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.:: Engine Fires But Immediately Dies - Help Please ::..

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3.2K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  Stu  
R
#1 ·
I had a problem similar to this about 18 months ago, which turned out to be an ECU fault due to the battery running down and jump starting it too much, but this time the car has been in constant use, and the battery and ECU have not been disconnected at all.

The problem started about 2 months ago, where sometimes the car would start but then immediately cut out, usually restarting in afew tries.

However it has got progressively worse and I actually had to get my car towed the other day.

When I unlocked the car the immobilizer light turns off, but when I turn the key the engine fires but no matter how hard I try by putting my foot on the gas the engine just cuts out.
If I try again it will just turn over but not fire, meaning I have to lock and unlock the car before it will even fire again.
The temperature gauge has also been acting strange, sometimes when I turn the key to position 2, the gauge shoots right up to the top for about a second and then drops back down.

Any help will be much appreciated, otherwise i'm going to have to get rid of the beast and pick up another little run around

Cheers, Jon
 
R
#4 ·
Ok, will do. The fact that it sometimes starts is abit baffling to me. Which earthings should I check? Main earthings in the engine bay by the radiator?

Someone also mentioned the crankshaft sensor being faulty?



Thanks for the help
 
T
#5 ·
The main earth connections are from the battery to the front slam panel and from the battery to one of the starter motor bolts.

There may also be, depending on build date, a thinner earth wire to one of the starter motor bolts.

The other important earth is fixed onto the chassis behind the bonnet release handle in the drivers footwell.

The crank sensor can give lots of different faults, non starting, cutting out when engine is hot, hesitant and lumpy running.
 
R
#6 ·
Just to update, I cleaned the earth connections and the car starts first time every time.

Thanks to technozen for the help, I fixed the problem with a sponge!

Note to others, I had a similar problem before where the car would cut out like this which ended up being a faulty ECU unit which had to be replaced.
 
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