Car won't start

[sphinX]

Hi guys..drove the car home fine last friday. Left it in the garage as usual. Went to fire it up today and it started and then cut out, then it would start again slightly and then cut out. Then wouldn't start at all. I thought it was no fuel as it was basically empty, so put 5 quid in it and it still won't start.

It isn't dead, it just won't start, it turns over as if it wants to start but there is no ignition the start it as if no fuel is getting to the system. Any ideas? Need this sorting today!

[sphinX]

Tried to bump start it with no avail too

[Bruce - BHPerformance]

If it was totally empty then £5 won't be enough fuel to fill the reserve tank which then fills the main tank.
Try putting more fuel in, remove the fuel pipe from the carb, put it into a jar or bottle then crank it over and see if fuel flows from the pipe.
If it does then refit it and it should go.

[minty83]

if you've run it down to no fuel, and then re filled it you may have flooded the engine... get a few mates and try bump starting it:p

[sphinX]

Ok cheers

[sphinX]

Hmm well putting an extra £5 quid didn't do anything, guess i will have to try for a bump start again at some point, but last time it didn't work :(

[Bigfoot]

Is the fuel being pumped into the carb, did you test it if it flows into the bottle? are you getting a spark? can you hear the fuel pump when turning on the ignition?

[sphinX]

Na havn't tested if fuel is reaching the carb, trying to locate where to take it off (<noob)

[sphinX]

And no i can't hear the fuel pump...but never did before either unless in the red...maybe its died

[James5]

Na havn't tested if fuel is reaching the carb, trying to locate where to take it off (<noob)

Take it from the fuel line into the carb place it into a plastic bottle (empty pop bottle or something so you can see it going in).

If no fuel check - Fuel pump relay remove it and bridge the red and white cables together for a permanet live feed or yellow and white for ingition feed for fuel pump activation if this works relay gone.


If you have fuel then it will be spark related, TDC, relay by the AEI, HT leads, dizzy cap+rotor arm, sparkies.

Take one of the sparkies out attach it to the ht lead and using some rubber handled pliers whilst a friend or yourself attempt to crank hold the sparkie about 2-3mm away from a metal part of the engine i.e. water pump top,

[Bigfoot]

You may not hear the pump as they are quiet on some of the cars, if you got the perc fan still in place with the plastic tubing, the fuel pipe will go through there, and I believe it enters the carb OS and near the top. If you trace the pipe it will lead down by the drivers footwell. If no fuel is being pumped it could be the fuel relay is gone which is a common fault. Might be worth getting somebody else to turn the key whilst you listen to the pump by the fuel tank

[sphinX]

Ok fuel pump is dead, no fuel reaching the carb, so going to try and bridge the connection for now. Cheers all

[James5]

Ok fuel pump is dead, no fuel reaching the carb, so going to try and bridge the connection for now. Cheers all


As said earlier bridge the red and white for constant live feed to fuel pump or yellow and white for ignition live only.

If the fuel pump sounds it is the relay knackered if the fuel pump doesn't sound I would say fuel pump knackered.

Goodluck and post what happens matey

[Mart]

Fuel pump relay, pump itself, or tdc sensor.

[Shakes]

i had this exact problem car would start sometimes but when it did it just cut out.
after a while it just wouldnt fire up at all, turned out to just be the TDC lead.
i fitted a new one cost about 14 quid from gsf, took me 20 mins to fit, and started 1st time been running ever since.

[R5GTTRaider]

can bet its a dead pump, i let mine get low, and the ****e blocked the pump, worked in reverse and then the right way worked for 2 mins then jammed. get a ph1 pump

[sphinX]

Fuel relay had died. sorted now, thanx peeps