2O4TS
Member
Mixed feelings about posting this as my expectation of anyone having had the same issue is extremely low. I have found some slightly similar issues but none identical in hours of scouring forums.
VT V6. Has been throwing a CEL. Has been occasionally missing but often runs perfectly fine. Bridging pins 5 & 6 doesn't work on my vehicle. Was intending to take the car to my local auto sparky to diagnose with Tech2 on Wednesday when on Tuesday the car decided it didn't want to go to the sparky and started digging it's heels.
Basically, I left home, drove about 500 metres. It bogged and stalled at 60km/h. I rolled in to the next side street.
It wouldn't start. Sent a text saying I'd broken down. Had to wait. So after a few minutes, I couldn't help but try it again. It started and promptly stalled. Again, it would not start. Cranks great but won't fire. So again I sat and waited. Ten minutes later I tried again. It cranked, started, ran for about 5 seconds and stalled. I tried to start it again, it cranked fine but it wouldn't fire again.
Hmmm... first thing that came to mind was something immobiliser related. I removed the key, locked the car, waited 30 seconds and reversed that procedure and it started, ran for about 5 seconds, started to falter and stalled again. Would not fire immediately but went through the key out, lock. wait, unlock, try to start again and again it started. I fluttered the throttle, it revved and died down and revved and died down (between about 1800 and 1200 rpm) and stalled again.
I repeated the process a 3rd time and it started again. This time I revved the crap out of it. 3000 RPM and bursts of higher revs, all the while ensuring it stayed over 3000 RPM. Slammed it into drive and limped the 500 odd metres back home, left foot on the brake, right foot on the accelerator to keep it running, dodging traffic as much as I possibly could to avoid completely stopping.
As I turned the final corner with about 50 metres to go it started to 'feel' different. I pulled up in the drive and it idled as smooth as silk. I noticed it had just reached operating temperature. That very second as I looked at the temp gauge, on came the CEL.
I switched it off and attempted to start it again and it started and idled perfectly. I did still have to go out though and my car would have sat for a few hours and gotten cold again so I borrowed a car for the evening rather than risking it not starting, miles from home.
Hoping to go to the auto sparky Wednesday morning I jumped in the car, went through the previous nights' start routine and it cranked fine but wouldn't start again. I left it a few hours and the next time it started but quickly stalled again. I tried again about an hour after that to no avail at all. I had to leave it.
Twice today, after leaving it at least 3 hours in between it starts but immediately stalls. My neighbours will freak if I'm out revving my car at 3000 RPM so I've avoided that but it seems from what I can determine so far, that it will start (spark) if left several hours when cold but has spark and therefore no issue starting anytime when warm.
So I have determined it has no spark when attempting a second or subsequent start when cold. I have replaced the BCM and ECU (& key fob obviously) with known working replacements from another vehicle of mine. I have swapped the DFI and coils. I replaced the CAS as a service item before it caused issues about 2 years ago now and furthermore it is doing exactly the opposite to CASs I've replaced on other cars where the issue arises when the car is hot. I have checked the contact ring on the ignition switch and checked for continuity from the contact ring to the loom and it is fine. The immobiliser light goes off when unlocking the vehicle remotely with the key fob and/or making contact between the key and contact ring.
All fuses are fine (but I don't even know why I bothered because a blown fuse isn't repairing itself when the engine is warm and blowing again when it's cold) and I have swapped the ignition relay for another known, working relay. I cannot see any wiring issues. Everything looks good. Nothing loose. Nothing broken. I've had the vehicle nearly 18 years and it's been regularly serviced and maintained. Until now it's been incredibly reliable considering its' age and mileage.
I'm out of ideas.
*Reminder: when it won't start it has no spark. It seems it sparks for one cranking cycle when cold then not again until left for several hours.
Furthermore the fuel pump is working fine and the filter was replaced (and the old filter was flowing fine) about 10,000km ago. Even if it had no fuel pump as far as I'm aware it should still spark when cranking.
If it was a no spark when hot issue I would've already replaced the CAS.
Anybody?? Anyone ever seen a CAS that faulted badly when cold but worked fine when hot? Know of any similar issues of no spark when cold but all good when warm? I don't really want to continue blindly replacing sensors etc without some logical explanation as to what might cause the issues I'm having.
