car wont start

[abspurs]

hi wonder if anyone can help me! having trouble starting my 85 turbo esprit! seems to idle fine and drives ok but has a habit of cutting out suddenly and when this happens you cannot always start it? took it to a show and it cut out in traffic had to leave it before i coulld start it again!!! someone said could be the coil ect but would this stop it starting even when engines cold? thx guys andy

[gpz900r]

Have you got something in the boot thats knocking your button thing that stops the fuel?

[Splashout]

I wouldnt think its fuel cut off as you would need to reset it to start and as such would know.

It could possibly be heat related so spark degrading it is easy enough to check resisatance etc to check the ignition system is working.

Could also be fuel starvation.

If it was me i would start with ignition, i.e. spark timing etc

Then go from there.

Edited April 22, 2006 by Splashout

[tbeggan]

I had a similar problem with mine. It would just stop for no reason, then miraculously cure itself so I could start it again.

Turned out to be poor/loose connections at the fuel pump fuses. They're the two 15-amp side-by-side fuses located in the main relay comparment behind the engine in the boot. Come to think of it, it might have been the 7.5-amp fuse too, I did them all at the same time. http://home.comcast.net/~tbeggan/images/Lotus-Relays.JPG

I just had to tighten the female connections and dab a little dielectric grease on them.

Edited April 22, 2006 by tbeggan

[molemot]

Check the connector to the distributor; it's a horrible nasty three way thing which is prone to intermittent open circuits. This will stop the motor dead - and work again later when it feels like it.....

[WayneB]

As our cars are now 20 odd years old, going through the ALL the wiring connections and checking /cleaning them is a good idea.

Lucas bullet connectors arent moisture proof and tend to corrode and/ or loosen off with time.

Spade connectors are also prone to the same problem.

When you have cleaned the connectors, a bit of dialectic grease will prevent further problems.

[andyblackman777]

Hi,

Check the LT lead to the distributer give it a wiggle and see if it cuts out, Its the thin 12 volt one. I heard early cars were prone to this

cheers Andy

[AJay]

I had a similar problem on a Merc, turned out to be the fuel pump cutting out when hot, leave it for 5 mins and it would run perfect. one new fuel pump latter no more problem. When it cuts out listen for the fuel pump whine.

[Curly Jon]

I too have had this problem but I think mine has sorted itself out. The bulk of electrics would die. I would be crusing and all gauges would power off and the engine would die. I could be sat at the lights and it would die.

The fix for my problem:

New battery, engine earth lead cleaned at both ends and the main culprit was a connecter under the dash. Take the steering wheel of and the trim round it. Very easy to do. You will then see the block and the chunky red wire. It has five wires and a big thick red wire was loose plus there was some corrosion on the terminals. Its the only one with a really meaty red wire. Once I cut it and restriped the ends of that red wire and rewired it with some chock block the car has been fine. This is the hardest fault I have had to trouble shoot so far. Kato once made of with my wife while we paused in a convoy and they all pulled out and my car was dead. He then zoomed off with my Mrs who was joy riding with him! After they all left 20 mins later it magically started were it had been completely dead. On turning the key one would have no IGN lights etc...

hope that helps

Curly Jon

Edited April 24, 2006 by Curly Jon

[Guest Troy Halliday]

I would start out by checking your earth leads. It sounds a simple and silly thing but it is the most common electrical fault. Start with the battery main earth to chassis. Check it, clean it and put it back on. There are a couple of other earths that atatch to the chassis on the top right hand side of the engine. Then take her out for a drive and see if it does the same again. If it turns out not to be the earth you have not wasted your time as a good clean earth will always help out your electrical side of things.

If you have no joy with this one then we will move on to some of the more comlicated and expensive possibilties that others have mentioned.

[Goose]

I had a similar problem, when I stopped the car it would not always start again until it had been left for a while. I traced it to a loose connection at the negative battery terminal. Cleaned all the contacts and tightened everything up again and no problem! (Famous last words... )