Another bad starting Vauxhall? ;-(

does it have a distributor cap at that age? if so check that it actually has sparks at the plug leads, I have known of ones where the rotor arm is shorting internally on an intermittent basis. very cheap fix if it is that type.

It should have an immobiser at that age with a passive transponder embedded within the plastic of the key. The pickup is a wound ring around the ignition lock. This, together with the deadlocks, reduced them being one of the most nicked vehicles to being relatively secure overnight.

Presumably yours is a twin cam model (with a crank sensor rather than a distributor?) If not then one common problem with the single cam models is that if the crank pulley isn't properly tightened then the timing pulley can move and wear the crankshaft key shifting the valve timing and the ignition timing via the pickup in the distributor base. This makes for a difficult start or a stall during the first couple of minutes of warm up. Once warmed up the car will run near normal.

Following these problems Vauxhall revised the crank bolt tightening process, can't recall if it was to a single higher figure or to a two stage torque + angle.

Yup, looks like it?

That opens up the possibility of some good old fashioned servicing. ;-)

That's what I was hoping when you said that. ;-)

So, distributor cap off, rotor out, give it all a good clean / check / replace as necessary, spray with damp start and see how it goes?

To be honest it hasn't had a thorough service in a while because it hasn't done many miles of late but as it's just passed the MOT I think I'll give it a good once over. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

p.s. You might see from the picture it has what looks like a new battery but it was bought cheap on a special from out local Vauxhall dealer this time last year. Because the car wasn't used much once we got the Meriva, when the Meriva first started not starting I went to use the Astra and the battery was as flat as the proverbial (it didn't even bring up the dash lights). Jumping it with a good battery got it started and running pretty quickly but even after a good 30 min run, keeping the revs up didn't put any charge in it at all. I took the battery off and initially put it on a bench PSU and then (when it was behaving like a battery again) put it on a long slow charge and after a couple of days it was fully charged and it seems to be working ok now (which surprised me, considering how flat it had been and for an unknown period). The reason I mention is because I was wondering if there could be any link between running it with what turns out to be an open circuit battery (at that time), and if that might have had any negative impact on any of the systems and why I might be seeing the issues now?

Hmm. I'm not sure if this helps but when it was stolen (and recovered) a while back they just smashed the ignition switch off the back of the lock and turned it with a screwdriver?

As does the Disklok since. ;-)

I just went out for a reminder and I think it's a dizzy model. Or is has something that looks like one?

Hmm, and is that something you can check without taking any (many) covers off etc?

Understood.

FWIW the engine sounds ok, doesn't have any audible or feelable noises or clunks. The only thing I need to fix is the buzzy baffle over the exhaust manifold. ;-(

Cheers, T i m

Did you take it out for a run after starting it or just turn it off again? It sounds like a not too healthy battery to me but that's just a gut feeling as I'm not an expert.

I miss carbs, I just got used to thinking it's the carb icing up when they started disappearing :-)

The first 3 times, just started, let it run for maybe 30 seconds and then stopped it again. The last two times I then drove it for maybe 20 mins similar a few times each day.

The problem is in most cases I'm going out there because I want to use the car and second (so far anyway as it's always started eventually) you only get a fairly narrow window to do things like measure the battery voltage when cranking.

Yeah, we might just end up with the 'Post Apocalyptic Mk2 Escort based kitcar as at least even I can figure out what is wrong with that (as / when that happens that is). ;-)

Cheers, T i m

hmm, maybe the immobiliser came a bit later than yours, there was an update to the electrics at some point in the production and it was before the Ecotec engine came along. I thought it was just a general clean up and removal or addition of a few fuses BICBW. Mid 90's onwards, even base models, had the immobiliser for sure as wrapping the plastic bit of the key in foil disabled the ignition - cranking remained enabled iirc.

Ahh ok that's one of those that can be affected with the crank bolt issue.

Conventional HT distributed with a rotor arm but with an ignition trigger in the base of the distributor. Crank bolt can be an external torx but some had hex head bolts.

Remove the outer cam belt cover. Line up the dimple on the cam pulley and notch on the crank with the fixed marks The distributor has a couple of raised lines that should be equidistant of a mark on the end of the cam cover. A static view might not be sufficient though depending on how the engine has come to rest and it may still be subject to lots of variation when running.

If it is faulty a timing light aimed at the crank pulley will show maybe +/- 10 degrees or more of scatter at idle rather than a clear trigger point. If the crank keyway is damaged it needs a new crank or fitting a new key embedded in Belzona 1111

A strobe light where you can retard the setting is useful. Opcom reports the desired ECU timing angle and you can dial in say 10 degrees advance on the timing light, line the crank and cam TDC pointers up and then tweek the distributor to get the timing spot on.

Again, in case it helps pin this down, the key fobs are pretty small (square / flat) and basic. I can only see a small lamp and battery.

Ah. ;-(

Ok.

Understood. Is there any reason to remove the crank pulley? Fitting a new cam belt possibly? If not, is it just one of those things that can come loose over time?

Ok, well I still have a strobe (mains powered though I think) so I can give that a check (thanks).

Looks like some good stuff. ;-)

That was another thing I was wondering (but not looked for yet) and does that Astra have an OBD port (I thought they came in nearer 2000)?

Cheers, T i m

No immobiliser then.

These are the transponder keys

A new cam belt requires pulley removal. If tightened to the earlier spec they will come undone but might just hold together rather than drop off. The wear on the crank key can build up over a very extended period. Fortunately if it does come loose in service and the timing slips its a non interference engine. The damage to the crank keyway is by far the biggest headache.

It is but it ain't cheap. There might be cheaper metal epoxies around but I've not used them Belzona are a long established British company and have a very good reputation in industry.

Rather than OBD its the earlier GM diagnostics KW 81 iirc. The socket is part of the fusebox moulding under the dash. The connector is the same as that used for ODB and the Opcom ODB adaptors and software available on Ebay will work.

PS No connection to either ebay listings or Belzona

What about salt on the HT components (rotor, cap, HT leads, plug connectors). Salt spray has a habit of getting into things.

I know form personal experience that it can prevent starting in cold humid conditions. Once started, the heat dries everything out, and starting isn't a problem until the vehicle has been standing again overnight with humidity particually high.

If it is salt, wiping *all* HT equipment off with a clean dry rag will fix the problem until the next salt buildup (typically years).

John

Hmm, not as big as the Corsa / Meriva keys even, ours looks like this:

>

Ah. Thanks.

Understood.

Ok.

Yup, got one (needed to downgrade the FW to 1.39 to 'see' the Instruments and BCM on the Meriva).

;-)

Cheers, T i m

... as it has been of late of course ... ;-(

Hmm, well, the last time there was snow / ice it was left parked up (and was even bounced off (slowly) by a passing snow covered car) it wasn't driven on any salt / grit but it's certainly been a while before it's been given a wipe down in any case. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

Found.

This is what I have on the Astra:

Is there an adaptor cable to go from my current OpCom (16 pin) to that

10 pin or is it not even of the same std / protocol(s) etc?

Cheers, T i m

p.s. And of course the Astra just started first time.

you cross two of the pins and the mil light blinks to give you two digit codes with spaces in between and 1,2 to show the end of the list. But, if the mil light is not showing then it will give you no info. in any case.

Which it isn't. Thanks.

T i m