View Full Version : car problem help please!
dirtydog
26-08-09, 05:07 PM
I've just been out to start my brothers Astra diesel van (1997 1.7td) the battery was a bit flat so charged it up but no it wont start. The engine fires up but then dies straight away, if you give it a bit of throttle it starts goes up to whatever revs say 4k and then dies.
It's been sitting for a few weeks while he waited for a new logbook
Any ideas?
Its a vauxhall... theres your first problem.
Umm no sorry cant help
BanditPat
26-08-09, 05:17 PM
I'm wondering why he waited for a new logbook?
Spiderman
26-08-09, 05:19 PM
I know nothing about diesel engines mate, sorry :(
Stupid question and i;m sure you checked...got enough fuel?
davepreston
26-08-09, 05:19 PM
have a look at water in the distributer plugs also spray some links in the air filter works like cold start
appollo1
26-08-09, 05:19 PM
Has petrol been put into fuel tank instead of diesel?
Spiderman
26-08-09, 05:23 PM
have a look at water in the distributer plugs also spray some links in the air filter works like cold start
It that lynx, like the smelly body spray? Why not wd40?
Wideboy
26-08-09, 05:30 PM
blocked or old fuel filter cause these common sorts of problems in diesels had it on mine, or the fuel tank breath might be blocked?
davepreston
26-08-09, 05:33 PM
yes lynx and its more combustable
Spiderman
26-08-09, 05:36 PM
ah, i see. Thanks :) Not that its me who needs to know but always good to know a trick or 2 for the future.
have a look at water in the distributer plugs also spray some links in the air filter works like cold start
It's a diesel...
davepreston
26-08-09, 05:39 PM
i'll get my coat
madness
26-08-09, 05:44 PM
Sounds like fuel's not getting to the cylinders. It could be that whilst stood some how fuel has drained back to the fuel filter. There should be a priming button or lever on the fuel filter housing, try pressing this a lot of times, it might be easy to start with and then get harder to press. When it's hard to press, try starting the engine.
dirtydog
26-08-09, 06:09 PM
I'm wondering why he waited for a new logbook?
Because when we bought the previous owner had lost it and it was untaxed so therefore we had to wait for a new logbook before we couled tax it.
Has petrol been put into fuel tank instead of diesel?
Nope
Sounds like fuel's not getting to the cylinders. It could be that whilst stood some how fuel has drained back to the fuel filter. There should be a priming button or lever on the fuel filter housing, try pressing this a lot of times, it might be easy to start with and then get harder to press. When it's hard to press, try starting the engine.
It certainly sounds like fuel problem to me, i'll have a look for a priming button
Von Teese
26-08-09, 06:21 PM
Mr VT has said the following:
Might need a new fuel filter, its not getting fuel thats why it revs up then cuts out (I think others have said this too)
Or might be water in the fuel, which you will get most of it out with the new fuel filter.
Hope you get it sorted out hon
phil24_7
26-08-09, 09:39 PM
Keep the throttle pinned until the revs rise to 5-6K (depending on engine, but don't red line it) then release, if it stalls, do it again. It may just need a really good blow out. Many old diesels just need to cough their guts up before they'll run properly!!
dirtydog
26-08-09, 09:50 PM
Keep the throttle pinned until the revs rise to 5-6K (depending on engine, but don't red line it) then release, if it stalls, do it again. It may just need a really good blow out. Many old diesels just need to cough their guts up before they'll run properly!!
Tried this as one of the 1st things, used to drive around in a lot of rubbish transits so know those little tricks
phil24_7
26-08-09, 10:17 PM
Oh well, I'll toddle off then! :D
dirtydog
27-08-09, 02:25 PM
Well went out this morning and picked up a new fuel filter and left my brother to swap it over which resulted in this...
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x241/dirtydog88/P270809_13430001.jpg
heavy handed idiot!
and Vauxhall want £30 for a new one!
