Ran Now Stopped

[Guest ians2B]

Hi everyone,

 

thinking caps on!

 

Car is a unmodified 2l EFI injection normal Bosch jetronic no mods.

 

Has always started on the button and ran perfectly until Saturday.

 

Saturday Morning started car (on the button) up the drive along the road plodding along no problems down a hill junction stopped to allow another car to pass - engine died just like that. Freewheeled down hill a bit further an parked.

 

Just wouldn't start did get it to kind of fire but felt like it was only on one or two cylinders and then died completely -towed home with wife driving tow car that is an experience not to be repeated!

 

Anyway came back to it Sunday morning and it started but again only ran for matter of seconds (very roughly then died)

 

Checked fuel is being pumped, it gushes out, checked spark its there, turns over nicely.

 

It was so sudden that it must be something simple and my meagre knowledge is now exhausted- Any pointers any one?

 

Ian

[Guest chris brown]

Derek Overfield had exactly the same problem and it turned out to be the throttle position sensor so worth trying that first.

[Guest peter2b2002]

my efi did the same just after the sva , I had done over 100 miles driving + all the test runs in the garage with no problems, then on my first legal run , engine died . Took me 2 months to find the problem, some time the car would start other times it would stutter and run rough , other time it would not start till the next day,fuel pumped through at full rate every time I checked it by the filter

turned out , a rubber shocker bush had fallen into the tank during the build and had swollen till it was a thin disc , floating around by the outlet pipe some times blocking it, then floating away allowing petrol through,

a real sod to find ,had to take the tank out to see it. Just a though you could have the same thing

peter2b

[spg]

Ian

 

I had a similar problem, The connectors to the the injectors loom had failed.

 

In general it sounds like bad connection some where trouble is there so many.

 

Good luck took me a couple of weeks to track mine down. One tip I found by experence is check the connection end to end and not the indivual sections.

 

Steve

[Guest chris brown]

Peter2b's answer just reminded me. Did you use silicone to seal the tank anywhere? The stuff is deadly as it rots and swells up with just the smell of petrol then floats around in the tank and blocks up the pipes in the same way as his bush did.

[Guest ians2B]

Hi, everybody all good answers and food for action.

 

I recently replaced the fuel filler hose so debris could have dropped in the tank though I have taken of the fuel feed pipe at the injector rail and cranked the engine and it gushes out, will check though.

 

Throttle pot has already been replaced with a new one failed during the SVA!!! Still passed first time must have felt sorry for me.

 

Also after cranking it the plugs are wet.

 

It does feel electrical as it was so sudden. rather than the engine trying to struggle on

 

So If I have fuel and spark I think I will try the injector loom connectors tonight.

 

Any other pointers

 

Ian

[Guest chris brown]

Hi, everybody all good answers and food for action.

 

I recently replaced the fuel filler hose so debris could have dropped in the tank though I have taken of the fuel feed pipe at the injector rail and cranked the engine and it gushes out, will check though.

 

Throttle pot has already been replaced with a new one failed during the SVA!!! Still passed first time must have felt sorry for me.

 

Also after cranking it the plugs are wet.

 

It does feel electrical as it was so sudden. rather than the engine trying to struggle on

 

So If I have fuel and spark I think I will try the injector loom connectors tonight.

 

Any other pointers

 

Ian

If the plugs are wet with petrol then the injectors are working. Check timing both ignition and valve

[Guest l.holland1985]

Hi Ian,

 

I had a similar problem with the same setup (unmodded 2l EFI). Car was running fine one day and then the next ran really rough and cut out. I tested for a spark which there was and also the spark plugs were wet. Ended up being the ignition coil. Dunno if this will be the same problem as yours as it is just a stab in the dark but maybe worth investigating!!

 

Lee

[Derek]

Just as Chris said the problem I had was with then throttle position sensor.

 

I found the best way to test was to take the dizzy out (marking the position first)

 

Then putting the dizzy drive shaft into an electric drill and spinning it up.

 

That way you can hear the injectors clicking, see the spark all without the starter grinding away.If anything gives up under load it should show.

 

On mine the injectors did not start to work till it was up to a fair speed but when I slowed the drill down they continued to work. Thats why it would start with a tow.

 

Much head scratching and tea drinking later the TPS was replaced and its working well now.

[Guest Ian & Carole]

Just as Chris said the problem I had was with then throttle position sensor.

 

I found the best way to test was to take the dizzy out (marking the position first)

 

Then putting the dizzy drive shaft into an electric drill and spinning it up.

 

That way you can hear the injectors clicking, see the spark all without the starter grinding away.If anything gives up under load it should show.

 

On mine the injectors did not start to work till it was up to a fair speed but when I slowed the drill down they continued to work. Thats why it would start with a tow.

 

Much head scratching and tea drinking later the TPS was replaced and its working well now.

 

 

tea drinking ???????????????

 

Looking at the bill from The Wellington Hotel it was NOT tea but !!!!!!!hic hic and my 10 ft rope is now 12 ft.

[Guest superspec]

I had same problem on my superspec, turned out to be the coil

[Guest ians2B]

Hi all,

 

Went down to the garage last night checked wiring conections etc. Nothing obvious. So turned it on. Lord, it started but ran very rough as soon as I opended the throttle it died and then wouldnt start again at all. What that all about then ?

 

Ian

[NeilD]

Does sound like it could be the coil.... they normally give pretty weird symptoms when failing.

[Guest ians2B]

Hi,

 

Bought a new coil and fitted it last night. Guess what, nothing!. Now its b###dy sunny.

 

Have a good spark, Have fuel into the injector rail and into cylinders have used a stethoscope and can hear the injectors clicking. After I have turned it over the plugs are wet from petrol, doesn't fire at all

 

This is from a car that ran sweet as anything until it stopped.

 

Any other ideas?

 

Ian

[Longboarder]

For the engine to run it needs fuel and air mix, compression and a spark at the right time. So one of those is missing. Wet plugs and clicking injectors suggests fuel is OK but it would be good if you could pull the fuel rail with injectors and confirm the injectors are squirting fuel when you turn it over and if you have a helper can they put a hand on the fuel pump and confirm it's running continuously and man the fire extinguisher just in case! (Might be best to pull the LT wires off the coil so no sparks)

Pull the plugs and fit a new set as they may spark in air but not under compression if they have been drenched in fuel. While the plugs are out do a compression test. While number one plug is out rotate engine with spanner on cranknut and with thumb in plughole till you feel compression as the piston rises with valves closed. Continue rotating few more degrees till at TDC and lift dizzy cap to check rotor arm is pointing at number 1 plug lead and not 4. (Very common mistake) Put it all together and connect up a timing light to check timing.

 

Nigel

 

ps other than checking the basics you are on to the wierder bits. Remove and clean the idle air bypass. Might be stuck open or closed. Check cam timing. Check fuel rail pressure with gauge. Then on to the senders and AFM. If you know someone with a working pinto EFI bribe him/her to come round and substitute bits till it runs.