A Non-Starter!

[driven_crazy]

Hello all, this is my first message so I apologise for it being a question, but, I am in urgent need of some help so any advice will be gratefully received!

The story so far...

Yesterday, battery went flat. Push started it and it ran fine all the way to home. Turned engine off, thought I'd attempt to restart just to make sure it's ok. Started running and then it cut out.

There is fuel in the tank. The injector looks dry. Spark plugs are giving a spark and there is some charge in the battery left but just not enough to fully run due to my attempt this morning of getting it started.

Once the ignition has been turned there is a clicking coming from the left footwell but with no obvious signs of what this could be.

I am currently of the assumption that it is either a blockage in a line, the fuel pump or fuel filter is faulty.

I have attempted to see if there is any fuel coming through the filter's output but the lines and connectors are so fiddly it's proved difficult. I have been able to get the connector off a little and some fuel leaks out which, suggests to me there is fuel getting through the filter. I have no idea how to take the fuel pump out to see if there are any signs of fault. I have taken the rear seat off and got to the metal casing but do not know where to go from there. The bracket that hold the fuel filter is rusted solid so I cannot unscrew it.

Oh and I have NO idea where the fuel pump relay is located to check. The "FI" (no. 26) fues in the fuse box is fine.

Any ideas people?

[octane41]

what engine is it

[scotsvampyr]

i also have this same clicking noise coming from my engine its 1.0i 12v mine also doesnt start for ages then runs fine after it starts

[GavTheMighty]

Fuel pump, Fuel Pump Relay, Crankshaft sensor check those.

[GavTheMighty]

i also have this same clicking noise coming from my engine its 1.0i 12v mine also doesnt start for ages then runs fine after it starts

When you try and start your car do you have to apply the gas pedal to get it going? Or have you tried to apply the gas pedal as your starting to get it going? If you do and it starts fine with your foot on the accelerator then it's your idle control connected to the throttle housing. Thats the clicking your hearing, The idle control moving in and out, I fixed mine by simply adjusting the throttle a little. Where the Idle control pushes in and out to adjust the idle on the throttle housing there is a little screw that you can loosen or tighten, I had to always apply the accelerator pedal on mine to start but then I adjusted this so it effectively is giving it a bit more gas on startup and it starts first time now without any pedal pressing and then settles to normal idle.

[scotsvampyr]

When you try and start your car do you have to apply the gas pedal to get it going? Or have you tried to apply the gas pedal as your starting to get it going? If you do and it starts fine with your foot on the accelerator then it's your idle control connected to the throttle housing. Thats the clicking your hearing, The idle control moving in and out, I fixed mine by simply adjusting the throttle a little. Where the Idle control pushes in and out to adjust the idle on the throttle housing there is a little screw that you can loosen or tighten, I had to always apply the accelerator pedal on mine to start but then I adjusted this so it effectively is giving it a bit more gas on startup and it starts first time now without any pedal pressing and then settles to normal idle.

erm it starts after about 2 mins of peddel pushing the clicking noise i have comes from the fuses behind the glovebox i have changed all of them from my other corsa i had (just scrapped wat a shame as it was tidier looking than this 1 and it had abs) but after the engine is warm and running for about 20 mins it starts fine. it recently had a new fuel tank fitted but they never changed the fuel filter was thinking it may have been blocked slightly . is the fuel pump and relay easy to access i also was wondering if i could be the injectors blocked but i am thinking it would backfire or missfire in that case

[GavTheMighty]

hmmm tough one could try the cheaper options first or this might be a case of taking it to a garage. If it runs fine once warmed up well I would change the coolant temp sensor as this can cause overfueling by sending the wrong info to the ecu. By all means change the fuel filter anyway very easy job but I don't think that will be the issue. Another possibility is the crankshaft sensor but then I would have thought it wouldn't start at all. What car is this anyhow? 1.0 12v. 1.2 8v etc? Air Flow meter is another option as if it faulty again could be causing it difficulty to start.

Get a mate or someone with another Battery and hook it up to yours and see if it starts first time, won't hurt to make sure your battery isn't dying. (I have this odd feeling it is your battery) Or even jump leads from another car just to double check.

[scotsvampyr]

my car is 1.0i 12 v where are all these sensors located ive looked for pics online but none very helpful

[donnay1991]

mines did the exact same and it was the crankshaft sensor needing replaced

[gaby_isro]

Hi, I heave the same problem with my Corsa B 1.0 year 2000.
I uploaded a clip with the issue http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmU81NuiUhA
I heave changed the crankshaft sensor, camshaft sensor, the ICV, all 3 relays from the dash. I'm begining to lose my patience with this car, it is 3 months since it start making this problem. At first I changed the ICV because it was an P0505 error stucked, it worked fine for 2 weeks, after that it start doing it again. Sometimes after 5 minutes, sometimes after 20 minutes.

[andy w]

Hi and welcome if you put ya own thread up of what is exactly going on with ya car

[andy w]

Right looking u have done crank cam sensors. Have u tried to disconnect the egr valve and then run it if it stops then then the egr has packed in if not the only other thing i can think of is the cts/ect sensor

[gaby_isro]

Right looking u have done crank cam sensors. Have u tried to disconnect the egr valve and then run it if it stops then then the egr has packed in if not the only other thing i can think of is the cts/ect sensor

I've disconnected the EGR, runs a bit smoother but does the same thing, the CTS sensor is changed also and nothing. But I think the EGR stops the car in a different way, like a stuttering, mine just cuts out and the main relay is starting to click. First I thought it was the fuel pump relay, but no, i think it's the main relay.
I went to a garage and as I suspected too, they told me it is the ECU, but I was trying to think at it as a last resort. So I ordered an ECU second hand kit from ebay, and I am waiting it to arrive at the end of the week (I live in France). Hope this will resolve my problem, because I am running out of options.
Finger crossed
Cheers!

[andy w]

Dude sorry about that its the down side to trouble shooting. Its always the part u don't want it to be because it is expense

[johnny]

Dont think.its the ecu, the ive yet to see an ecu just stop working, only time ive seen.them.break is if there fried by connecting the bat wrong