see if that helped - no joy.
Fuel pump fuse is fine.

Is this going to require a laptop?



P.S. sorry I've not been posting for ages, I'm living in a cave at the moment - no internet access on anything like a regular basis for a while.

Thanks in advance,

Jay

Edited by JayKaybi on Thursday 7th February 10:17

[JayKaybi]

P.P.S. car is a standard S1, and no, I didn't leave anything turned on - I pulled up and parked after a 15 mile drive, then maybe 6 hours later I went to start it and the above was the outcome. Car is currently used daily, did a couple of hundred miles in it on Tuesday.

[piooly]

there is a switch inside the engine bay near the ECU that activates when the car is in a crash. It basically stops fuel getting to the engine, I think by stopping the fuel pump. My be possible that it has triggered. If you are at the back of the car looking at the engine, its on the left hand side close to you (by the air filter housing. Has a rubber top to it (round) just press it straight in as far as it goes and see if it fires up.

Good luck !

[piooly]

there is a switch inside the engine bay near the ECU that activates when the car is in a crash. It basically stops fuel getting to the engine, I think by stopping the fuel pump. My be possible that it has triggered. If you are at the back of the car looking at the engine, its on the left hand side close to you (by the air filter housing. Has a rubber top to it (round) just press it straight in as far as it goes and see if it fires up.

Good luck !

[hueandcry71]

Mine wouldnt start again this morning, that is now twice this week and the car hasnt done 700 miles yet. Totally pi$$ed off with it to the extent that i have just bought the autotrader.
I didnt even bother phoning the AA, the fecking thing can rot in the garage.

Edited by hueandcry71 on Thursday 7th February 13:27

[Hollow Legs]

hueandcry71 said:

Mine wouldnt start again this morning, that is now twice this week and the car hasnt done 700 miles yet. Totally pi$$ed off with it to the extent that i have just bought the autotrader.
I didnt even bother phoning the AA, the fecking thing can rot in the garage.

Edited by hueandcry71 on Thursday 7th February 13:27

have you tried the John Cleese / Basil Fawlty approach?

(kicking the tyre's whilst shouting very loudly?)

may not help it start (although you never know) but will make you feel better

[rfoster]

Jay, you should try jump starting it. Just because you've just completed a run in it doesn't mean that the battery will be charged. It won't the the inertia switch I'm afraid - the fuel pump won't operate but the vehicle does still crank if this switch is activated.

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

hueandcry71 said:

Mine wouldnt start again this morning, that is now twice this week and the car hasnt done 700 miles yet. Totally pi$$ed off with it to the extent that i have just bought the autotrader.
I didnt even bother phoning the AA, the fecking thing can rot in the garage.

Edited by hueandcry71 on Thursday 7th February 13:27

Trust me, it can happen with any car, the fact that it's only done 700 miles in the time you've had it, should tell you to expect the battery to go flat if left I'm afraid. My previous car did it, replaced the battery, still did it, actually started using it more (not just 5 mile trips), it was fine.

An Elise is a bit like a wife, you can't just pay it a tiny bit of attention each month, then expect it turn it on when you want some action.

Edited by LivinLaVidaLotus on Thursday 7th February 15:01

[beez]

I had the same symptoms on my S1, sometimes it would start OK but other times it wouldn't and all I could hear when turning the ignition key was a click.

I was worried the fuel pump was nackered as it wasn't priming, also checked the fuses (There's one in the boot which is known blow on S1s') but that didn't seem logical as other days it would start fine.

In the end I took it to Sinclair's who found the problem was some corroded wiring! They replaced it for about £150 to £200 which was mainly labour costs.

[hueandcry71]

LivinLaVidaLotus said:

hueandcry71 said:

Mine wouldnt start again this morning, that is now twice this week and the car hasnt done 700 miles yet. Totally pi$$ed off with it to the extent that i have just bought the autotrader.
I didnt even bother phoning the AA, the fecking thing can rot in the garage.

Edited by hueandcry71 on Thursday 7th February 13:27

Trust me, it can happen with any car, the fact that it's only done 700 miles in the time you've had it, should tell you to expect the battery to go flat if left I'm afraid. My previous car did it, replaced the battery, still did it, actually started using it more (not just 5 mile trips), it was fine.

