Hello, can anyone help? i have a 1990 Efi that will not start, when ignition is on the fuel pump primes and shuts off as it should, turn the key further and the engine cranks fine but will not start. i tried a squirt of easy start up the intake and it will run whilst squirting the easy start but cuts out when you stop. i have checked the inertia switch in boot and this has been bypassed previously, i changed the fuel filter and bled the air out up to the fuel rail but still nothing. any ideas???

 

Although the pump is priming, it sounds as though it doesn't run in the no2 position.
You've pretty much established this with the easy start, connect the pump up direct to the battery, or use a jump pack etc, then try it will no doubt start perfectly.
In which case easiest thing to do is wire direct from position 2 on the iggy switch to the pump but MUST go through the fuel cut off switch, maybe this was bypassed as was faulty in the past ?
The ecu normally outputs a earth to the fuel pump relay, the circuit for which seems to be intact as it primes, so would seem a duff ecu.
tabetha

 

Just up the road from you , agree with tabetha , only thing is if it primes you would usually be able to prime it several times then it would splutter a bit , easiest way is as Tab says give pump a permanent feed and see if it runs , then it narrows faults down .

 

Jonathon, after changing the fuel filter i disconnected the fuel hose at the fuel rail and kept turning the ignition on and off until i had fuel at the rail, after trying again with the easy start it did splutter but when i checked the fuel pipe after it had drained all fuel, so it was drawing it into the engine but not supplying any.

Tabetha, thanks for this, i have a spare ecu so i might try swapping that first then try wiring the pump direct, do you know what colour the fuel pump relay is as i have four under the dash and i know one of them is clicking but can't determine which one it is.

 

If I was you I would just put a permanent live to the pump and see if that works , then work through the system , could well be the relay , but I would just do the cheat first and confirm .

 

Finally been able to spend some time on the XR today, i have connected a permanent live to the fuel pump and bled it through to the fuel rail, after plenty of turning over and pumping of the throttle i still had no luck starting.
when i pulled a plug to check if i still had a spark i was amazed that the plug was dry without a whiff of petrol.
i checked the fuel rail and this was still full of fuel so i had a spark and fuel at the rail but nothing in the bores.
with the electrical tester out i checked the following,
Power to ecu operating on ignition and power to the injectors when cranking.

next i earthed out the injector wires to listen for the injector operating. at first i had nothing but after a few attempts number 1 and 4 started operating when earthed.

is there aometing i could be missing that is isolating the injectors like a cut off or protection circuit?? i have to say i'm lost now!!!!!

 

Did you manage to solve the problem with your XR - I only ask because I have the exact same fault but cannot find the cure - it is driving me mad!!
Thanks
Jon

 

Have you tried another ECU?

 

The ecu turned out to be the problem with mine to well worth trying for what they cost!
Just make sure it the right one!

 

I have tried a spare ECU but still nothing. The RAC man said it was the edis module but I have tried a spare one and again nothing!

I am a bit lost - I have good fuel pressure, the pump primes and switches but car just cranks with no firing. I have a good spark, fuel at the rail but it will not start.

 

Have you tried a crank sensor?

 

Crank sensor checked and cleaned! still no luck

 

Try checking the injectors are operating as above the guy had issues with his . Maybe there is a feed wire to them or a relay that is faulty. You have good earths and battery?

 

I have had a multimeter on them and they seem to be operating, I took them all out and cleaned them properly last week by rigging up a power feed and injecting carb cleaner through them.

Funny you should mention battery - my battery is not good and I have not checked the earths - I know I had a problem with the starter motor lead a few months back and had to chop the wire back for a new connector -
Would a bad earth cause these types of problems??

 

Ive had no end of problems on my 3i with earths so went through them all and re did them definatly worth a try could be the cause of the problem