XE not starting

[steve1434]

Hi guys

Still can't get XE started.

I have fuel and a good spark, but it won't fire up. I am thinking it could be a sensor - the crank sensor, if dodgy would stop the spark wouldn't it?

I could have a dead ECU?

I can smell the fuel in the exhaust also so is it safe to assume that the injectors are firing and passing fuel, meaning ECU is prob okay?

Any help greatly appreciated.

[Andy]

try flashing the codes.

[Will F]

If you're getting fuel and spark it will start (assuming that the timing and compression is all good - and even then it would fire up)

The only sensor that would stop it from firing up is the crank sensor really.

Obviously the Fuel relay is a popular one too (check you have eml with ignition on) as that can affect the spark and fuel

[steve1434]

In order to do that I would need to wire in the clocks, should get a chance later, then will learn how to flash codes :)

[Andy]

ypu don't necessarily need to wire in the clocks.Just a bulb.

[steve1434]

Hi Will, I have just been using a switch on the fuel live for now - would that be a problem?

Andy - I am having a trawl through the forum to find out how to flash codes.

From a fiddle the plug on the crank sensor does seem poor so will get it off - do we know what the sensor should read on a multimeter?

[steve1434]

Okay, so I am shy a few bulbs on the digi dash - I have moved some over and to where the eml I thinks is (bottom left when you look at the dash fitted in the car) but it does not come on at all - should it light up when ignition on? I have these two wires coming out of the car loom from behind where the dash clocks would be - one is brown with yellow trace, other is just brown:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/PE4/20151007_135713.jpg (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/PE4/media/20151007_135713.jpg.html)

I am wondering now if the ecu is working/getting power - can this be tested for power at one of the ecu plug pins?

I also have a few wires that I am sure are correct, can all ignition switched wires be joined together at the same place?
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/PE4/WIRES.jpg (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/PE4/media/WIRES.jpg.html)

Unplugging the ecu makes no difference to the symptoms, still got fuel and spark.....

[Will F]

You still get spark and fuel with the ECU disconnected?? That's almost impossible lol

The way I always tell if the ECU is getting power is the EML lol so that's not helpful...

ign lives can all be joined for the purposes of getting it running, yes.

[steve1434]

Hahaha I see what you mean - the fuel pump is on a switch - will check spark again with it off lol

Once its running I can do it all properly - don't care what it takes to get it started!!

If I want to check the codes what do I need to do? I need a bulb on the brown/white and earth the brown/yellow yes?

[steve1434]

Basically I need to know what colour wire I can cut into from the ecu loom to create my own eml light....

[Will F]

Brown white one side, brown yellow the other!

[Iain]

I'm sure you can sometimes find an ignition live that cuts when cranking, try wiring the ignition live straight to perm +ve for the sake of testing it.

[meritlover]

Once its running I can do it all properly - don't care what it takes to get it started!!



Do it all properly??

[steve1434]

Is that a question?

[meritlover]

It is really. Why not just do it all properly? Ive read tens of posts like this. People with random sensors hooked up or swapped for spurious parts which may or may not be right, wires twisted together, no full understanding of the wiring diagram or its importance. The 10 pages of "it wont idle right", "random missfire" or "it bogs down when i accelerate". Only to find out they had a shorted ecu or a bad connection somewhere...some just never got sorted....

I see your post, temp earths with jump leads, people crying out wires to twist together.
You need to stop, go back to basics and do things properly. You will no doubt end up doing it anyway so all this running around desparatly trying to get it to run in a temporary fashion is pretty pointless.
I understand your enthusiasm to hear it run for the first time but you said you will do anything to get it started, maybe this is a more sensible approach?

[paddy235]

This is very true

[steve1434]

Apologies. I don't agree. When I have made sense of the battered looms I will then move past first fix. Until then it is wasted effort, especially when no two answers are the same and there is a lot of trial and error.

[meritlover]

Apologies. I don't agree. When I have made sense of the battered looms I will then move past first fix. Until then it is wasted effort, especially when no two answers are the same and there is a lot of trial and error.

Best of luck

[steve1434]

Thanks

[Will F]

Lol - I do see both sides of the argument - but I'm tended to side slightly more to the trial and error approach - in this instance at least - as there so many variables that can go wrong/not work etc that you would have to completely strip it all back and start again if anything didn't work....

Just as long as you don't go driving around like it lol

[Rob H]

Yeah no point making it all nice and neat to then find out you have to strip it all back again. Bodge it till it runs then come back and do it properly. That's the way I've always done it with conversion looms.

[Andy]

Same here.wires twisted together jerry cans as tanks etc lol

[steve1434]

Hehe yep. The more I strip back the more colour change bodges I find. I have a whole day tomorrow so will hopefully get some progress.....

[Andy]

Keep us posted

[Edd]

I used to just twist up wires and roll out

[steve1434]

Okay, found a few more colour changes. I now have the fuel pump working whilst cranking (thick blue) so have removed my switch mod. The rev wire (green) connected to dash. Thick red to ecu. Black/yellow to ignition live.

What else does the ecu need to start?

[Benn]

Black/yellow? Ing live is just black isnt it?

[steve1434]

Its a very early gte xe loom. Hours of research has shown it's the right one. Also with it connected to fuel relay you can hear it click when key turned. Previous owner changed to black in a couple places.

Do you know what else is needed?

[steve1434]

Hi all. Today I cut back all the crap tape and multiple layers of heat shrink and found the original colours. So I now have the following:

Thick red to battery (ECU Live)
Black/yellow to ignition live
Thick blue to fuel pump (comes out of fuel relay)
Green to rev counter (from coil)

From the picture you can see the mess (this is after a bit of tidying also) but I now have only one wire unused - a thin red/blue which I believe to be an abs or speed sensor wire?

So now I have a good spark, good fuel, air, power, new crank sensor.....what else as still no luck on starting?

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/PE4/MORE%20WIRES.jpg (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/PE4/media/MORE%20WIRES.jpg.html)

[steve1434]

If the ecu was knackered would I still get a good spark and fuel delivered?

[steve1434]

Sooo I broke for lunch as batt was nearly dead.....came out, checked it again, felt good, gave it a go and BOOM fired straight up!!!!! It runs but is noisey as hell - I did film it on phone so will upload in a bit.

Woohoo!!!!!

[Benn]

Tappits take a bit of time you quiten down.

[steve1434]

Yeah after a few mins they did thanks mate :)http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/PE4/th_20151010_171335.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/PE4/20151010_171335.mp4)

[Rob H]

Pleased for you mate. Nothing like the feeling when it finally starts.

[steve1434]

Thanks mate, I know what you mean - refreshed motivation to keep going :)