Wideboy
27-08-09, 02:38 PM
easily done, everything vauxhall make is made of toffee, i sheared off two cambelt tensioner bolts :rolleyes:
Von Teese
27-08-09, 06:26 PM
Just showed Mr VT the pic and he said 'WTF is that?'
Dont pay Vauxhall for a replacement either, go to a breakers yard or Fleabay.
Shellywoozle
27-08-09, 06:42 PM
Has petrol been put into fuel tank instead of diesel?
Yeah could be they run for about 30 miles before completely dying. But sounds like that (not the I have experience :rolleyes:)
dirtydog
27-08-09, 08:22 PM
Just showed Mr VT the pic and he said 'WTF is that?'
Dont pay Vauxhall for a replacement either, go to a breakers yard or Fleabay.
It's basically a big banjo bolt, tried the local breakers no one had one. Nothing on ebay either.
here's a picture of the whole bit...
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x241/dirtydog88/P270809_21090002.jpg
Spiderman
27-08-09, 08:40 PM
wow, talk about designed to break when undone.
dirtydog
27-08-09, 08:48 PM
wow, talk about designed to break when undone.
Or designed to break when your heavy handed brother overtightens it despite you telling him not to do it too tight :smt092
wow, talk about designed to break when undone.
Or designed to break when your heavy handed brother overtightens it despite you telling him not to do it too tight :smt092
please join my world in the HM Forces....
Spiderman
27-08-09, 09:22 PM
D'oh! Dozy bro.
dirtydog
28-08-09, 07:06 AM
D'oh! Dozy bro.
I did have a bit of a laugh at him which he didn't appreciate :rolleyes: laughed even more when vauxhall told him it'll be £30 for a new plus an extra tenner if he wanted it for today :smt045
I dont think i ever snapped a bolt on my Vauxhall, probably because all of them had been removed at one point in my ownership!
Talking of diesels. I was standing out the back of where my mum works the other day when the bank manager next door comes out and jumps in his Merc C220D. Anyhoo he has toruble starting it (On a 55 plate) Then all manner of fluids start pumping out on the floor. HE says to me that hes JUST picked it up form being serviced. It was pumping Diesel all over the floor. So got him to pop the bonnet, which he didnt know how to do, and i removed the engine cover only to discover that whoever serviced it hadnt clipped the fuel hose back on the filter, so pumping diesel all over the engine.
This plumb then phoned the mechanic and started saying, Not once or twice mind, that the car is pumping petrol all over the engine...
So chatting with him, hae says its the 1st time that hes used this 'kid' and he seems to be pretty good, to which i replied, obviously he's not! The mechanic apprenly turned up and couldnt find the problem, although i had shown the daft driver what it was, so when i came back from wandering round Bromley, the car was still there. No idea why, 10 seconds with a set of bull nose pliers would have done the trick, along with 10 ton of rag to clean the diesl out of the engine wells nooks and crannies!
dirtydog
05-09-09, 01:29 PM
Got round to ordering the new bolt this week and fitted it only for the van to still not start.
After much head scratching I started to wonder if it had an immobiliser (we changed the lockset as the door lock was broken) so split the old key open and there was the little transponder/chip thing for the immobilser. Put it in the new key and hey presto it started first time.
Doh I am a muppet!
phil24_7
05-09-09, 02:33 PM
You plonker!!! lol
At least it was a simple fix though.
jacksuzukisv650
05-09-09, 03:28 PM
[blocked diesel filter !! change that put some diesel magic in it try that !
phil24_7
05-09-09, 04:43 PM
Jack - It's all sorted mate.
Biker Biggles
05-09-09, 05:19 PM
[blocked diesel filter !! change that put some diesel magic in it try that !
Pay attention at the back there.:-s
Detention after school for you:batman:
Wideboy
05-09-09, 09:55 PM
lmao PHAIL!
Bluefish
05-09-09, 10:07 PM
Got round to ordering the new bolt this week and fitted it only for the van to still not start.
