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.