Help won't start!!!

[Big Jonah]

Bit of a strange run. Broke down yesterday after 'the Run to the Sun' at Lands End yesterday.

When you turn the key to start the engine, it fires up nicely, but as soon as hte key returns that quarter turn to the normal run position, it stops absolutly dead.

When it first happened, I called Tony & Linda to see if they could offer any advice, and luckily they were only a minute away from the beach Josh and I was at.

Tony pulled up the fault codes, but there didn't seem to be any. When the engine fires up, if you keep the key in the start position, it continues to run (albeit with a horrible noise from the starter). He also tried looking at the key barrel and the fuel cut-off solinoid, as did the RAC man who turned up as well.

The beast will be off to Tony's when they get back, but has anyone else had a similar problem, or have any ideas where to start fault finding?

Back to work tomorrow, so desperately need to get it fixed today!

[Panrixx]

Hi Matt, sorry to hear of your trouble, especially after such a great weekend.

Could it be the barrel itself? If you hav'nt already done so, it may be worth posting the Aussie site to see if any one there has come across this problem.

Hope you sort it out soon.

[Panrixx]

Matt,

Thinking about it a bit more it sounds like the engine is running fine all the time the glow plugs are being fed. I'm no auto electrician but could it be that when the key turns back the glow plugs shut off and engine relies on compression to keep running.

Maybe worth checking your batteries as some of the Aussies have found a duff one has led to strange starting problems.

Hope this helps.

[Sancho]

Got an immobiliser? Just a thought.

[Big Jonah]

Don't think I do. It starts fine though, just when the key returns to the normal run position that the engine stops....

[Rob]

Long shot I know, but its nothing to do with that dodgy battery connection i saw is it?

[Big Jonah]

I've got a miracle car!!!!

After spending £130.00 on a hire car to get me to work over the next week, I was unloading the beast, and thought I'd give it another go.

Lo and behold, it started, and stayed started!!!

A hell of a lot of sh!t£ came out when I gunned the engine, then it conked out. Started again fine though straight away, and then left engine running for 15 mins to recharge the battery.

There was an occasional hic up from the engine every few mins though, although not enough to stop it. After a while running smoath as anything.

All I can guess is maybe the off roading threw up some debris in the tank which was partially blocking the fuel lines/injector heads, and the double on/off from the recovery trucks dislodged it. But this diesn't explain how I managed to drive 30/40 miles after we left the off-road site before it made it's way into the engine.

It may still be electrical, i.e. loose wire or water ingress. I'm driving the hire car tomorrow to be on the safe side (a lovely smart four2!!) before I can do some road tests later this week.

Any further ideas ladies and gents???!

[BUSHWHACKER]

Check your fuel filter. It may be clogged.