Advice - how to diagnose starting problems

[iain_ogston]

My scoob just won't start!  Battery was low, but even jumped up to another car it just turns over without catching.  Fuel pump primes so think fuel should be getting through.

Have tried apexi PFC cranking settings (everywhere from 20-60ms) but can't get it to fire.

Anyone got any suggestions?

[the squiggle]

I take from your user name you have a 95 car

Cam adn Crank sensor are known to fail on the early car and would give a syptom as you describe

Put the PowerFC settings back to the one that Andy put on it and look elsewhere for the fault.

What spec is your car?

If not to far from std then put a std ecu in there and see what fault codes it throws up

[euan_r]

can confirm squirrels advice as happen on my old leggacy. was surprised what a wee sandpaper can do. thought it wouldnt work but done the job proper. They didnt even look manky but fairly worked.

[drb5]

Even a jump start from another car, sometimes cannot start a car.

 

Trust me, been there plenty of times.

[philip_wilson]

first thing to do is check to see if your getting a spark

[iain_ogston]

Could be the crank sensor, that was suggested to me off forum.  Car has been getting progressively harder to start over the last month and now won't fire at all.

Car is a MY95, but not much standard in engine bay at all (STi 6 block for a start) so I don't think the standard ECU is an option.

Think I will have to get the AA to tow me to the garage!

[the squiggle]

Get the AA to flat bed it to the garage NOT tow it

[euan_r]

get the sandpaper oot first, its an easy job

[iain_ogston]

care to elaborate on the sandpaper theory?

Where is the crank sensor and how does sandpaper help?  Clean it or something?

[euan_r]

i would do crank and cam. crank sensor is roughly below alternator. one bolt and one electrical conector. take it out and clean up the metal gently we a bit of sandpaper. cam sensor is further a long towards battery above cams.  just the same again.

think their inductive sensors and i guess any dirt will impede any magnetic signal. thats what i rekon anyway. When i had probs last year came across this suggestion somewhere and it worked for me.