Wont start!

[FYN]

Over the past two months, i have rebuilt engine having replaced piston rings, shells and engine gaskets. After finally getting everything back together the engine will turn over but will not fire, before rebuild i could hear the fuel pump running when i turned the key prior to starting, now i cannot hear the fuel pump, is there an in line fuse for the pump or why does there appear to be no power going to the pump? Should the engine management light come on initially with the ignition lights?
The fuel inertia shut off has been tried in both positions, this has made no difference and we have also bridged into the wires for the fuel pump and managed to get it to run, again it has made no difference.

any advice appreciated

FYN

[Paul.P]

Should the engine management light come on initially with the ignition lights? FYN

Definitely !, have you got an alarm or immobilser ?

[FYN]

Paul
Immobiliser was stripped out of car last year, new toad system still to be fitted.
Alarm system at present is switched off.

FYN

[Specky]

Have you checked............... the fuel relay,fuses and the three connectors just in front of the expansion tank for security of attachment.

The engine light should stay on until the engine fires into life...IIRC the light does blip when the starter draws the initial surge of power thou...


TTFN

[HJ2]

Or perhaps... Inertia fuel cut switch (or what's it called) behind the seat?

[dapinky]

FYN,

If I may indulge you with the information on my post this one, here, there is a simple test you can perform to show if the injectors are opening.

This leads on from Speckys advice about the '3 plugs' by the water expansion bottle (the ones in the green circle in the photo)...

plugs.jpg

[Doug]

yes, the fuel pump fuse, relay, and inertia switch are the start point if you can't hear the pump run each time you turn on the ignition. They're all behind the left seat speaker enclosure in Federal Elans; I think they are still on the left for you too.

[saska]

Paul
Immobiliser was stripped out of car last year, new toad system still to be fitted.
Alarm system at present is switched off.

Very primitive but first things first; have you definitely got spark to the plugs?

[The Ref]

Paul
Immobiliser was stripped out of car last year, new toad system still to be fitted.
Alarm system at present is switched off.

Very primitive but first things first; have you definitely got spark to the plugs?

No the first thing is do you have fuel

[saska]

[
Very primitive but first things first; have you definitely got spark to the plugs?

No :wink: the first thing is do you have fuel :twisted:

<G> Neither works without the other. Problems are a process of elimination. Logic says eliminate the simple to check ones first.
You can test spark with a screwdriver, whereas testing the Elan's fuel injection system is somewhat more complex.
Check the simple things first.

[FYN]

Whilst checking on the diagnostic plug, bridging out the black and black and white wire the engine management light does not illuminate this is the same problem as when the ignition is switched on, no engine management light comes on.

Where does this get its feed from as all the fuses appear to be ok?

FYN

[dapinky]

Problems are a process of elimination. Logic says eliminate the simple to check ones first.
You can test spark with a screwdriver, whereas testing the Elan's fuel injection system is somewhat more complex.
Check the simple things first.

To find any specific fault is a process of elimination - after all, logic dictates that it is always the last thing you test, which is faulty!

There are 3 main reasons why an engine wont fire.....

1) No Spark
2) No fuel
3) Mechanical failure (including no compression)

1) & 2) can be tested for by removing a sparkplug after turning over the engine on the key - the plug should be damp from petrol (or at least smell of vapour!) - then by putting the HT lead back on the plug and grounding the body of the plug to earth (resting on top of the engine is good), turn the key and you should see a spark jump across the plug gap.

This will not show a deficiency in performance of any particular component, but may show up any obvious route of enquiry.

FYN,

I know nothing of the circuit for the engine light, but do you remember if it was illuminating before the current fault? - there are fuses for the ECU which may have a bearing on the light (but an expert will be able to give better advice).

[Specky]

Did the car run after the immobilizer was removed...

TTFN

[FYN]

Before the car was taken apart, the engine management light did operate when i turned the ignition on, the cad did run up until we decided to rebuild the engine, it started no bother after letting the fuel pump run, but now the fuel pump does not run at all, and there is no engine management light. the immobilizer was removed two months prior to the car being taken off the road for engine rebuild.

FYN

[Specky]

is the engine properly earthed after the refit...A quick con check may help...

Have you checked the wires where the immobilizer was removed and also con checked the ignition barrel

was the ECU disconnected for the engine work...

Have you checked all the fuses, relays etc...


TTFN