She Won't Start!

[ZeroBlade]

I finally got round to popping in the new dizzy cap & rotor arm that's i'd got off fenny's. Blueprint one's btw.

After i'd installed em i started the car up and it was fine, maybe better start than b4, unsure tho mita been placebo effect.

Neways tried to start her this morning and no joy! the !Removed! wouldnt start at all.

Checked leads etc, they were all in perfectly fine, even took off the cap and put it back on again.

When ya turn the key it sounds like summins grinding and trying to turn but its ni having ne luck.

Ne1 know whats up or give me something to try?

I'm gonna try putting the old rotor arm back on, c if that makes a difference.

-Z

[Kelvyn]

When ya turn the key it sounds like summins grinding and trying to turn but its ni having ne luck.

Does this mean the engine isn't actually spinning over?? If so then its possibly your starter motor. If the starter is stuck in its engaged position you can sometimes free it by putting the car in 4th gear then rocking it backwards and forwards a few times. Another possibility is that there isn't enough charge in the Battery to operate the starter (often you get a rapid loud clicking noise as the solenoid tries to throw)

[Dame]

Hmm this sounds strage, especially since (I presume) you have not disturbed anything else other than the rotor arm and distributer. It could of course be a conicidence that this has happened now. If the engine is not turning over, I would tend to agree with Kelvyn that it could be a problem with the starter. It's also possible that the alternator has seized, though this is only really going to happen if the car is stood for a period of time.

Charge the Battery and try it again. Due to all the toys, the cars need quite a few amps to turn the engine over.

[MisteR 2]

Hey Zero, where'd ya get the Dist. cap and arm from? Are they O.E. bits or aftermarket? How much was they? I had this problem beofre on my E30 Bm. I changed the cap and arm, and she just wudn't start, the engine would turn over, but just wudn't fire. Called in a mobile mech, and he took the cap and arm off, put them back on, and there she was, she fired and started up 1st turn. He said I shuda left it to the experts. I still don't know what I did wrong!?!?!

[ZeroBlade]

I'm a bit l8 with this reply sorry guys.

Had a hectic day spent all morning worrying over "the !Removed!". Then i spent all afternoon pampering her, i.e. good wash, t-cut, polish.

Basically i jumped to the conclusion that i'd done summin wrong. So i spent ages switching combinations of the new rotor back for the old, new dizzy for old, checking leads etc one by one. All looked fine. Then did an engine diagnostic that came out ok. Whist doing the diag it hit me.

kelyvn was riteo nthe mark about hte Battery. i noticed it was reading really low whilst i was checking the error codes. So got a jump off the mighty v-tec, (dad's never gonna let me live that down!), and she's ok now. Charge is still reading a little low tho, not sure why it conked out after new dizzy cap & rotor arm...coincedence?

MisteR 2: They are blueprint parts from fensport. Fitting was pretty straightforward but thats cause i used tony wangs guide, heh

One a side note all the changing of leads lead me to snap pin the one that leads from the distributor to the ignition coil. Can you buy a single magnecor lead? as thats what it was. good thing i kept the original one, so i've got that on atm.

-Z

[Dame]

It wouldn't be a good idea to check the output of the alternator. I don't know the specifics (I can check tonight), but it should be reading around 14v. If the regulator, or the charge coils in the alternator are not at 100% the Battery will not charge properly, and over time will run down to a point where the car won;t start.

The only other thing I can think of is either a knackered Battery, or a shortage somewhere on one of the car's circuits thats causing a higher than normal power drain.

[ZeroBlade]

alrite there m8 i'll get that done.

Just when outside and she started up first time. didnt click rite away mind u...

Lookinh at the voltometer when i just stick hte key in & turn the electrics on only it goes to the point where the lines near the top (dashed i think can't rem) meet the other bit. sorry bout that explanation but i cant rem off hand i'll hav a look l8r if u dnt know what i mean.

on ignition it increases to just under 2 thirds.

it's been at that level since i got the car.

On a side note my exhaust is really %$(ed again, this would hinder ignition wouldnt it ?

-Z