Help please, engine died and won\'t start!

Martiny · May 18, 2007, 06:28:29 AM

Dont even hold the lead! just let it lie on a metal part of the engine.

You should only need about 5cc of oil in each chamber.

Jim_rx7 · May 18, 2007, 01:08:47 PM

Why do you put your foot to the floor when cranking it with the plugs and fuse out??

Just out of curiousity.

leon · May 18, 2007, 01:35:19 PM

i dont know, thats a good question, if it had valves id say to blow the fuel out. but i dont know :Laugh

Kash_ · May 18, 2007, 02:19:10 PM

QuoteWhy do you put your foot to the floor when cranking it with the plugs and fuse out??

it sucks in more air, hence will do a better job in throwing out excess fuel in the chambers

ash · May 18, 2007, 02:20:08 PM

Hi Jim,

I have a UK spec FD 93\' and had similar problems (except i had no steam from the engine bay). It was running fine one day, i then thought i would clean the plugs. I removed them, cleaned them and put them back in - the car then ran on only one rotor as i didnt connect the lead properly to the plug. Plugs out as i had now flooded it, cleaned and left over night. Plugs back in, and it wouldnt start. I tried all the above m,mentioned in this thread but the only thing to work was brand new spark plugs 7s and 9s. Started first time, a lot of smoke but that cleared, i didnt need to floor it or anything.

Also check you have not knocked the pipe going into the underneath of the MAP sensor off, as i did this and it made the car run terrible and it would have died if i didnt switch off. The MAP sensor is behind the plenum elbow, i knocked mine off when i removed the elbow...no not my elbow the cars!:Giggle

Hope that helps...?

Jim_rx7 · May 18, 2007, 03:01:04 PM

Yeah, I already checked the MAP sensor. It\'s all ok.

I\'m gonna see what happens tomorrow. If I don\'t get anywhere I might even try with 7\'s and 9\'s. I don\'t know what were in previously, but I\'ve put 9\'s in now.

The steam thing... someone said it happened when his engine was dead. Another said the same thing had happened when he flooded his?

Only time will tell.

nikp · May 18, 2007, 03:04:52 PM

Foot flat to the floow whilst cranking turns the fuel pump off.

Jit · May 18, 2007, 03:43:58 PM

turns the fuel pump off? or stops the injectors from putting any fuel in? I thought it was the injectors it stopped?

nikp · May 18, 2007, 03:53:40 PM

well, the end result is there\'s no fuel going in! :p I thought it was the fuel pump, but it may be the injectors.

Jim_rx7 · May 19, 2007, 08:12:26 PM

Righto...

I\'ve just finished removing the plugs, the fuse and cranking it over for a good 3mins!! I\'m gonna leave the plugs out overnight in the hope that any petrol will evaporate.

Here\'s the plugs I removed. Bear in mind these were new when I put them in the other day. (I have tried to start it since putting these in)

These are the top two plugs....

These are the bottom two....

One of the bottom ones looks pretty shagged to me!! This was just new.

So, what\'s your verdict people by the look of those plugs? Still flooded?
How should I go about sorting the plugs out before I put them back in? Just stick the blow torch on them to heat them up?

Any help appreciated!!

PS : Do I need to have the elbow on when trying to start it etc?

Jim_rx7 · May 19, 2007, 09:44:10 PM

anyone? .... :confused:

Joeh · May 20, 2007, 12:28:09 AM

You can start the car without compression elbow, should be ok, just don\'t rev it much

Heat up the plugs with your kitchen cooker hobs or blow torch, and scrub them hardcore, usually I use WD40 to clean mine.. helps quite a lot but make sure you dry them properly after.. WD40 inside engine Engine = Dunno if thats good or not

so you\'d better not try it

They don\'t look like flooded plugs to me.

Are you getting loads of smoke? Could be your OMP - Oil Metering Pump.. could be broken and flooding the engine with oil

you should try changing that if you can?!

Joeh · May 20, 2007, 12:29:18 AM

Did you try a tow start?

Martiny · May 20, 2007, 06:14:34 AM

Jim, those plugs dont look too bad, though it is hard to tell from the picture.

Put all your fuses back in to check for spark.You can check each plug if you want, but I think we are trying to establish if the ignition system is working, so, as long as you get spark on one, we can assume it is working.

Dont worry about the pedal while cranking, it makes no difference to the spark test.

We do care about the pedal when trying to start it. When the pedal is floored, and the key in "start" position, the computer stops injecting fuel. This can sometimes de-flood the engine if it is flooded.

By the way, flooded means there\'s too much FUEL in there, not oil. The fuel soaks the plugs and then the plugs wont fire. This is because the spark, instead of jumping the gap on the sparkplug, can now flow (from the electrode, the little pin in the middle), through the fuel that\'s soaked into the plug, (to the body, or earth), so there is no spark.

Yes, too much oil can stop a plug firing, too, but its usually the petrol on the plug that causes it.

The way I start mine, is:
1) Completely floor the pedal
2)Key on
3)turn key to crank for about 2 seconds.(hold that pedal down!)
4) let pedal go completely ( hold that key in crank now)
5)When it starts to fire, I just keep that key turned, even for about 1-2 seconds. (This is because I have noticed that sometimes that it will start firing, and you let go the key, and it dies, and THEN you have a flood situation!)

Let us know how you get on. If you like, send me a PM, and we can arrange a phone call.

Jim_rx7 · May 20, 2007, 10:00:30 AM

Quote from: JoehYou can start the car without compression elbow, should be ok, just don\'t rev it much

Heat up the plugs with your kitchen cooker hobs or blow torch, and scrub them hardcore, usually I use WD40 to clean mine.. helps quite a lot but make sure you dry them properly after.. WD40 inside engine Engine = Dunno if thats good or not so you\'d better not try it

They don\'t look like flooded plugs to me.

Are you getting loads of smoke? Could be your OMP - Oil Metering Pump.. could be broken and flooding the engine with oil you should try changing that if you can?!

The plugs are the new plugs mate. Only been in a little while trying to start. The old ones were soaking!! These were wet, but my mate had dried them, put them back in, and I took them out. (without trying to start).