VT V6. Has been throwing a CEL. Has been occasionally missing but often runs perfectly fine. Bridging pins 5 & 6 doesn't work on my vehicle. Was intending to take the car to my local auto sparky to diagnose with Tech2 on Wednesday when on Tuesday the car decided it didn't want to go to the sparky and started digging it's heels.
Basically, I left home, drove about 500 metres. It bogged and stalled at 60km/h. I rolled in to the next side street.
It wouldn't start. Sent a text saying I'd broken down. Had to wait. So after a few minutes, I couldn't help but try it again. It started and promptly stalled. Again, it would not start. Cranks great but won't fire. So again I sat and waited. Ten minutes later I tried again. It cranked, started, ran for about 5 seconds and stalled. I tried to start it again, it cranked fine but it wouldn't fire again.
Hmmm... first thing that came to mind was something immobiliser related. I removed the key, locked the car, waited 30 seconds and reversed that procedure and it started, ran for about 5 seconds, started to falter and stalled again. Would not fire immediately but went through the key out, lock. wait, unlock, try to start again and again it started. I fluttered the throttle, it revved and died down and revved and died down (between about 1800 and 1200 rpm) and stalled again.
I repeated the process a 3rd time and it started again. This time I revved the crap out of it. 3000 RPM and bursts of higher revs, all the while ensuring it stayed over 3000 RPM. Slammed it into drive and limped the 500 odd metres back home, left foot on the brake, right foot on the accelerator to keep it running, dodging traffic as much as I possibly could to avoid completely stopping.
As I turned the final corner with about 50 metres to go it started to 'feel' different. I pulled up in the drive and it idled as smooth as silk. I noticed it had just reached operating temperature. That very second as I looked at the temp gauge, on came the CEL.
I switched it off and attempted to start it again and it started and idled perfectly. I did still have to go out though and my car would have sat for a few hours and gotten cold again so I borrowed a car for the evening rather than risking it not starting, miles from home.
Hoping to go to the auto sparky Wednesday morning I jumped in the car, went through the previous nights' start routine and it cranked fine but wouldn't start again. I left it a few hours and the next time it started but quickly stalled again. I tried again about an hour after that to no avail at all. I had to leave it.
Twice today, after leaving it at least 3 hours in between it starts but immediately stalls. My neighbours will freak if I'm out revving my car at 3000 RPM so I've avoided that but it seems from what I can determine so far, that it will start (spark) if left several hours when cold but has spark and therefore no issue starting anytime when warm.
So I have determined it has no spark when attempting a second or subsequent start when cold. I have replaced the BCM and ECU (& key fob obviously) with known working replacements from another vehicle of mine. I have swapped the DFI and coils. I replaced the CAS as a service item before it caused issues about 2 years ago now and furthermore it is doing exactly the opposite to CASs I've replaced on other cars where the issue arises when the car is hot. I have checked the contact ring on the ignition switch and checked for continuity from the contact ring to the loom and it is fine. The immobiliser light goes off when unlocking the vehicle remotely with the key fob and/or making contact between the key and contact ring.
All fuses are fine (but I don't even know why I bothered because a blown fuse isn't repairing itself when the engine is warm and blowing again when it's cold) and I have swapped the ignition relay for another known, working relay. I cannot see any wiring issues. Everything looks good. Nothing loose. Nothing broken. I've had the vehicle nearly 18 years and it's been regularly serviced and maintained. Until now it's been incredibly reliable considering its' age and mileage.
I'm out of ideas.
*Reminder: when it won't start it has no spark. It seems it sparks for one cranking cycle when cold then not again until left for several hours.
Furthermore the fuel pump is working fine and the filter was replaced (and the old filter was flowing fine) about 10,000km ago. Even if it had no fuel pump as far as I'm aware it should still spark when cranking.
If it was a no spark when hot issue I would've already replaced the CAS.
Anybody?? Anyone ever seen a CAS that faulted badly when cold but worked fine when hot? Know of any similar issues of no spark when cold but all good when warm? I don't really want to continue blindly replacing sensors etc without some logical explanation as to what might cause the issues I'm having.