Car refuses to start!

LizardKing · 10 Apr 2007 at 22:00

Typical, just at my inlaws 300 miles from home, just as i pulled into there road (extremely lucky and wierd!) my car (94 clio 1.2 - dont laugh...) cut out and now refuses to start, it doesnt even sound like its trying to start, just simple spinning the engine over. put more fuel in it just to make sure the fuel gauge wasnt buggered so its not that simple. Sounded fine all the way here, its not over heated, oil levels etc are all fine.

Anyone got any ideas before i call out a garage, gotta get back home tommorow to be at work on thurs

D4VE · 10 Apr 2007 at 22:04

hmm could be the immobilisor if it has the type that just cuts the fuel pump.
Could try resetting it.

Locky · 10 Apr 2007 at 22:19

have you checked for a spark ?

LizardKing · 10 Apr 2007 at 22:19

Doesnt have an immobilisor , not that i know of anyway

singularity · 10 Apr 2007 at 22:20

you need to thrash it soundly with a large piece of vegitation (on the bonnet0

LizardKing · 10 Apr 2007 at 22:33

singularity said:
you need to thrash it soundly with a large piece of vegitation (on the bonnet0

LOL, not a bad idea!!

silversurfer · 10 Apr 2007 at 22:39

Rocking it back and forth liberally might be more productive

Could be a bad earth or just about anything :/

Have you tried a tow or push start. When my fuel pump went that would always get it going again after letting it cool, could take a hundred metres of in gear to do that of course

Yours is probably some fancy electric thing, works or dont and nothing in between

LizardKing · 10 Apr 2007 at 23:11

Well just had the AA out, turns out the timeing belt snapped!! only got changed 2k miles

******* great!!!

Stuck 300miles from home with a fubard car, you have permission to laugh at my expence! serves me right for buying a french car

ZG002 · 10 Apr 2007 at 23:19

timing belt snapping is not good

Train home? lol

Lopéz · 10 Apr 2007 at 23:32

LizardKing said:
Stuck 300miles from home with a fubard car, you have permission to laugh at my expence! serves me right for buying a badly maintained car

Fixed for you

LizardKing · 10 Apr 2007 at 23:38

Lopéz said:
Fixed for you

Wasnt badly maintained though, the timing belt was only changed 2k miles ago. Might have to have a word with the garage that did it though!!

Im sure a 205 would have been fine though

BigglesPiP · 11 Apr 2007 at 00:00

Ouch, how many bent valves?

My FIAT Uno never had that to worry about (before my brother buried it in a wall), if the valve is at its lowest and piston is at its highest they still won't meet. You'd just have to line it up and slap another cam belt on.

Tom|Nbk · 11 Apr 2007 at 00:23

singularity said:
you need to thrash it soundly with a large piece of vegitation (on the bonnet0

TBQFH

.

silversurfer · 11 Apr 2007 at 00:31

Owch, I pray your le french car is designed non interference. What were your revs at the time

Deleted member 329 · 11 Apr 2007 at 02:06

bumer

timbob · 11 Apr 2007 at 09:23

silversurfer said:
Owch, I pray your le french car is designed non interference. What were your revs at the time

Doesn't really matter what the revs are surely? Even at idling speed the pistons are moving pretty darn quickly and are going to do lots of damage to the valves.

Dogbreath · 11 Apr 2007 at 10:00

Definitely have a word with the garage that did the work, failure after just 2000 miles is totally unacceptable. Did they change all the tensioner/idler pulleys at the same time?

LizardKing · 11 Apr 2007 at 10:31

Dogbreath said:
Definitely have a word with the garage that did the work, failure after just 2000 miles is totally unacceptable. Did they change all the tensioner/idler pulleys at the same time?

Probably not! The work was put through by the previous owner, the invoice also had no charge on there, probably didnt even change the belt in that case.

Anyway getting a lift from the AA and i dont even have an account with them! (father in law has there premium acc so just gotta say he was in the car when it broke down) Not a bad service will deffinatly get an acc with them on my next car, well worth it if they tow you 300miles!

D4VE · 11 Apr 2007 at 10:34

hmm not good, hope its an old 8v engine or something non-interferance.
Any idea if there is damage?

Wonder if the timing belt was done right? If done wrong it could fail quickly like it has.

R@tman · 11 Apr 2007 at 13:38

LizardKing said:
Wasnt badly maintained though, the timing belt was only changed 2k miles ago. Might have to have a word with the garage that did it though!!

Im sure a 205 would have been fine though

are you sure they changed it or did they just tell you they had done it and take your money ?

Car refuses to start!

Deleted member 329

Deleted member 329