Proud R3 Owner

[craigy85]

Thanks guys! The current fob works fine, in that it locks or unlocks the drivers door and boot,and the little red light on the key is working... just doesn't unlock the passenger door - the only way to lock or unlock it is manually from the inside. If not the actuator, anywhere else to look?

And seemingly no rattle from the backbox either so I'm guessing any little bits of cat have been blown out, leaving the big chunks behind?

[craigy85]

it is probably the actuator, try lube before replacing.

and i dont mean spray the catch, take the entire mech out and clean and grease liberally.

[craigy85]

Cheers quackers, will give it a go!

[craigy85]

Well the central locking is working again - easiest fix ever... the actuator connector wasn't connected! Plugged it in and everything is now working perfectly!

Unfortunately the power steering is now playing up... in less than 300 miles it's gone from being a little heavier turning right, to constantly cutting in and out (always fun mid bend / roundabout when the PAS just stops assisting!) Got a can of lithium grease for the UJ and contact cleaner spray for the loom arriving this week so hopefully they will solve it!

[craigy85]

I'm guessing your back box is rattling as all those pieces of CAT have gone somewhere!

Oh, and the backbox is now rattling like a good 'un - any way to 'clear it out'?

[craigy85]

Well the power steering is now back after cleaning all of the connectors and earthing point (and applying a Liberal amount of white lithium grease to the UJ), although still a little harder turning right so suspecting I'll need a new UJ before long.

Also got round to fitting a new set of coils, plugs and leads and putting a bottle of cataclean in her yesterday... Took her for a spin last night and after warming up she drove brilliantly for about 20 (very 'spirited') minutes before completely dying on me was accelerating in 4th at about 4-5k rpm when I lost all power. Tried dropping a gear and lifting the clutch to get her to restart but nothing... coasted to a stop and she wouldn't restart, cranking fine but no firing. Checked coils and leads were all connected correctly and in the right order (they were) and after about 20 minutes of cooling down she started up and drove home perfectly fine.

Got her home and switched her off... went to restart about 10 mins later and, again, cranked but wouldn't fire. After an hour or so of trying to get her going, flooding and deflooding, got her started again and took her for a 10 min run around the block where, again, she drove fine! By this point it was pretty late so gave up and went to bed.

I didnt have any hot start issues before yesterday so I'm guessing either something I've fitted has caused this problem (although if have expected a misfire / CEL on a bad coil / plug / lead, not a complete loss of power) or it just so happens the engine has given up on the same day I'd fitted lots of shiny new bits... any other ideas or things to check?

[ChrisHolmes]

Check the ESS (swap for another) as they can sometimes die when hot. Your low compressions may finally have gone lower of course!

[craigy85]

Thanks Chris... In that situation, would the rev counter show movement? I was seeing >250 rpm when cranking on both failed starts...

[craigy85]

After resetting the ECU on the drive last night, left the car idling for 20 minutes (absolutely fine), switched off and restarted ok about 5 mins later.

This morning, I've gone for a little drive and she's cut out again and won't restart - Was just warmed up but as soon as I've applied WOT she's died... so I'm stuck at the side of the road for the 2nd time in 3 days.

Don't suppose there's anyone on here from Cheshire / North Staffordshire with a rotary compression tester?

[ChrisHolmes]

Given the repeat symptoms just posted it suggests something is breaking down when it gets hot and killing them ignition. I presume you have no EML showing.

[craigy85]

Nope, no EML or codes stored! Time to strip everything new off and start again, I think....

Assuming it's not compression, the only other thought I had was fuel (pump / filter) given both failures occurred at WOT... but then surely it wouldn't idle properly or even start again?

[craigy85]

Well, she's had to be towed home! RAC man (who has apparently never been beaten by a rotary) is stumped- tried normal deflood then 4 attempts at a tow start and she still won't go...

[craigy85]

Could be the fuel pump dying

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[Nickp47]

Which coils and leads did you fit?

[craigy85]

Could be the fuel pump dying

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Thats what I thought Dave, but from the (VERY strong) smell of fuel after repeated starting attempts, I'm pretty confident there's fuel coming through... it's properly stumped me! and now it won't even start cold, I'm pretty confident it's not compression either... she sounds perfect on cranking, just won't fire!

[craigy85]

Which coils and leads did you fit?

RRP Mk3 coils, MSD 8.5mm leads and NGK iridium plugs (all new from RRP) - the RAC guy checked the spark on 3 of the 4 coils (couldn't get to front rotor leading coil) and they were all 'meaty'...

There's always a possibility the 4th coils is not firing, or a bad lead or plug.. . But I'd still expect her to start and run rough

[Nickp47]

I had an issue with an early set of mk2 RRP coils where the leads seemed to be coming adrift from the coils when hot so I wondered if this was a potential cause but mine didn’t cut out just hesitated and you have since said it won’t start cold and you have the later versions so obviously not the cause.

[craigy85]

I spoke to Scott (RRP) on Thursday night after the first time the engine died... He did say it's possible to have a dead coil (and obviously offered to replace it if that's the case) but even if it were, I don't see that causing the engine to cut completely while driving? The only other thing I'm wondering is whether the cataclean has done something untoward...

[craigy85]

There aren't that many things that can stop the engine without triggering a CEL.

Start by removing all 4 plugs, keeping track of which plug is which, and see what state they're in.
This will confirm if the engine stopped due to lack of fuel, or sparks, and how the engine was running before it stopped.

[craigy85]

Also logging with an OBD2 scanner wouldnt go amiss.. Youd definitely get some useful data.

[craigy85]

Thanks Dave, will aim to get the plugs out tomorrow and post a pic.. even with < 30 miles (and possibly a few floodings) will they still show something?

If I can get her started again I'll definitely have the logging on....

[Ollie]

I recently had my car flooded and if it is flooded you will 100% smell the fuel on the plugs without a doubt. I actually put mine in ISO alcohol... And the clear Iso went to a literal P*** yellow from the fuel on the plugs.

[craigy85]

Here are the plugs:

[craigy85]

And.... she's running again! Took the plugs out, checked for spark on all 4 (all great!), turned her over with the plugs out (2 x 10 second cranks with a minute between), put the plugs back in and she fired up after a few seconds... now idling as sweet as a nut.

So now I'm extra stumped... why did it cut out? And when it did, why did it not restart? Even if it was badly flooded (which it didn't appear to be as there was no strong fuel smell on cranking) the tow starts should have got her going again...

[craigy85]

im going with a faulty ESS. you fault is a classic of it breaking down when hot and not firing the ignition at all or at the right time.