My car cut out yesterday and had to be recovered home. I have perfomed all the mechanical checks I (and my buddy) can think of. The engine is still refusing to start.
I have fuel and a spark to all cylinders. I do not have any of the ignition lights on the dash lighting up when I turn the key.
Anybody seen this problem before?
Many thanks.
Engine refuses to start
-
regent
- Posts: 1319
- Joined: 22 February 2010
- Year and Model: 2015 XC60 T5
- Location: Under the Hood
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 12 times
Can you confirm that air is getting into the cylinders while cranking - check throttle action for linkage issues.
Next thing I would check for will be compression.
Note that if you have been cranking excessively, the engine may get flooded and this usually results in poor compression and no start.
Cheers
Next thing I would check for will be compression.
Note that if you have been cranking excessively, the engine may get flooded and this usually results in poor compression and no start.
Cheers
Last edited by regent on 27 Aug 2012, 10:31, edited 1 time in total.
Example of Precision: Measure with a Micrometer, mark it with Chalk, and then cut it with an Axe.
Disclaimer: We (very) seldom do that
2015 BMW 335i
2015 XC60 T5 Premier Plus
2002 S60 2.4 n/a - retired
1987 340 DL - retired
Disclaimer: We (very) seldom do that
2015 BMW 335i
2015 XC60 T5 Premier Plus
2002 S60 2.4 n/a - retired
1987 340 DL - retired
Yes, air is getting into the cylinders.....mechanically, all seems to be ok. A mechanical fault would be unlikely to take down all the ignition lights on the dash . Having done a little more research I now suspect that one of the ignition relays might be the problem.
Any thoughts?
Any thoughts?
-
regent
- Posts: 1319
- Joined: 22 February 2010
- Year and Model: 2015 XC60 T5
- Location: Under the Hood
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 12 times
Before going 'electrical' I would verify the timing is correct. If yes, motor should start given it gets air, fuel, compression, and spark when required.
Example of Precision: Measure with a Micrometer, mark it with Chalk, and then cut it with an Axe.
Disclaimer: We (very) seldom do that
2015 BMW 335i
2015 XC60 T5 Premier Plus
2002 S60 2.4 n/a - retired
1987 340 DL - retired
Disclaimer: We (very) seldom do that
2015 BMW 335i
2015 XC60 T5 Premier Plus
2002 S60 2.4 n/a - retired
1987 340 DL - retired
-
regent
- Posts: 1319
- Joined: 22 February 2010
- Year and Model: 2015 XC60 T5
- Location: Under the Hood
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 12 times
OK, it looks like you have verified fuel, compression and spark. (That said, the relays should be taken out of the equation.)
No offense, but I would double check you firing order. It is possible to misarrange the plug wires at the distributor cap - been there done that (a lot)
You can use attachment to find the firing order for your engine.
No offense, but I would double check you firing order. It is possible to misarrange the plug wires at the distributor cap - been there done that (a lot)
You can use attachment to find the firing order for your engine.
- Attachments
-
oc14811.pdf- (96.37 KiB) Downloaded 202 times
Example of Precision: Measure with a Micrometer, mark it with Chalk, and then cut it with an Axe.
Disclaimer: We (very) seldom do that
2015 BMW 335i
2015 XC60 T5 Premier Plus
2002 S60 2.4 n/a - retired
1987 340 DL - retired
Disclaimer: We (very) seldom do that
2015 BMW 335i
2015 XC60 T5 Premier Plus
2002 S60 2.4 n/a - retired
1987 340 DL - retired
Tell us the year and model, please, and how many miles since the last timing belt replacement.
So, it had been running fine, then just suddenly quit, right?...No missing, sluggishness, etc. prior, but 'just quit'? No engine 'knock', 'click', 'bang', etc?
...and you say it "has fuel"...did you check to see if pressurized gas (petrol to you) squirts out of the Schrader Valve when you depress the tip?
I'm going with electrical..either a relay (in which case you will have no fuel pressure), a fuel pump (ditto..can you hear it run when you turn on the key after some pressure has been released through the Schrader)?...you say you have spark at all cylinders...and compression on all, correct? (no guessing here, please check each cylinder)
So, it had been running fine, then just suddenly quit, right?...No missing, sluggishness, etc. prior, but 'just quit'? No engine 'knock', 'click', 'bang', etc?
...and you say it "has fuel"...did you check to see if pressurized gas (petrol to you) squirts out of the Schrader Valve when you depress the tip?
I'm going with electrical..either a relay (in which case you will have no fuel pressure), a fuel pump (ditto..can you hear it run when you turn on the key after some pressure has been released through the Schrader)?...you say you have spark at all cylinders...and compression on all, correct? (no guessing here, please check each cylinder)
Timing marks are meaningless IF the crank pulley has shifted. Pull the #1 spark plug and make sure the piston is at TDC. I once assembled the engine and was 180 degrees off, but #1 was at TDC. Dern. CAn't see this from the outside. Had to take off the valve cover and look at the #1 cam settings (upwards facing V athe #1 valves, I recall)
Behind the big pulley at the bottom (Harmonic Balancer) is the crank gear that drives the timing belt. The gear has a tiny nub key to engage a slot on the end of the crank. If this gets mushed (over tightened on reassembly, loose and spun, then retorgued w/o reseating, etc;) the crank position will not be located by the external marks on the balancer/ pulley mounted in front of it. If you remove the balancer (Hold down tool recommended, FCPs is poor substitute, also can use the "rope trick", but the time I did that I found I had no compression in that cylinder after reassembly.) be careful of the little washers that guide the belt across the gear. They are different, inside and outside, and only reassemble one way. Note which is which on dis assembly. There are ways to rebuild the gear's key, or buy a new one ($100!). You cannot live without one and the thingee must be keyed into the crank with a tiny little frakken nub..
Also Balancers can slip if the rubber between the outside ring (pulley) and inside (thingee) is detrieriorated. As the marks are on the outside, and the crank is on the inside, any slippage can throw it completely out of time. These cannot be repaired, cheap ones are cheaply made. Old ones make nice canoe anchors.
Behind the big pulley at the bottom (Harmonic Balancer) is the crank gear that drives the timing belt. The gear has a tiny nub key to engage a slot on the end of the crank. If this gets mushed (over tightened on reassembly, loose and spun, then retorgued w/o reseating, etc;) the crank position will not be located by the external marks on the balancer/ pulley mounted in front of it. If you remove the balancer (Hold down tool recommended, FCPs is poor substitute, also can use the "rope trick", but the time I did that I found I had no compression in that cylinder after reassembly.) be careful of the little washers that guide the belt across the gear. They are different, inside and outside, and only reassemble one way. Note which is which on dis assembly. There are ways to rebuild the gear's key, or buy a new one ($100!). You cannot live without one and the thingee must be keyed into the crank with a tiny little frakken nub..
Also Balancers can slip if the rubber between the outside ring (pulley) and inside (thingee) is detrieriorated. As the marks are on the outside, and the crank is on the inside, any slippage can throw it completely out of time. These cannot be repaired, cheap ones are cheaply made. Old ones make nice canoe anchors.
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post