Won\'t start

[martinFD]

Ok,

Had a new rebuilt engine put in a few weeks back, car has been running fine since.

Got up sunday morning to drop a bird off (successfull saturday night), car started as usual, started reversing out the drive and stalled. I\'m putting this down to clutch rather than a problem. Anyway, since stalling I have not been able to get the car started again.

It turns over pretty well so I\'m sure there no compression issues (new engine ffs). While turning over it sometimes pops. I have managed to get it started breifly, although it sounds rough, probably running on 1 rotor. However, it dies after a few seconds.

It\'s very smokey from the exhaust, although it always has been due to a very rich fuel setup at present. It doesn\'t smell of coolant, and I would be suprised if the seals went after 2 weeks of use!

Other factors which might be relevant. The car was running with a leak from the radiator although I was monitoring this, and actually fixed it on the saturday. Was just a loose hose clip.

I\'m hoping that the problem is one of the following.

1. The damp cold weather is interferring with the ignition some how.

2. The rich mixture has fouled the plugs. New plugs, so would again be surprised if it happened so quickly.

3. Bad earthing


Whats the easiest way to diagnose this problem??


Cheers,
Lenny

[Bobfish]

Dude, i feel for you i really do - stalling like that when taking a girl home! haha

Do you have compression pulses when you turn the car over or does it just whirr? If its just whirring, your engines flooded - follow unflooding procedure. Flooding is common on new motors because they make low compresison.  The popping you describe would also be indicative of flooding.  So would the smoke from the exhaust.

However, what you say about it starting on one rotor is unfortunately indicative of a blown coolant seal.  Its not impossible for the coolant seals to be incorrectly installed at rebuild which makes them fail quickly.

remove the plugs and check them for anything abnormal. They will probably be wet though as the car is being cranked but not started so they will be covered with fuel.

Check the plugs for spark, get an HT lead tester.  Next thing is make sure the car is getting fuel. Easiest check is to crank the car for a few seconds and then smell the exhaust, if it stinks of fuel then its ok.

If you have spark and fuel, id suggest its a blown motor im afraid, althought i would be highly surpised if its anything other than a coolant seal. Did the car behave ok when you drove it the night before? Is it warrantied?

[martinFD]

Thanks for you input Bobfish, I hope your wrong!!

Yes, the engine is warrantied. Although it would entail a £500 each way shipping cost to the US!  Might be cheaper to have a local specialist look at replacing the seal.

Anyone want to hazzard a guess at a cost?

[martinFD]

It turns out it\'s possible someone (to remain unknown) put an unknown amount of screenwash in the coolant.  Would that corrode the water seal??

If that\'s a possiblity, then I might have a case to have the "unknown" person help with the bill!

Cheers!

[Bobfish]

haha you pellet putting screenwash in your coolant.

flush the coolant ASAP, get that **** out of there. Not sure it could corrode the seals, but it certainly isnt going to help.

a cost for replacing a coolant seal is going to be the same as an engine rebuild im afraid my friend. you have to pull the engine apart.

[martinFD]

Lol, I can say hand on heart that it wasn\'t me putting screenwash in there!!  I use Avian minerialised water only

Presumably a water system pressure test would expose a faulty water seal?

[dre]

I think you are jumping to conclusions with the water seal failure. When i flooded mine I only took out the rear rotor plugs, cleaned them up took the EGI fuse out, turned the car over for 3 20 second bursts to clear out the fueld soaked chambers, cleaned and warmed up the plugs replaced everything and it fired up!!  :flamed

It was still a bit difficult to start cos i only done the 1 rotor and should have done both and it did sound like a tractor for a couple of mins but if you keep the revs up over 2,000 it\'ll burn off all the excess fuel.

When turning the key i found mine needed a bit of gas as it was firing up!!  :flamed

Hope this helps! :cool

[martinFD]

Cheers dre, I prefer your more positive outlook on things

If it turns out the seals gone, I\'ll be putting the whole car in the crusher so I can make bake bean cans out of it.

[nikp]

Yeah, just sounds like it\'s flooded. When you manage to start a flooded rex, it does run rough for a while, and there is a lot of smoke for a bit (While it burns off all the extra petrol). When it does fire, you have to get on the throttle quick to keep the revs up to stop it from stalling, otherwise it will flood again.

Take the plugs out, turn her over for a bit with your foot flat on the loud pedal (This stops petrol being chucked in). That will chuck the extra petrol out. Dry off oyu existing plugs (or get brand new ones) chuck them in and have another go.

[martinFD]

Cheers guys,

Will give this a try asap. Hate these dark evenings!  Whats the best way to clean the plugs?

[nikp]

Yuo can get away with not cleaning them up - depends how fouled they are. The best way to clean them is with a really really hot flame - burn all the deposits off!

[vz-r_dave]

ive had problems with mine for weeks now.

same as the above. It took a tow start top get mine going, drove it for two days and tried to start it one morning and it wont start. I have to get the plugs out and check them because it was starting no problems when hot. Cold weather and **** plugs doesnt go lol

[Martiny]

Have you tried turning the key with the acc pedal fully depressed?

[dre]

LOL!!  :rollin  :rollin  :rollin

Let us know how you get on. It happened to me the second day after i picked mine up and i thought to myself, "here we go again"!!

I\'m sure all is fine  :yes

[martinFD]

I\'ll try the open throttle approach first, if that doesn\'t work I\'ll start ripping the plugs out.

Thanks for all the input ladies...