An Elise is a bit like a wife, you can't just pay it a tiny bit of attention each month, then expect it turn it on when you want some action.

Edited by LivinLaVidaLotus on Thursday 7th February 15:01

Thats why i dont have a wife, i prefer to pick and choose when i want to play and then trade in when i get bored !!
I have never had trouble with any car that i have owned apart from this one not starting. The battery is getting changed tomorrow so hopefully that will do the trick.
Yet another trip to CN and the temptation of purchasing an Exige S to get through. Going to get my 1000 miles service done whilst im there as well.

[JayKaybi]

piooly said:

there is a switch inside the engine bay near the ECU that activates when the car is in a crash. It basically stops fuel getting to the engine, I think by stopping the fuel pump. My be possible that it has triggered. If you are at the back of the car looking at the engine, its on the left hand side close to you (by the air filter housing. Has a rubber top to it (round) just press it straight in as far as it goes and see if it fires up.

Good luck !

That's been pissing me off from the day I bought the car - it's over sensitive on my car, and has left me embarrassed a few times (including once on a tunnel run!). However, on this occasion, it was nothing to do with the problem.


I have a handy friend (mechanic who owns an S1 111s) and he suggested the MFRU might have gone wrong, so he brought a replacement round and switched it into my car.

This time, the fuel pump did prime, but still there was just a solenoid click and no attempt to start.

So we tried bump starting it again, and it fired into life with no problems at all!

Fearing it wouldn't restart on it's own, we turned the car off, waited a few seconds - and then tried starting it normally. It did!

Then, out of interest, we put the old MRFU back in so that the car was in the same state as before (no fuel pump priming, and starter not working), and the car starts entirely as normal.




So what the **** was wrong with it in the first place?

Cheers for all responses

[JayKaybi]

beez said:

I had the same symptoms on my S1, sometimes it would start OK but other times it wouldn't and all I could hear when turning the ignition key was a click.

I was worried the fuel pump was nackered as it wasn't priming, also checked the fuses (There's one in the boot which is known blow on S1s') but that didn't seem logical as other days it would start fine.

In the end I took it to Sinclair's who found the problem was some corroded wiring! They replaced it for about £150 to £200 which was mainly labour costs.

I checked around various forums and yours is the only post I've seen with the same symptoms as mine.

[JayKaybi]

beez said:

I had the same symptoms on my S1, sometimes it would start OK but other times it wouldn't and all I could hear when turning the ignition key was a click.

I was worried the fuel pump was nackered as it wasn't priming, also checked the fuses (There's one in the boot which is known blow on S1s') but that didn't seem logical as other days it would start fine.

In the end I took it to Sinclair's who found the problem was some corroded wiring! They replaced it for about £150 to £200 which was mainly labour costs.

I checked around various forums and yours is the only post I've seen with the same symptoms as mine.

[rfoster]

JayKaybi said:

piooly said:

there is a switch inside the engine bay near the ECU that activates when the car is in a crash. It basically stops fuel getting to the engine, I think by stopping the fuel pump. My be possible that it has triggered. If you are at the back of the car looking at the engine, its on the left hand side close to you (by the air filter housing. Has a rubber top to it (round) just press it straight in as far as it goes and see if it fires up.

Good luck !

That's been pissing me off from the day I bought the car - it's over sensitive on my car, and has left me embarrassed a few times (including once on a tunnel run!). However, on this occasion, it was nothing to do with the problem.


I have a handy friend (mechanic who owns an S1 111s) and he suggested the MFRU might have gone wrong, so he brought a replacement round and switched it into my car.

This time, the fuel pump did prime, but still there was just a solenoid click and no attempt to start.

So we tried bump starting it again, and it fired into life with no problems at all!

Fearing it wouldn't restart on it's own, we turned the car off, waited a few seconds - and then tried starting it normally. It did!

Then, out of interest, we put the old MRFU back in so that the car was in the same state as before (no fuel pump priming, and starter not working), and the car starts entirely as normal.




So what the **** was wrong with it in the first place?

Cheers for all responses

Bad battery connection perhaps? Sounds like that or a loose wire somewhere.