Engine rebuilt over winter, won't start...

[Grim Reaper]

Dear Aunty Blatchat...

Long one, stick with me here...

Had my K series apart over the winter months (right down to crank out to change all the bearings) and have finally finished rebuild and installed it back into the chassis.

Battery was flattened completely by an USB adapter left in the 12v socket but it has been out and on charge and get a green light on both Halfords and Optimate chargers.

Tried to start it for the first time at the weekend, turned it over without plugs, coils or injectors connected to get oil pressure up, but starter gave up/battery went flat around the same time as pressure came up (about ten seconds), recharged battery (which gave a green light after around 10 mins-> first sign that battery is fubarred I think)

Borrowed a Leisure battery off a mate, charged it up and connected in parallel via some (allegedly 400A) jumper cables yesterday, fuel pump is working OK, see fuel in return line (and proved good during later injector firing tests) engine turned over a couple of times and got a few pops and bangs and it ran for about 5 seconds then stopped, not been able to start it since.

Both batteries go green on the chargers within 15 minutes from being unable to keep starter engaged, so suspect BOTH batteries are knackered, but also tried it connected to my car battery (Dodge Nitro Diesel so battery is rated at 700CCA) and still not starting 🤔

Took the plugs out and they are dry 🤔

Took the fuel rail off (and left coils disconnected so as not to cause a fire) and I get ONE squirt out of it ( but only if I turn the ignition off and on again, if I don't do this it gives nothing out), I'd expected to get multiple injector fires when cranking, is this right?

I have connected a 9v test battery up to the injectors and can get them all to fire like this so the injectors themselves are OK.

Connected a 12V led up to the injector plugs and I get a dim light BEFORE I start cranking, see one bright flash then just flickering off/on dim light. I didn't expect to see anything until I pressed the starter button here, is this right?

The Emerald led goes from red to green on cranking (also tried a spare crank position sensor and this also turns Emerald green) checked that it doesn't go green if the sensor is left unplugged.

Battery voltage drops to just over 10 volts when cranking (even when connected via jump leads to BOTH leisure battery AND running Nitro battery)

Now I have a replacement battery on order but it will not be here until Wednesday.

Can anyone confirm that the injectors should, and do, fire away merrily on the starter (and with the coils disconnected..I imagined they would be independant of each other)

The Emerald/everything else is as it was when the car went into the garage in October. It was running at that time having just done 3500 miles around Europe and Scandinavia.

I hope the new battery is the answer but why doesn't jump starting it work? and why no fuelling? (not checked sparks as yet since there is nothing to ignite but that will be my next test)

 

Perplexed of Stockton on Tees.

 

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Inertia switch tripped (kills fuel pump supply)

 

Immobiliser disarmed ?

[Grim Reaper]

No, the fuel pump runs fine and there is no immobiliser fitted (at least not one that would have that effect).

I THINK I may have answered my own question though... just been out and checked and it looks like the maps have been corrupted. there were some silly figures in the injection map and in the column headers so I've reinstalled them from the laptop.

Will find out tomorrow if that was the problem.

During testing I have also found a wire broken on the map switch wiring so that explains why position 2 seemed to have so much effect (it was not getting to earth via the resistor so looked like map 3)

Will fix that in the morning too.

[Birkin S3 ZA.]

Is the earth lead reconnected, It could explain why the fuel pump is working and not the injectors.

run a jump lead from the battery neg to the starter mounting plate to test the earth.

 

Chris.

[Bio]

Two things to check....Did you dismantle the fuel regulator from the fuel rail, or get any dirt into it, and check the grey multi pin plug under the throttle bodies for any pushed back pins or broken wires.

Try a squirt or Easystart or similar into the injection, if it now runs for a second the problem must be fuel related.

The injectors should squirt several times whilst cranking.

 

John

[Grim Reaper]

The fuel rail pressures up on ignition on (connecting a 9v battery on a junior timer plug with a push button switch fires petrol into the air about 6 feet) so no issues with fuel pressure being off.

The injectors fire ONCE when I hit the starter after ignition on, but subsequent attempts don't give anything (this is not a lack of pressure because I can get a half dozen fires with the tester as above)

Not been able to try again today as fixing broken wire to the map selector switch initially then found garage roof leaking so I've been up there painting it with Roofix all afternoon

New battery should arrive tomorrow so I'll try it then.

[Bio]

Is the crank sensor / plug/ wireing ok, and make sure that any HT leads do not come close to the crank sensor and wireing.

 

John

[Grim Reaper]

Emerald led is turning green so it is seeing the crank rotation.

VVC motor so plug top coils.

If it doesn't start now I've reloaded the maps (and I will reload configuration file too tomorrow) I'll be back for more suggestions.

[Grim Reaper]

Well, the battery turned up today, it wouldn't quite fit in the tray though so I've had to modify it slightly, turn it through 90 degrees and re-rivet it.

Reloaded the maps and the config file and tried the starter with the fuel rail off and injectors tie wrapped in place and they fire away merrily. 😬

Refitted the rail and tried again....started first time

No oil leaks, no coolant leaks (using Evans) and it sounds reasonably quiet mechanically so here's to running it in again..