Be careful if you push or tow start the car, I seem to remember reading years ago that this could cause the cat to overheat (if you’ve got one fitted) but I could quite easily be wrong about this.
I think you are correct here - having removed my cat I just assume everyone else has also!
You could try pulling each plug in turn, with the HT lead connected, hold the plug close to the engine block and get some one to turn the engine over
My turn to be wrong, but I have heard that with modern car electonics this is a bad idea - you can buy special testers to check this rather than use the old method.
Be careful if you push or tow start the car, I seem to remember reading years ago that this could cause the cat to overheat (if you’ve got one fitted) but I could quite easily be wrong about this.
I think you are correct here - having removed my cat I just assume everyone else has also!
You could try pulling each plug in turn, with the HT lead connected, hold the plug close to the engine block and get some one to turn the engine over
My turn to be wrong, but I have heard that with modern car electonics this is a bad idea - you can buy special testers to check this rather than use the old method.
Steve
As long as you keep the sparkplug securely earthed to the block this won’t be a problem. You want to avoid having the coilpack feed into an open circuit… it can damage it, however a short test shoudn’t be too much bother.
However, if you are going to do this then its quicker and easier to slightly remove the plug lead from the coilpack end just a tad tho’ and you will hear/see the lead arcing… a healthy coilpack will be self evident just be careful you don’t get a wee zap
Simon, I’ve got to be trueful I couldn’t be bothered to remove my motorsport engine cover to check this before I posted, as it’s a PITA, but as far as I can remember aren’t there two coils in the pack, each doing two cylinders. Of course I could be talking total bo??ocks but I’m blaming that on the two bottles of vino I’ve had.
Been thinking about this, and I’ve come to the conclusion I’m talking bo??ocks
tis true
only a single ‘coilpack’ but it contains TWO coils, one of which is connected to 1&4 the other is connected to 2&3.
As long as you keep the sparkplug securely earthed to the block this won’t be a problem. You want to avoid having the coilpack feed into an open circuit… it can damage it, however a short test shoudn’t be too much bother.
However, if you are going to do this then its quicker and easier to slightly remove the plug lead from the coilpack end just a tad tho’ and you will hear/see the lead arcing… a healthy coilpack will be self evident just be careful you don’t get a wee zap
Not that I have a clue how it works - how does it earth?
It doesn’t have to. It only inserts into the HT lead core. Imagine it contains some sort of spark gap or neon that flashes.
The return for the spark plug is still via the block. This thing doesn’t need a return, just the ignition current flowing across it from coil (high) to spark plug (low).
THANKS ALL for your suggestions and help. The reason for not starting was severe flooding due to my own silliness in running the car for 20 seconds after not driving it for three weeks.
The explanations I have received as to why flooding can be so tricky is:
a) When your engine is cold the engine management system sends more fuel into the injectors to get the car started and running up to temperature. When you quickly turn off the car, all that fuel cannot burn / dissipate in the still-cold cylinders and will run down into the liners.
b) The liners, which normally are lubricated with oil, get flushed by the unburnt fuel which causes a lack of compression - another key factor in struggling to make the car start
c) Typically the plugs get wet with all the fuel around and cannot spark properly.
So - what to do for anybody else stuck in a similar situation:
Take the plugs out and dry them out. Gently clean the spark points with soft steel wool etc.
Turn the engine over a few times with the plugs out and foot fully depressed on the throttle. .This cuts fuel and should help relube the liners and re-establish compression.
Replace plugs and then turn the engine over, nursing the throttle till it gets going. Expect the car to spit flames and gnash it’s teeth, (excess fuel igniting in the exhaust system) but if it’s flooded, it will finally take when it gets the compression it needs.
Lastly, through winter I have invested in one of those fly little trickle chargers that manages your battery charge and cannot damage the battery, but actually extends battery life. I would have been dead without it with all the turning over I did - so it was �45 well spent!
Lastly, through winter I have invested in one of those fly little trickle chargers that manages your battery charge and cannot damage the battery, but actually extends battery life. I would have been dead without it with all the turning over I did - so it was �45 well spent!
I bought the CTEK MULTI XS 3600. Do a search on Google - a number of UK companies stock it. It averages �49.99. I did a fair bit of research about chargers and this gets the thumbs up.
It really is all down to battery voltage when it spins but doesn’t go. I had the same problem just before Christmas but it was my own fault because I didn’t have the trickler plugged in (idle git ) and consequently a couple of weeks after I parked it it’s a no-go. Put the trickler on and a few days later it starts first time… instantly.
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