50 replies to this topic

[liam_italian]

I dont see the slight fuel leak as an issue because as soon as you try and start the car the fuel pump will have kicked in and pumping fuel to the engine.

With the cut off switch, if you tap it you'll hear it reset, if it doesn't then it could be faulty.

[liam_italian]

Greg, I couldn't asked a big favour.

Could you take a look at my thread and see if you can help, i really need to see how the wires connect to the starter on an mpi

cheers

[basher77]

I'm not sure but it sounds like you might be having the same problem as me.
We used to think it was the level of the car as it mostly seemed to happen when the car was facing very slightly up hill but that doesnt seem to ring true any more.
Mine seems to do this mostly after it has been running for a while, for example went to get petrol about 4 miles away and after filling up stopped a few metres away and turned off the engine. After this it would not start and after several attempts over 15 minutes the battery ran flat so had to get it recovered.
I have also noted that 100% of the time after stalling, it will not restart for a good 10 minutes.
I'm going to check the injectors this week to see it they are clogged up and not atomising the fuel correctly.
It's a bit different to your fault but it may turn out to be the same problem.

[greg.harvey]

Ooo, swanky new look!

Liam, I didn't get an email for some reason - sorry for the slow response. I see you're sorted now. And you're right about fuel, started first time this morning, pointing UP hill and after sitting for several days.

basher77, doesn't sound related, because 99% of the time ours runs absolutely fine. It only refuses to start occasionally when stood overnight. Our alarm is already exhibiting some 'suspicious' behaviour:

http://www.theminifo...howtopic=197787

Trouble is, I bet you can't just take it out, especially since it's a factory one. Probably involves replacing all manor of bits of electronics. I did read you can buy a new 'alarm module'. Meh. I'll see if I can suss out any pattern or workaround first. I'm a computer programmer, after all - I ought to be able to beat this little computer in to shape!

[greg.harvey]

Tell me if this is totally nuts, but I think I might have discovered the problem. I need to test this thoroughly, but I think (*think*) the Mini sometimes won't start if the door is open. I have a habit of starting the car with the door open, mainly because I have long legs and live in a hot country, so tend to sit sideways with my legs out of the car, start it, then only go through the rigmarole of getting in once it's running. (This is also the hangover of having frequently owned classic cars that refuse to start first time as a matter of course, so getting comfy is pointless! )

I am yet to confirm this completely, but my latest hunch is the car won't start if the door is open when you crank it, even though the immobiliser is disabled. I don't know if this is a fault or a "feature", or even if it's intermittent (though it seems to maybe be) ... but I noticed today the red light goes from solid to flashing when I close the door and the immobilising flash pattern is subtly different. I am also nearly sure that every time the car hasn't started the door has been open, and every time it has the door has been closed.

Possible? Or am I going mad??

[xrocketengineer]

Hi Greg,

You might not be going mad. Check this out on page 28 of the PDF:
http://www.theminifo...attach_id=68242

Everything you need for your MPI is here on post #40:
http://www.theminifo...pic=55958&st=30

Hope that helps,

Ivan

[greg.harvey]

Superb, thanks! Downloaded the lot...

Which reminds me, where's my Haynes manual, Amazon?! I ordered it weeks ago! French postal service is terrible in August...

So, the MPi immobiliser definitely has some kind of door sensor - so faulty or otherwise, it could certainly be a factor. Will keep testing the theory.

[greg.harvey]

Turns out my door theory is b*****ks. Same again this morning. Grrrr...

Disconnected the battery for a few hours this afternoon, reset the fobs, let's see what happens. Hoping the factory reset will sort things, as it was fine until I disconnected the battery to change the radio, so hoping it will go back to normal.

[Mini mpi]

Hi

Just an idea. Have you checked the condition/connection of your engine earth strap? Located at the back of the engine from the engine steady mount to the bulkhead? A bad connection or corroded strap can cause it to turn over but not start.

hope you get sorted!

Edited by Mini mpi, 13 August 2011 - 11:10 PM.

[liam_italian]

If you had a bad connection then it's more likely to click and not turn over, similar symptoms to a starer motor that's stuck.

The door switches would not affect the immobilisers other than for activating the alarm, they play no part in the deactivation process, this also goes for the bonnet and boot switches.

If the engine is turning over then it is either;

a) Coil pack not working

b) Faulty HT leads or Spark plugs

3) Fuel cut off switch (most likely at this stage)

The reason is that I have recently rebuild my engine buy and the engine still fired when only 3 spark plugs and a stepper motor that was sticking.

If the fuel cut off switch is playing up then the engine will still turn over, it just means that the fuel pump is not activated and therefore it wont fire. When you turn the ignition to the second position (before you start the engine) you should hear the fuel pump in the petrol tank prime, if it doesn't then either a fuse has gone, your pump is fauly or the cut off switch has been activated.

[greg.harvey]

So, first day of operation since disconnecting the battery for a few hours to reset the electronics. So far, no problems. We'll see tomorrow if she starts. Started fine before I fiddled with the radio, started messing about after I removed the battery to fit new radio, so far OK since disconnecting the battery yesterday. Only time will tell, but it looks more and more like a freak event, some CPU getting itself in to a bad state somehow, something like that. A computer bug! We'll see, but it seems likely right now.

[greg.harvey]

Wouldn't start again this afternoon - so reset hasn't helped.

Will try the fuel cut off switch next time it happens (it'll probably start fine now - that's the usual MO!) ... already checked the fuel pump fuse, so it's not that. Could be a faulty pump, I suppose. Will change the batteries in one of the fobs, just in case that has any bearing.

What a PITA!!!

[greg.harvey]

Still won't start, can indeed hear the fuel pump priming, tried repeatedly pressing the engine cut-off switch but nada. Who knows what's wrong? It will start again tomorrow, in all likelihood, unless it's now worse and won't start at all - always possible that a fault that was intermittent is now permanent.

[liam_italian]

Check for spark

[greg.harvey]

In the end it started, later in the evening. Any chance this could be related to heat? Crazy theory from my brother-in-law that maybe it's related to how hot the car is. Seems unlikely to me though. Anyway...

Check for spark

Right, so tomorrow, *when* it doesn't start (!!), I'll whip off one of the HT leads and see if I can make one of the dogs jump with it.