1 reply to this topic

[alistairs1]

Car is turning over and over but wont start the engine.

Have had entire fuel system replaced including pump, filter and injectors, spark plug replaced. Crank sensor checked. Wiring/grounds checked.

Happens irregularly, both cold and hot. Happens with both keys.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[NQRSoobee]

Well, if it's cranking then that's a good thing.

 

My old beast would do the same and the culprit was the crank angle sensor.  Didn't get a CEL code to highlight the problem for a number of months yet when it was warmed up it just wouldn't start but would crank over.  Easiest test to identify if it's the crank angle sensor is to keep a spray bottle of water in the car and when it won't start (when hot) then spray a bit of water on the crank angle sensor to cool it down.  If your car starts after spraying the sensor then that's your culprit.  I hit PartSouq to find the part number then eBay to find a new replacement; it was cheap and not hard to fit.

 

I also replaced the cam angle sensor at the same time as it wasn't expensive from eBay and it's just another sensor I wanted to not have to worry about.

 

Otherwise if it's not the above then after cranking is there a reasonable smell of fuel out the exhaust pipe?  If you can smell fuel then the injectors are squirting but the plugs aren't firing.  When it does act up then plugging in an old style timing light will tell you if the ignition is working or not.  With mine there was advice on this forum of something like a vacuum fuel cut off sensor.  I was told to ensure the hose to it was in good condition and secure.  Luckily my car had already had that hose replaced but a different small diameter vacuum hose literally cracked to pieces while I was fiddling around that same area.

 

Only other thing I can think of is when you first crank it up in the morning do you hear the fuel pump charge the system?  I will always let a fuel injected (including electric fuel pump to carburettor) vehicles pressurise the fuel system before trying to kick it in the guts.  I have two reasons for this:  1.  It lets me check listen that the fuel pump is working and I get to know the normal sound of the pump.  If the pump sounds different then I have an inkling something may be going west with the fuel system.  2.  Most injected cars won't start until the fuel system is at proper fuel pressure so cranking it before the pump has charged the system generally does nothing until it's up to pressure (although I've seen an early model V6 Dunnydore with a dead fuel pump cough & splutter on a couple of cylinders simply by sucking fuel out of the injectors).