Starting on 3 Cylinders?...

Post by **NafemanNathan** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 9:31 pm

On a rare occasion when starting my car it fires up but chugs likes it's only running on 3 cylinders. When it has happened in the past it's generally been first thing in the morning after a weekend of not driving much. Today though it did it once when I was leaving work, and it chugged for about 30 seconds (normally only goes for about 10 secs before it smooths out), then again once I'd picked up my boy from nursery, straight from work, but only chugged for 5-10 seconds, then again when leaving my parents with my other boy about an hour later.

Recently as well (couple months ago) when parked faced down a steep drive with 1/4 of a tank, the car failed to start soon after being parked up. The fuel gauge was reading empty and it took me putting 5 litres of fuel in to get it started.

Then 2 weeks ago today, again when picking my boy up from nursery the car wouldn't start again. I ended up being towed home by my neighbour and then removing the sparkplugs as I had suspected the engine was flooded. It was, the plugs were saturated.

Having left it for a good two hours then reassembling it, it started first time after a few splutters. It smoked for a bit, but after a 15 mile run it was fine again.

The car is also running at higher temperatures than it used to. I did a coolant swap recently as well as changed the oil and it was fine for a good while. It had previously chugged on the rare occasion before as well. I've bled the coolant through twice and it is done properly.

My dizzy as well is only about a year old. I know they can be problematic, but I don't think it's the dizzy.

I'm wondering if since the car wouldn't start on the steep drive whether some silt has got in the line and is occasionally blocking one of the injectors (Which were refurbished just before fitting them at the same time as the dizzy).

Any thoughts? Do you think a Terra-Clean would be a good idea? Is a Terra-Clean worth doing regardless? @Farlow, you had this done didn't you? Can you feel the difference?

Post by **Drax** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 9:50 pm

ive had Terra-Clean done but on my Diesel accord - you could tell it was quieter & better on fuel but that was it.

mercutio · Post by **mercutio** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 9:50 pm

i had mine terracleaned and i could tell the difference sometimes if i let off the key too soon the car catches but not entirely but its only a second or so before its running properly
I take it this is your 5g

Post by **Drax** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 9:51 pm

btw Nath, when was the last time you did the valve clearances done on this, as it sounds like it could be that with my experience of Will's lude

Post by **NafemanNathan** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 9:58 pm

mercutio wrote:I take it this is your 5g

Is that supposed to be some sort of joke?!

Don't think it's that Drax, the engine is very smooth when it's not chugging on those quite rare occasions and it still makes very good power.

Post by **ek9sid** » Tue Jul 12, 2016 6:49 am

Ht leads?

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Tue Jul 12, 2016 7:57 am

When you say the plugs were saturated... with what? Wet fuel? Oil? Sooty deposits?
Have you sussed out which cylinder isn't firing?
Have you changed the fuel filter on this since you've had it?
Have you checked the injector plugs are all clean and secure with the plug contacts tightly closed up?

Would be worth doing a quick compression test on all cylinders, just to rule out anything mechanical and firmly fix investigations on the fuel/ignition systems, imo.

bennyboy · Post by **bennyboy** » Tue Jul 12, 2016 8:16 am

A long shot, but since you've had the plugs out check them too - but not the business end, the ceramic end.
Many people take them out and look at the spark end whilst its still in a socket or similar. I had similar to what you are describing on my first car yeeears ago, turned out to be a cracked spark.

Post by **RattyMcClelland** » Tue Jul 12, 2016 10:05 am

Fuel pump?

Post by **NafemanNathan** » Tue Jul 12, 2016 11:21 pm

The hardest thing about diagnosing it is the fact that it never lasts long enough. Most of the time it will last just 5-10 seconds. The other complication is that I have lockable Aerocatches on the bonnet and the key is on the same keyring as the car key, so there's no way I'll get under the bonnet in time

And we are normally only talking once every couple of weeks. After yesterday's events the car started fine this morning.

Ek9sid, I've got another set if Magnecor leads, but I don't thinks it's the leads as it would be much more intermittent and not only when I start the car.

Iain, the plugs and pistons were saturated in fuel. They weren't dirty. I changed the filter soon after I got it. Rich was the last person to tinker with the injectors, from when I had him fit the refurbished S2000 injectors and tune the car. I'll have to do a compression test.

Ben, I did remove them completely, but I didn't analysis the ceramic part closely, so I could have missed a hairline crack. So did yours only do it when star, but not necessarily every time? I had replaced the plugs as well when I got the car, but that's not to say they could be faulty now.

Don't think it's the fuel pump Ratty, but I am considering getting the system Terra-Cleaned as I recon there may be sediment in the system.