Need some help...car wont start

UN4TOLDVRSS · #1 03-09-2008, 09:11 PM

Hi guys,
I have a VR ss and recently the fuel pump was replaced. Been plagued by small problems ever since and the other day the car just died. When turning the key nothing but a clicking noise from the relays in the fuse box so i got the mulitimeter and checked voltages, battery was fine, no fuses blown, ran jumpers to the relays and they seem to click just fine when control circuits are popped. Test light to alternator, starter motor and all power supplies are coming up trumps. Next day starter motor started rat-ta -tat tatting so i pulled it out thinking this was the problem, had it reco'd and still no luck, it just clicks away while i turn the key.
Have a feeling it could be related to the fuel pump as when i have accessories on and i pull the EFI relay out...thermo fan and lights die until i put it back in. Also, with the fuel pump fuse pulled out of the fuse box i can still hear the fuel pump whining but it whines longer than normal(this i gather is because the car is not kicking over) but is this meant to happen with no fuse in...shouldn't the circuit(continuity) be broken??
As it stands now, i turn the key and the starter motor clicks loudly, efi and fuel pumps relays click or whir loudly but car wont crank at all.
With charge still in the battery i disconected the alternator altogether thinking if that was the fault the car would kick over seeing the shorted out or malfunctioning unit (not essential to start if battery is charged) was disconnected but still no luck...as for the the charging wire from the alternator back to the battery testing light shone strong and bright so i have pretty much ruled that out as the problem...at a loss, dam broke so any advice would be appreciated.

VrWagz1 · #2 04-09-2008, 12:39 AM

that is normal when you pull the efi relay so no problems there. Have you actually tested the voltage of the battery should be 12.5 to 13.5 to volts or slightly above to be in good charged condition, Have you checked the battery water levels.
Im suspecting it is either the battery or the main wiring going to the starter. Measure the voltage on the starter motor main + to make sure it has battery voltage there, if you dont then you need to see why.
Make sure the battery - terminal to chasis "earth" wire is intact and the main earth comming off the engine to the chasis is ok.
When you turn the ignition key to "start", check to make sure you have 12v on the ignition wire on the starter motor aswell, could be a dicky ignition barrell.

puddz · #3 11-09-2008, 03:04 PM

ignition control module? - common fault on efi v8's
can be found passenger strut tower

etch289 · #4 16-09-2008, 06:33 PM

have u checked the auto tbar switch inhibitor neutral safety ? i had similar probs on me vl cranks over wont start but it was faulty fuse the terminals there give me a good scrape and test light it see 4 power

etch289 · #5 16-09-2008, 06:37 PM

undo fuel lines in engine bay is fuel coming out ? wiggle that auto handle whilst turning ignition key
on

dehuman1zed · #6 28-10-2008, 08:15 PM

Hey mate have you found the problem yet?
I had a similar problem in my VR SS. While driving, it would start to surge, then the motor would die. I'd pull over, start it again, and it would be fine. Then one day it happened but would not start. I thought it may have been the crank angle sensor, but it would still start when hot, and i tried pouring water over it and it still didn't start. I thought it was the fuel pump after that, I gave the tank a few nice boots and it still wouldn't start so I thought it was gone completely. Towed it back to my dads, came back the next morning and it started without a problem. I decided to drive it home, but the whole drive it was surging and every time i'd plant the foot and get revs up, it would surge. As soon as i got home, I replaced the fuel pump relay as I thought that may be it, took it for a drive, and it still happened. In a final attempt at the relays, I replaced the EFI relay, and it hasn't done it since (this was about a week ago when i replaced it).
Not sure if it is the same thing you are dealing with, but so far it seems to have worked for me, so hopefully it does the same for you.

[edit: damn thing started surging again when i went to get on the highway! i guess that wasnt the solution to my problem!]

kopper69 · #7 29-10-2008, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dehuman1zed

Hey mate have you found the problem yet?
I had a similar problem in my VR SS. While driving, it would start to surge, then the motor would die. I'd pull over, start it again, and it would be fine. Then one day it happened but would not start. I thought it may have been the crank angle sensor, but it would still start when hot, and i tried pouring water over it and it still didn't start. I thought it was the fuel pump after that, I gave the tank a few nice boots and it still wouldn't start so I thought it was gone completely. Towed it back to my dads, came back the next morning and it started without a problem. I decided to drive it home, but the whole drive it was surging and every time i'd plant the foot and get revs up, it would surge. As soon as i got home, I replaced the fuel pump relay as I thought that may be it, took it for a drive, and it still happened. In a final attempt at the relays, I replaced the EFI relay, and it hasn't done it since (this was about a week ago when i replaced it).
Not sure if it is the same thing you are dealing with, but so far it seems to have worked for me, so hopefully it does the same for you.

[edit: damn thing started surging again when i went to get on the highway! i guess that wasnt the solution to my problem!]

dehuman1zed it sounds like your car is flooding. Try checking the fuel pressure regulator. There is a vacuum hose off the regulator, when the regulator fails it can leak fuel back into the engine, flooding it and causing the problems you are describing. That is a V6 anyway, Im not sure exactly if the V8s get their fuel the same way. Being a V8 you dont have a crank angle sensor either.

dehuman1zed · #8 05-11-2008, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kopper69

dehuman1zed it sounds like your car is flooding. Try checking the fuel pressure regulator. There is a vacuum hose off the regulator, when the regulator fails it can leak fuel back into the engine, flooding it and causing the problems you are describing. That is a V6 anyway, Im not sure exactly if the V8s get their fuel the same way. Being a V8 you dont have a crank angle sensor either.

Oh! haha, I wasn't sure about the CAS, I couldn't see it, but thought maybe it was because all of the pulleys were blocking my view, but thought I'd give it a try anyway. Mine has a fuel pressure regulator, I never actually thought of it though, I'll check it out! I discovered another piece to the puzzle also. It has began surging again, and I have noticed, if I try to step on the pedal when it happens, the car just sounds like it is about to bottom out, but when I stick it in neutral it still revs like normal, a little cracklier though. Do you think that still sounds like flooding? Seems like under load, the motor struggles and the problem happens, but when it can rev free from the driveshaft it seems okay. It is intermittent also, seems like it only happens when it is hot, after a bit of driving.

Oh thanks heaps kopper69 by the way, I'll inspect the regulator in the morning, see if I can see anything wrong with it