VX V6 starting \ stalling problem

[Chevyjason]

Hey guys,
Just joined up to ask for some help. It's driving me bloody nuts.
I'm not sure how far back i should go with the history of the car, so just listing relevant information. (i think)

Many months ago the fuel pump died - put in a new one with new filter.
Filters regularly replaced at service intervals.

(also just want to add that once running the engine sounds fine, has 340K on it, has plenty of go still, no oil usage, and mixed highway and round town driving is getting better than 10KMs to the litre)

Within the last three weeks, when i start the car it will fire up.. and immediately stall.
So you try to turn the engine over and it won't crank.
Turn the key back to the start, wait a couple of seconds and start the car as normal and away it goes.
This can happen first start of the day, or any other time...... but not every time... until recently, now is every time you want to start it, and further to that it now can sometimes take five or six times to go back to the beginning of the key turn cycle to get it to run.
Someone told me the fuel pressure regulator was the fault so i replaced that also. Worked fine for one day, then back to similar habits, although now you only have to go back to the beginning of the key cycle once, and it will run on the second try every time.
Was also told the battery was the fault, replaced it and still the same.

SO, This guy said "get in the car and lock the doors with the remote on the key..........unlock it with the remote, key in and turn it over and the car will start"

Bullsh1t i said.

Well guess what..........it works a treat.

So i asked him what the problem was. He doesn't know, he sold the car.

Also tried the arching of 5 and 6 terminal on the diagnostic plug, and count the engine light flashes to check the fault code.
It will flash 10 times, pause, then another ten times, pause, then flash once, pause, then twice. Then back to the beginning.
I can't find anywhere any info on 10 flashes of the engine light??

I have since had other people suggest things like crank sensor, oil pressure sensor, coil pack, module etc etc.
Really i have no idea.

Has someone else had this issue with their VX or can you help???

Thank you, Jason.

 

[commodore665]

You may want to check the TPS and Idle air control valve , that might help the starting and stalling problem , are the plugs new , ?? how about the leads , I am not sure what the engine flashes would mean , some one with a tech 2 tool might shed some light on that , interestingly I had issues with starting on my VS when I had it , I would need to push the unlock button on the key , in order to start it sometimes, as it would just click and nothing more .

PS - Hey Jason just checked my Haynes manual for VX models , all that gives is the code faults not the flashes on the dash that you describe . As I mentioned maybe someone with a tech 2 might know .

Ian aka - Commodore 665

 

[Chevyjason]

G'day Ian,
Thanks for the reply mate.
Please excuse my ignorance, but what is the TPS? And where can i find it? Happy to look at anything to find the issue. The plugs are at 30K and leads are the same.
Regarding the engine code, i have a list of two digit numbers that relate to a specific problem that is recognized by the computer.
I was told that if i bridge the two terminals on the diagnostic plug, then turn the engine to the "ready to crank" position, the engine light will come on, and flash from one to six times, then pause, then flash from one to nine times. So for example, it should flash once, pause and then flash twice. One flash is 1 and two flashes is 2, and will equal 12. Code 12 means everything is OK. So if there is something wrong, the number of flashes in each sequence will be different. Put the two numbers together and check the list of codes to find the specific error. I couldn't find anything that matches my cars flashes. I got 10 then 10 then 12.
Thanks mate,
Jason

 

[commodore665]

Hey Man , The TPS is the throttle position sensor , it is located on the front of the throttle body, see attached photo , at the back of the throttle body is the Idle air control valve . The idle air control valve can be cleaned by unscrewing it and spraying it with Mass air flow sensor cleaner from CRC , even taking off the air flow sensor from the intake pipe and spraying it might help as well . Hope this helps .

 

[Danny]

Simple u answered your own question if u have to press the unlock button to start the car it's the key reader or key the metal ring around the ignition and that little silver thing next to the key on the remote not contacting if they don't the ecu won't read the key and won't disarm the alarm

 

[Brett_jjj]

The error codes on VX V6 models are represented by 4 digits instead of 2 digits like in earlier models, and with these 4 digit error codes, 10 flashes = 0 , So code 12 , or to be more accurate, code 0012, would be represented by 10 flashes, 10 flashes,
one flash , two flashes..
About the starting problem, as mentioned in the above post, there will most likely be a problem with the the keyfob, or the key reader. Carefully check and clean the 2 screws (and the screw holes) that hold the metal key shank to the fob, these screws pass through the PCB board inside ther keyfob, making contact with the PCB, and this contact completes the earth circuit for the key reader, as the key reader circuit is earthed down through the metal key shank and through the ignition lock.