Won't start.!.

[delta]

Hi Guys.
Back from a very long absent, also from the forum, I'm trying to re-start my Lotus life, and ran into trouble.
So help needed, and as I know you guys knows all, I hope to you can give a little help.

After refitting a new headgasket, the car just won't start, and I have come to an dead end with no ideas left.
I have.:
1. checker sparks plugs and coils, just ok.
2. pump running on ignition, but seems not to deliver after the initial 10 sec.
3. ground wires checked, and no faults.
4. knock censor and TPS checked, no faults.
5. it is not in " flodmode ".
6. timing checked and re-checked, just ok.
7. there is NO fault codes at all.
7. read the book section emj 4-3 + emj 6 again and again, and not getting any closer.
so, where do I have to look next.?.

Regards
Delta

[Brit-Car-Nut]

First thing to check is the grounds. The ones from the intake area are critical and often poor.

[dunnlor]

Check compression. If the engine has been disassembled or has been sitting for an extended period, you may need to pull the plugs and squirt a little oil into each cylinder.

Tom

[muley]

What Tom said - make sure you get petrol vapour coming out of the plug holes when cranking. If you have a spark as well, then it is almost certainly a timing problem - double check the valves are closed on no 1 cylinder when crankshaft is at TDC.


[Took ages to fault find a similar problem once on a friend's Honda- turned out the cambelt was snapped ]

[hodge]

Wouldn't do any harm to check the CAS and CTS leads haven't got switched around during reassembly - they're close, leads are similar length and the plugs are the same.
Pete

[dapinky]

As a very quick and easy check, without having to undo anything, you can check that the injectors are actually getting current flowing and delivering some fuel (can't tell how much, but at least you'll know they're working).....

turn ignition on, but do not start engine.

Open bonnet (if you haven't already done it), walk to front of car, open throttle by hand, quite firmly - either by pulling the cable or twisting the quadrant.

You should hear all 4 injectors 'click' in turn as they open and close - it is a self-test that doesn't appear in the workshop manual!!

If there is a clicking sound, then the injectors are working and you need to look elsewhere, if there isn't, then there are a set of steps to follow to fault-find. (usually the multi-pin plug by the overflow/coolant tank which supplies power, or one of the earth straps)

[delta]

You see.
I knew your guys know what to do next.

Will try things out tomorrow, and let you know.
Thanks.
Delta

[delta]

Oh - well, it's running, not smooth, but running.
Have to finetune the timing tomorrow before going to MOT.

As told, have I checked all the grounds, but on your advice, did it just one more time.
They was ok, but I found that the knock sensor was not connected.
Don't know how I could miss that the 20 times I have checked the wires.

It is a nightmare to get to, oil filter has to come off, and you are lying blinded, socked in oil trying with one hand
to feel your way trough this mesh, and find two small wires. It's best done with a broken arm, bend 90degree left.
But after only 4 hours and all the swear-words I know, it suddenly slides together and clicked.

Not to sure this was the problem, but if - the engine must be flooded, so I ran it in floodmode for 30 sec,
and - surprise - surprise - it started. Ok, it did set code 41, but I have an other CAS sensor on stock, so no problem.

Can anybody confirm that a missing knock sensor will prevent starting, or was my problem just a flooded engine.

Anyway, thanks for the help guys.

Delta.