Editing Troubleshooting (section)

== Car Won't Start ==

'''Absolutely nothing happens when key is turned'''  (if you know solution, please edit this paragraph and supply an answer)  

''Battery flat''

''Immobiliser relay '' - not working?  don't know much abvout this, can anyone edit?  ''In Canadian cars (I'm not sure if it applies to any other markets) there's a clutch pedal position sensor as a start permissive.''

'''Clicking noise when ignition is turned''' - Some charge in the battery, but not enough or starter motor is dead.  Charge battery or maybe jumpstart.

You'll know if its the battery as the dash / headlights will dim when you attempt to start the car.

If starter motor, put car in 4th and push backwards a little, remove from 4th gear then try starting.


'''Dash lights up but that's it''' 
did you hear the whirr of the fuel pump?  if not, it could be one of the following reasons:  

''Fuel pump knackered'' - Apparently this is relatively uncommon but can happen.  (can anyone who's had this happen edit this and explain how it was solved please).  Fuel pump not working can also be caused by a wire that has rubbed sufficently that the plastic sheath has worn through and the wires have corroded and eventually snapped causing no power to the fuel pump. 

''Fuel pump fuse has blown'' (located in the boot on S1s) - Look in the passenger side of the boot and you'll find a black plastic circle.  remove this and fiddle around inside until you can grab fuse.  pliers are handy.  20A yellow fuse.

''Problem with wiring'' - By the passenger seat (S1) is a small, metal, circular inspection cover.  Remove this and someone handy with a multimeter can check if the fuel pump is drawing any current when ignition is turned.  May help eliminate a problem, if not identify it.

''Inertia switch has triggered'' - this is in the engine compartment (S1) and triggers in the case of an accident so that the fuel is cut off and reduces the risk of fire.  it can be pressed to reset.  It's like a big rubber button facing skywards, near the MFRU box.

''MFRU (Multifunction Relay Unit)'' - this is a plastic box toward the rear of the engine compartment.  It has a couple of big square plastic connectors and lots of wire going into it.  I got water in mine after a particularly wet weekend.  Had the symptoms described above.  Drying the box helped restart the car but it went again due to corroded contacts on the connectors.  Replacing the box (circa £40) solved the problem.



'''Starter Motor turns but the engine won't catch'''

''You have put fuel in it, haven't you?''  - Oh how i laughed when both my brother and Mr AA man couldn't get his Vauxhall Nova to start.  Tank was empty.  Brother is a mechanic.  Fools.

''Has it rained heavily recently?''  Due to the engine cover having vents/holes in it (thereby making it unsuitable as a 'cover'), water can get to various places quite easily.

''Is there a spark getting to the sparkplugs?'' -  You can check for a spark by removing the king lead at the dizzy end and lying it on the engine. Turn over the car for a few revolutions and see if you get a good healthy blue spark. This is best done whilst NOT in strong sunlight, so a closed garage will do.
If there is a spark there then repeat the spark test at the spark plug end. If no spark then possibly the crank position sensor has gone south. If all ok (it sparks ok) then maybe the coolant sensor/air temp sensor/TPS. Unplugging the coolant/air sensors should mean the ECU 'replaces' those sensor vaues with 'default' ones. There was also a thread recently about someone who disconnected the TPS to get them home so I would assume the ECU has default values for that as well.

''Dry the Distributor Cap'' - This can be removed and dried quite easily in about 5-10 mins.  Remember which lead attaches where.
 
''Check the Distributor Rotor Arm''  - Despite my car producing a spark, it was misfiring on acceleration.   Mr AA man diagnosed it as a small crack in the contacts of the Rotor Arm.  Replaced for £7 quid, everything has worked fine since.

''Check the Sparkplugs'' - Despite there being a cover over them, they can get water ingress.  Remove the cover and pull the plastic tab.  The rubber plug covers look like this:  which one do you think was faulty?
[http://gallery.seloc.org/albums/userpics/28610/Photo-0047.jpg].

See the Sparkplug Wiki page for replacement info.  Can be bought from Halfrauds, nothing special.  They even listed Lotus in the flipchart thing, which i was surprised about.

''Is fuel getting to the engine?'' - Fuel pump problem? Also worth checking the 'multiplugs' just forward of the ECU and giving them a squirt of contact cleaner. Check the earth plate in the left rear corner of the engine bay and clean up the contacts with emery paper.
Make sure the inertia switch hasn't popped up. The latch degrades over time and doesn't necessarily need a sudden shock to activate.


Other suggestions from the forums include:

- check inertia switch
- check fuel pump fuse
- check if fuel pump primes
- if fuel problem can be excluded...
- check, or speculatively replace
. HT leads, master HT lead
. distributor cap and rotor arm
. coil pack
. crankshaft sensor