Broken down

The first time ever I have broken down! Normal day went off to get some shopping 1 mile to the shops from me get in car fires straight up no problems. Grab a few things when I come back to the car, I can't for the life of me start the thing! It was almost begging to be started, it fires and just would not turn over, so many times it was close. I tried for nearly

30 mins while giving it a break in between.

So I conceed defeat and call my breakdown who came in 55 mins. Was a bit embarrasing really in a packed supermarket in our local. But anyway guy gets here asks me to turn it over and says "hmmm" "again" then says it sounds like fuel starvation...

so he disappears to his van for 3 mins and comes back with a spray can with "cold start" written on it. Takes my enginer cover partly off to get access to my throttle body, sprays some of it down it while asking me to try and start it while giving it a bit of gas, the car fires into life, how amazed and relieved I was as I had soooo many things to do (family day) amazing how friggin angry the kids were as we was late to their zillion an one stops, somedays I feel like a taxi lol whos doesn't get paid hehe

Anyway so yeah basically he only had a quick look, and said it could be fuel returning back down te valves or an air leak and needs investigating properly by a garage.

Any advice welcomed on what I can start doing to find the source of the problem or general advice of this type of problem.

MK4 golf 1.6 16v 2001 65k just serviced, erm... has a fault on the passenger side door lock module where the door pin pops up. Thats about all I can think of worth mentioning.

Reply to
Stephen
Loading thread data ...

Cold start spray/aerosols are generally ether. Whilst they can get an engine to run in cold weather they should be avoided at all cost. I am very surprised that any breakdown service would use this.

Reply to
Phil

Oh dear this doesn't sound good. Why are they so bad ?

Reply to
Stephen

I've only used one a couple of times in the last 40 years - but, just out of interest, do you say they should be avoided at all cost?

Peter

Reply to
Peter Andrews

Had similar problem with my Saab 9000 1993. RAC man sprayed fuel in the intake and the engine could run. Proves that the problem is somewhere in the fuel supply line. In my case it was diagnosed as faulty fuel pump, which was replaced.

Reply to
johannes

Used in the way you describe will do absolutely no harm whatsoever. Phil is getting confused with the use of ether to get old Diesel engines started on a cold morning.

Julian.

Reply to
Julian

Cos if you're a muppet & overdo it they can fire before TDC & the knocks bad for the engine. But generally it makes suffeciently little difference that you can even get them built into diesels for cold climates. It's a bit like not using the flame start.

Reply to
Duncan Wood

Plus is there not a problem with the possible backfire up the inlet manifold damaging the MAF mounted between the throttle body and air filter if the hose is replaced before firing up the engine?

Gio

Reply to
Gio

If you soak it in ether yes. Or petrol for that matter. Hence you won't want to overdo it.

Reply to
Duncan Wood

First thing is to get the fault memory of the car read.

Reply to
Chris Bartram

It sounds very much as though it was flooded. You only drove a small distance before stopping? When trying to start the car do you ever put your foot slightly on the accellerator?

The cure (assuming it is flooding) if it ever does this again is either to leave it alone for a few hours, or put the accellerator to the floor and do not let it up, turn the key to try to start it, after a good few turns (throwing out the excess fuel) it will start.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

First thing I did once it starting having issues starting. Should have mentioned that in my first post. I have a Sealey VAG scanner, which didn't show any faults. I scanned everything.

Reply to
Stephen

Hi Mrcheerful

I drove literally 1.3 miles from home, turned off, car was not at running temperature of 90. Turned it off for about 30 minutes came back and above problem. I never touch the accellerator when trying to start the car, always in neutral turn key and it springs to life. Bar those rare times I park facing down a hill or up one whichs its in gear and wheels point correct ay.

Thats very interesting I did not know about that, I'll remember and try it for good measure next time it happens.

Got in the car this morning and it fired up first time no hassle. Drove for about an hour switched off for 40 minutes came back and was working as it should. Mighty odd problem.

Reply to
Stephen

They're not bad, it's just that some people have a paranoia about them.

Reply to
SimonJ

I know this sounds odd, but in my experience engines get addicted to them and won't start without them. Dunno why.

Rob Graham

Reply to
robgraham

I used to have a Renault Savanna which used to fail to start about once every four years for no apparent reason. Just kept at it, or towed it, and eventually it would go, and keep going fine until a few years later.

Odd

Rob Graham

Reply to
robgraham

Mrcheerful was thinking very hard :

Known as WOT (wide open throttle). If the pedal is held to the floor during cranking - WOT shuts the fuel supply completely off allowing the excess fuel to be pumped out of the cylinders. At some stage in the WOT cranking it will likely try to fire. Stop the WOT cranking, release the pedal completely, wait for a second or two and then try a normal starting procedure.

Reply to
Harry Bloomfield

They don't get addicted. It's just that if the reason it needed it once isn't fixed, it will continue to need it.

Steve

Reply to
shazzbat

Yes, and if all else fails, remove the fuse/relay for the fuel pump and crank it on full throttle for a little while like that to try to clear the flooding.

Reply to
Ben C

I had to show an old boy with a fiesta cfi where the fuel pump fuse was, he kept on getting the car out of the garage turning it off, closing the garage and trying to start it again, if he forgets he can take the fuse out now and get it going on his own.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.