215i Starting issues!

[pedrotski]

Hey guys. Pretty annoying issue here on my HSV Grange.

Car sometimes takes ages to start and turn over and when it does it splutters and stuff for a few seconds and then idles like normal.

BUT THEN

I start it another time and it starts first go, no spluttering.

I have:
New Plugs and Leads
Oil Change + Filter
New Air Filter
Cleaned the throttle body and all plugs that go into it (helped a little but)

THERE IS ALSO a light hesitation if i put my foot down flat from a standing start.





Did the 5.7 use a bigger fuel pump? is it possible that the mechanics put in a 5L fuel pump or what?

This has me stumped.

I will check error codes later tonight.

[Reaper]

There was a guy on here that bought my old GTS that had this problem. It turned out to be the ECU (of all things). Other things to try are a new coil and get the hall effect sensor checked on the dizzy Anew dizzy cap and rotor button might not go astray either.

Reaper

[clubby_you]

Sounds like a leaky injector remove them and get them ultrasonic cleaned or i dont know if the 215 are diff to the 5L but is cheaper for me to get reco ones of ebay them have them cleaned properly (and im a mechanic) worth a look

[burnz]

fuel regulator diaphram...

to test: on the fuel rail is a small cylinder with a vacuum hose fitted (size 40mmx18mm) their abouts!! (normaly held in place with a 6mm allen screw bolted to the fuel rail)
after running car for 1 minute; switch off and wait 30 minute's, then pull vacuum hose and smell for petrol.

if it smells (vacuum hose) of petrol then replace regulator.___you have ruptured diaphram.

NB: be mindfull of the rubber "O" ring fitted to the diaphram.

[pedrotski]

burnz: The regulator is almost brand new.

Reaper: I have reset the ECU and it seems to start fine now, But i will never know unless it happens again.

clubby_you: I have used injector cleaner and fuel system cleaner, Im not sure how a leaky injector could cause it not to start. It seems as tho if that was the problem it would be more frequent. Ill use this as a last resort

Thanks for the comments. Keep them coming as im not sure if it fixed.

I am going to replace the fuel filter as well. Just to eliminate it.

[burnz]

lottery: check the reg anyways.

other than that i got nothing, sorry.

5.7 stroker?? or genIII??
if genIII check T.P.S.

edit 215 so recheck reg.

[STEALTHY™]

I'm with reaper, check the coil. Yours is doing what mine did, then later it got worse (like weeks later) and eventually wouldn't fire at all unless you hit the coil with a trolley jack handle.

[pedrotski]

I'm with reaper, check the coil. Yours is doing what mine did, then later it got worse (like weeks later) and eventually wouldn't fire at all unless you hit the coil with a trolley jack handle.

Ok so where is the coil? pics? How much for a new one?

I guess its worth replacing most the bolt on bits now so i know where i stand with them.

coil is the dizzy correct? if so, ill just take it to holden and get them to do it. **** that haha.

[STEALTHY™]

Its a pain in the arse to get to, and most people i know have relocated them, because it sits down behind the motor (on the passenger side). Also when i was having the issue, i'd have to get a mate to hit it while i turned it over, and it would fire up. After a few weeks, even doing that it wouldn't start.

No pics sorry, someone else might be able to get you one (was years ago i had this problem, should have relocated like mates have lol)

[pedrotski]

Its a pain in the arse to get to, and most people i know have relocated them, because it sits down behind the motor (on the passenger side). Also when i was having the issue, i'd have to get a mate to hit it while i turned it over, and it would fire up. After a few weeks, even doing that it wouldn't start.

No pics sorry, someone else might be able to get you one (was years ago i had this problem, should have relocated like mates have lol)

where can you relocate them to?

[STEALTHY™]

where can you relocate them to?

I'll see if i can find Beefys pic, can't remember if it was his VN or his VS he did it to, will check his threads now for ya.

[STEALTHY™]

[pedrotski]

oh is that thing up the back the coil?

[STEALTHY™]

yeah, at the back of the passenger side fuel rail cover.

Just remember this is about a 215, i can't be sure if the coil is in the same position or not, i assume it would be tho (the stock position down behind the motor)

[levymetal]

that's actually a really good place to relocate it to. it took me 3 hours to get my coil out. then about 45 minutes to get it back in to the same spot . i have gas lines RIGHT where i needed to put my arms though, so that made it a little bit harder. plus i am very nervous and get scared of touching things. you should be able to do it a lot quicker than me.

[STEALTHY™]

If i have the problem again (or the other car has the same issue) i'll relocate them (probably to behind the strut tower so its more hidden)


Can't remember if its been mentioned, but also check the ignition module

[SUACYD]

check coil,map sensor,and tps

[pedrotski]

Well since reseting the ECU it has only done it once. Ill get a coil pack from holden tomorrow and install it.

In other news this thing goes good againt LS1 utes LOL!

[pedrotski]

Ok so car isnt starting at all now. Can i use my coil from my 5L on the grange engine?

[pedrotski]

So today i took it to Holden, I get a call.

Holden: "So its your alternator"
Me: "A friend and i swapped alternators last night with a brand new one"
Holden: "Well its not charging correctly, So that's most probably your problem, its not charging correctly. The belt wasn't on properly."
Me: "But i booked the car in advance of me changing the alternator, So that's not the problem is it? So keep looking"
Holden: "Ok, we still need to put new belts on"
Me: "Go for it"

Of course it was charging, I checked it last night with the computer and multimeter. Granted i may have put the belt on wrong but it worked enough to produce 14.1 volts at idle. I was doing it at 1am lol.

I'm pretty annoyed that the problem was going to be written off so simple. I told them everything that had been done. When i asked what errors had been logged, they said they haven't checked yet. Wouldn't that be the first thing you would do?

[stocky]

you should learn something from that. never take it to holden

[pedrotski]

you should learn something from that. never take it to holden

Well, it is fixed now anyway.

Everyone wrong.

It was the coolant temp sensor :S

I didnt really think about it untill last night, when the engine gets hot, then it wont start. But i havnt driven short distances in it so i didnt really figure it out. It was getting the wrong signal and just flooding the engine. Got a new one in there and its working 100% now. Better yet, i told them to go over the car and spot other faults and they said there is nothing else wrong with the car. So i was pissed off, but in the end the job was done. So im happy.

[stocky]

didnt greenfoam have an isue with his coolant sensor at one point? too bad he hasnt put his ideas in here