Starting problem - coil?

[oxford_hippo]

Car has not been driven much, and 6 months ago developed an alarming backfire at start up - that would blow off the rubber sleeves in the engine bay!! Thought re-fitting and tightening the sleeves might ahve been a stop gap solution.

Mot time, so charged up battery and went to start car - muted back-fire and it had blown the sleeves off again.

So replaced the sleeves on the right hand bank ( had bought these last yar and not got round to doing it ) - in case these were causing an air leak.

Started up[] - after a bit longer than usual, and with a few dabs on throttle - then 10secs or so later - as I pulled out of parking bay it stalled - then I emptied the battery trying to get it started again.[]

Charged up the battery, turned ignition and again after bit longer cranking,and afew dabs of throttle it was running. THsi time I thought I'd drive roudn the block before setting off for the garage......1min later engine just died running up to a T junction[:'(][][:-] - luckily I was excatly outside the local corner shop - so I could buy a snack while waiting for Mr AA ( i'd tried restarting - but no joy ).

Mr AA tried carb cleaner in the inlet - no joy.

Checked the leads - said there was live feed going to them[], but nothing coming out []- so presumed a coil problem / hall efect problem?? ( car has 1 yr old plugs and leads, arms and caps )

Anyone any suggestions on what to look for ( booked in for servie next week ) so would be relaly useful if anyone elese has encountered this sort of problem?
Thanks, T[&:]

 

[oxford_hippo]

Just read Maurice's tech article ref. DME relays...and what problems they can cause / solve.

Like a good Boy Scout we did have a spare in the glove box, ( bought from opc Reading and with the club 10% discount it was same / cheaper than elsewhere.

Fitted it - but battery was still flat from fiasco yesterday


So battery now charging.......have to wait and see if the DME will save the day!
T[&:]

 

[Pickled Piper]

Hi Hippo,

It could be a dodgy DME relay, but generally that manifests itself as "cranks but doesn't fire". If the new DME doesn't fix it then you may want to check the distributor drive belt is not broken.

Next port of call would be to have a it plucked into a diagnostic tester. It could be MAF sensor or crank position sensor.

Good luck.

pp

 

[oxford_hippo]

thanks for all the pointers.

Car has been in for a service, and they found couple of the HT leads had been fitted the wrong way round!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so[][][] that problem is sorted,

Pretty unimpressed the garage that changed the leads, distributor caps etc. made this boo-bo[]
OK human error happens,

But - when it 1st did it's back-fire trick I took it straight back to them to check over ( within a few days of fitting the leads! )- and they said couldn't tell what problem was - but was quite possibly a perished rubber sleeve somewhere letting in air.....

( actually the AA tok it back to them on the back fo a transporter )

Not really worthy of the recommendations I see this garage geting here - any suggestions on how to deal with this - as others should be warned![>:]