Fault diagnosis opinions welcomed.

[meirion]

My ST205 has stood for nearly six months over the winter. The battery had been playing silly beggars for quite a while before so I bought a new one to give myself the best chance. New battery fitted and turning the key, engine turning over nice and quickly but no attempt to fire at all. I tried several times but no luck. After leaving it for half an hour she actually fired up. She ran a bit lumpy then smoothed out and I let it run for about half an hour. Two days later I'm booked in for an MOT so I go out and try to start her up. Cranking nicely again but no attempt to fire at all. After several cranking sessions, nothing. I got on my hands and knees at the back of the car but no smell of petrol from the exhaust. I'm not a mechanic and have no experience of mechanical stuff on the car but my logic says that the exhaust should stink of fuel after cranking so many times. Am I completely off the target by thinking that my fuel pump may be stuffed?

Yes, there is fuel in the car.

[Xanadu]

Maybe it's time to check the capacitors in your ECU.

[meirion]

18 minutes ago, Xanadu said:

Maybe it's time to check the capacitors in your ECU.

Never had the ECU out. I've heard that it's in the passenger footwell behind the glove box. There's a white plastic box under there. Is the ECU in that?

 

[meirion]

19 minutes ago, meirion said:

Never had the ECU out. I've heard that it's in the passenger footwell behind the glove box. There's a white plastic box under there. Is the ECU in that?

 

Just found a YouTube video. Know where it is now 

[_Chris_]

First step check fault codes, no special tools needed. Guide on gt4dc how to guides.

Cap failure in gen 6 is still rare, I'd be looking at the more obvious first.

See what the fault codes show. Check for spark while turning over.

 

[_Chris_]

http://www.gt4dc.co.uk/info/howto/ecu/ecu_error_codes.htm

 

[meirion]

1 hour ago, _Chris_ said:

First step check fault codes, no special tools needed. Guide on gt4dc how to guides.

Cap failure in gen 6 is still rare, I'd be looking at the more obvious first.

See what the fault codes show. Check for spark while turning over.

 

Thanks Chris, I'll try to get the paper clip out over the weekend 

[Crazy Cat Lady]

5 hours ago, meirion said:

My ST205 has stood for nearly six months over the winter.

 

Just wondering if the petrol has gone stale in the tank?

 

How long ago was your last fill up?

[meirion]

17 hours ago, Crazy Cat Lady said:

 

Just wondering if the petrol has gone stale in the tank?

 

How long ago was your last fill up?

Six months old petrol should be okay, hopefully 

[Xanadu]

50 minutes ago, meirion said:

Six months old petrol should be okay, hopefully

 

Yeah, I've known a car with two year old petrol in it start okay.

[_Chris_]

I had issues on my Sisters Micra after about 5 years, it turned to varnish and kept gumming float valve shut then gummed up pump and carn jets. That would have been E5. E10 goes stale quicker but not that much quicker.

 

[meirion]

Are these cars engineered to drive us nuts????? Checked for fault codes but nothing there then gave the key another turn and she fired up instantly!!!!! Ran like a Swiss watch for 30mins, turned her off and tried again, instant start once more. Let's see what tomorrow brings  

[_Chris_]

There's a reason cars are often refered to as she. I have the same nonsense from Ezzy, the others are fine.

 

 

[Crazy Cat Lady]

39 minutes ago, meirion said:

Let's see what tomorrow brings

 

Probably could do with the Italian tune-up before the MOT

[meirion]

8 minutes ago, Crazy Cat Lady said:

 

Probably could do with the Italian tune-up before the MOT

Believe me it's going to get one 

[meirion]

I forgot to update you. Running nicely and got her over for a fresh MOT. She passed and then the alternator expired, it's an ex alternator . Anyway, local company does alternator refurbishing so I took it up there after bleeding all over the engine bay taking the bugger off with skinned fingers. Needs a new regulator and rectifier and rewind. £75, what a bargain.

[ams]

With e5 and e10, id try leaving as little as possible in the tank if its parked up for a while. Ive had loads of cars that have been parked for ages and the fuels come out clean and they have started after 3 or more years of being parked, with the ethanol content, it does turn to sludge a lot more, 

 

Other thing I find on cars that have been parked a while is that its worth taking the plugs out and giving them a clean and also take off the distributor cap and take off the build up inside on the tips

[meirion]

9 hours ago, ams said:

With e5 and e10, id try leaving as little as possible in the tank if its parked up for a while. Ive had loads of cars that have been parked for ages and the fuels come out clean and they have started after 3 or more years of being parked, with the ethanol content, it does turn to sludge a lot more, 

 

Other thing I find on cars that have been parked a while is that its worth taking the plugs out and giving them a clean and also take off the distributor cap and take off the build up inside on the tips

E10 is going nowhere near my Celica, Shell V Power all the way . Alternator is back all shiny and gorgeous. Just got to get it back on now 

[Sherv]

Should be all good again 

[CheltGirl]

On 25/04/2024 at 18:55, meirion said:

I forgot to update you. Running nicely and got her over for a fresh MOT. She passed and then the alternator expired, it's an ex alternator . Anyway, local company does alternator refurbishing so I took it up there after bleeding all over the engine bay taking the bugger off with skinned fingers. Needs a new regulator and rectifier and rewind. £75, what a bargain.

That is a bargain! Did they clean up the outer surface and polish it? So does this mean Merion that you are  going to polish everything under your bonnet now?