rsmcelroy

Hello all

As above the car will not start thought it was a dead battery but still will not start.

i have checked for a spark and it has one and the spark plugs do smell of fuel (is this normal?). When i turn the ignition the fuel pump is priming constantly as far as i am aware it should be only doing this for 2 - 5 seconds.

Any ideas would be great

Cheers

jayRS

sounds like a ecu fault to me mate

robfrst

yeah sounds like an ecu fault,i have got loads of spaires if u need anything mate.

jayRS

have you got any more details? you say it wont start, does it want to? does it sound like it might etc etc?

BUTRE

Check the CPS plug mate. It its a faulty one, the ecu never knows when the engine is turning.

Also, take a sparkplug, plug it to the lead and let it on the head. Crank the engine and see if is there any good spark.

Hope this helps.

jayRS

hes checked for spark and is getting one, my first thought was the cps untill reading that.

rsmcelroy

When you say an ecu fault? what do you mean i need to get a new ecu? i was thinking of converting over to OFAB anyway.

The car sounds like it wants to start but just wont fire up!

jayRS

haver you checked the timing? on the efi its all controled by the ecu anyway but it has to be set right in the first place for it to run it right.

with the ecu fault, when you say the pump is running all the time when it should prime and shut off, like normal, as yours isnt, it sounds like your ecu is in "limp home mode" this mean that when things go tits up the ecu falls back on a basic programe that is engough fo you to get home/garage etc, depending on what fualt you have ( might be a sensor etc) this could be causing the car not to start.

what did you do about the battery? was it naff? did you fit a new one?
clean the contacts up on it, prob wont make a difference but wont do any harm

have you checked all the fues and relays?

the green relay is the igniton relay, many times i have seen a burnt pin which causes problems, take it out and clean the pins up anyway as its worth a shot, if you have a good and known to be working spare, put that in and try it.

take all the plugs off and give them a dab of WD40 just incase theres any damp in there.

i know how stupid this sounds, but have you got much/any petrol in the car? if its low like in the red, might be worth a gallon to bring the level up a bit, more so if its not parked on flat ground.

check the fuel cut off switch too, this is behind the trim panle in the passange foot well, pull it up to switch it off, and push it down to reset it so pump works, i know the pump works now but this was the cause of a problem a mate had, and as it only costs a bit of time its worth a shot.

see how ya get on with that mate

Philly_F

^^^^^ took the words right out my mouth!!

what type of engine?

rsmcelroy

JayRs - Thanks a lot for all that gives me something to go on. the car has got half a tank of petrol in it, i bought a new battery, when you say the car has gone into 'limp home mode' how do i get it out of that?

I never knew that about the fuel cut off switch that is definately worth a shot.

I will let you know how i get on, so tempted to get rid of it now its just one problem after another!

The joys of RS ownership eh!

jayRS

na give it a chance mate, dont let one poss bad car put ya off.

the limp home mode is a pre set thing as i explained above, its norm caused to happen due to a problem, it could be a sensor, it could be the ecu.

faults are stored on the ecu and there is a way of getting shot of them, off the top of my head i cant remember (hang over) but ill look in my book thats with my fault finder as it will say in there, disconect the battery for a while, that might do it.

could be the little black surpressor thats in the tank , the wires that feed the pump go through that first, cant see it as it works but worth bearing in mind, as i was told to bypass it by power engineering when i fitted a uprated pump, i didnt as i forgot and couldnt be fucked to drop the tank again just for that.

if you have a spare igniton module try that.

also thinking about it, if you have had any plugs off, take them off and check the rubber seal hasnt slid down and is blocking a pin, this happend to me on my coil pack, the car started but it ran like a sack of shit and stalled when reving, worth a looks also.

rsmcelroy

I have tried everything that you said still wont fire up!! Is there any way that i can check the fuel pressure without a gauge?

Oranoco

Is the car chipped?

If it is turn the ingnition off and pull the chip out of the base of the ECU and try to start again.

rsmcelroy

Yeah the car is chipped, have taken the chip out and plugged it back in! anything else i can try?

Oranoco

Did you try and start the car whilst the chip was unplugged?

rsmcelroy

No i did not? should i of?

Oranoco

Yes mate.

I had something that sounds very similar to your problem and all I did was clean up the connections on the ECU and chip and the problem was gone

rsmcelroy

I will try that now think i may need to source a scarf! as its about -40! i will try that and let you know

Cheers

rsmcelroy

Oranoco you are a GOD!!!! definately on my christmas card list. Got the car started without the chip.

When i put the chip back it goes back to what it was doing. I guess this means that my chip is screwed? i hope not as i have not had it that long. Bought it from Racepower motorsport think he was called Keith?

When you put your chip back in did it work straight away?

jayRS

didnt even give a chip a thought glad ya got it sorted now mate

rsmcelroy

it will be sorted when i sort the chip out! as it overboosts! will let ya know the news on the chip!

Oranoco

Good stuff mate.

Remove the ECU from the car and clean the terminals up on it and on the chip. You should find this cures the problem

rsmcelroy

What do you recommend to clean the ecu with? dont want to damage it!!

Oranoco

You can get abrasive pens from Maplin that you just wipe over the contacts for about Ł6. Or pop to Halfrauds for some spray electrical contact cleaner and spray some onto an old toothbrush (or just pinch your mums ) and lightly go at the terminals. Make sure you dont get too much fluid on the PCB and wipe over with kitchen towel, ensure bone dry before refitting to the car

rsmcelroy

Tried cleaning the board and chip still no joy. i will sepak to Keith tomorrow and hopefully he can shed some light on it. there is obviously a fault with the chip as its priming the fuel pump constantly with the chip in.

Thanks a lot for all your reply's, i will let you know when chip is sorted!

LKeast is sort of driveable now just overboosts!!

jayRS

sounds like the chip is fucked good and proper to me mate.
if its a super chip send it back and see if they can re-flash it, or just buy a better chip, im not impressed with my super chip i have to say

rsmcelroy

Its not a superchip. I got it from RacePower motorsport. Paid Ł250 for it and the chip is set up for my cars spec. Looks like i am going to OFAB then i can run unlimited boost.

Would i still need a chip when i have OFAB? spec is Stage 2 T3, Kent CVH36 Cam, vernier pulley, beige injectors, cosworth induction.

Cheers

jayRS

yeah other wise it will run standard programe, cant you contact the people you got the chip from? if theres a fualt they might sort it free, depending on how old the chip is, always worth a phone call

rsmcelroy

i am going to call him tomorrow. Going to ask if he can chamnge to OFAB and run unlimited boost i like the look of yours mate what spec is it running

jayRS

at the mo, nothing as the lumps out

got the P1 set up, last time on rollers it was around the 180 mark mate

Oranoco

You will need the chip or other wise it will be hitting overboost every tiome you accelerate hard and the fueling will be way out as the standard program will try to operate the larger flowing injectors like the stock items.