After much head scratching I started to wonder if it had an immobiliser (we changed the lockset as the door lock was broken) so split the old key open and there was the little transponder/chip thing for the immobilser. Put it in the new key and hey presto it started first time.
Doh I am a muppet!
well maybe not as you sorted it. :D
The engine fires up but then dies straight away, if you give it a bit of throttle it starts goes up to whatever revs say 4k and then dies.
That's how immobilisers work AFAIK
SorryI didn't see this thread till now :(
Von Teese
06-09-09, 06:28 AM
DD, some 'rules of life' spring to mind
First rule of MOE.....(method of entry).....check if the door is open!
First rule of electrical equipment failure....check if it's plugged in!
I think you might see where Im going with this ;)
Anyhoo Im glad you finally got it sorted anyway!
dirtydog
06-09-09, 10:00 AM
That's how immobilisers work AFAIK
SorryI didn't see this thread till now :(
On other cars and bikes i've had with an immobiliser it just turns over but wont start at all plus I didn't know it actually had a factory immobiliser as it's not mentioned in the owners book
phil24_7
07-09-09, 06:23 PM
Immobilisers generally immobilise the starter circuit and fuel pump, on occasion, they immobilise the ignition circuit. Factory ones with an ignition chip, need this to activate the ignition, sometimes it's not obvious that the ignition key has a chip. These systems are a right PITA, and expensive to reprogramme and get new chips for!
Spiderman
07-09-09, 06:55 PM
#-o
:laughat:
tigersaw
07-09-09, 07:09 PM
http://forums.sv650.org/picture.php?albumid=97&pictureid=3335
dirtydog
07-09-09, 09:09 PM
Immobilisers generally immobilise the starter circuit and fuel pump, on occasion, they immobilise the ignition circuit. Factory ones with an ignition chip, need this to activate the ignition, sometimes it's not obvious that the ignition key has a chip. These systems are a right PITA, and expensive to reprogramme and get new chips for!
The thing is I took the old key apart to check for a chip but didn't see it as it was really dirty inside the key. Luckily I didn't throw the old key away.
phil24_7
07-09-09, 09:52 PM
Bloody hate chipped keys as the ignition is usually easy to bypass if you cause a little damage, but a real pain to do if it's your car!!
Wideboy
07-09-09, 10:08 PM
http://forums.sv650.org/picture.php?albumid=97&pictureid=3335
lol! :D
Bloody hate chipped keys as the ignition is usually easy to bypass if you cause a little damage, but a real pain to do if it's your car!!
Is that not why, as in this case, the car starts but cuts out, so if you bypass the ignition as you say, the immobiliser will still be effective?
Dicky Ticker
08-09-09, 08:49 AM
The system we have on our trucks allows you to start the engine but does not activate the fuel lift pump. Result-engine starts but stops once it has drawn the fuel from the filter [part of the anti-hijack system]I can't remember of hand but does the van have an electric lift pump or mechanical? Although some vehicles have a manual primer they also have an electric pump to draw the fuel up to the primer.
Sorry not much help but used to much larger vehicles.
If you are not that bothered by security just remove the whole system,bearing in mind that once a diesel has started it does not require electrics to run apart from the fuel solenoids as in stop/fuel or the electric fuel pump and even that can be by- passed in an emergency as the injection pump can draw the fuel through in many cases once the continuity of flow has no obstructions
Perhaps a mod should edit the title to say all fixed now. :)
Dicky Ticker
08-09-09, 02:08 PM
DD you don't know how much trouble you have caused:mad:--I have just spent 2hrs looking for and checking out all the spare keys and replacing the batteries in the fobs:D:D:D
dirtydog
04-11-09, 06:28 PM
I'm related to an idiot!
My brother has now managed to lose the only key for the new lockset so now we need to change them all over again and get a new transponder for the key. Main problem with that is you need the right key to release the ignition barrel from the steering column
He is a nob!
It will turn up.
Once youve fitted the new lockset etc :wink:
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