EF wont start, radiator just changed - any ideas?

dsjoyce · 29-07-2006, 10:17 PM

Evenin' all,

I come to you with a tale of woe. Me ol' EF wagon (aftermarket dualfuel, if that's relevant) decided to bust its radiator the other night, so i takes it to Kmart tyre and auto (coveniently located 15 metres from where i stopped the car to investigate :P) and they replace the radiator with a new one. Rock up this arvo to pick it up, pay all $360 odd dollars of my bill and start the car. 30 seconds later (having not moved an inch) and the engine dies. NOT HAPPY JAN! I couldn't get it to start again on either gas or petrol. :'(

Mechanic dude looks all over it but couldnt find squat. While spraying something into the airbox (sorry, don't really know much about cars) the engine picks up but as soon as he stops it dies again. One thing i did notice however (and i dont know if this is supposed to happen) is that while turning the engine over the oil pressure gauge would climb rapidly.

Anyway they're getting an auto electrician out first thing monday to look at it, but I thought i'd ask you learned gentlemen your opinion first. WTF went wrong? And secondly, would it have anything to do with them changing the radiator? Or am I just super-unlucky? Coz if it does then i can get them to pay the bill? Yes?

Thanks chaps,

Dan.

tufLTD · 30-07-2006, 06:08 AM

G'day Dan,
Sounds like he was spraying Aerostart or something similar in to the airbox. This would suggest that you have a fuel supply issue, although it's unusual not to start on either petrol or LPG. I would try the Aerostart again but this time try it on petrol then try it on LPG. If it starts & runs on either, then you can isolate which fuel system is the problem.
As for the problem being caused by fitting a radiator, well it's unlikely. Just make sure they haven't knocked off any wires on the battery.

dsjoyce · 30-07-2006, 07:40 PM

Thanks for the help tufLTD. We tried to start it on both petrol and gas but got nothin'! I thought perhaps my fuelpump had died but i'm fairly sure the gas would use a different pump so the chances of both dying at once are slim.

Guess i'll just have to wait and see what the sparky says - i hope to hell he fixes the damn thing before it costs me an arm and a leg. I've just come back from holidays so funds are tight! Hehe i guess it never rains but it poors

peterban · 30-07-2006, 08:47 PM

Might be power to the fuel pump.
My dual fuel AU always starts on petrol and then after a few seconds of running changes to gas, so if petrol pump was dead car wouldn't start on either setting.
If it ran on the aerostart gas it puts plugs, leads and coil out of the equation.
I would be looking at blown fuse, disconnected wires or faulty fuel pump relay.
Working on the radiator the only wires that need to be disconnected are the electric fans and these wouldn't affect the petrol supply.
Petrol pumps usually give intermitent problems well before they die completely, but I suppose you could be unlucky.

EFFalcon · 30-07-2006, 08:51 PM

check any fuses that are related to the LPG system.

There is a fuse on the drivers side suspension tower on my car that is the main power fuse for my LPG system, if that fuse loses power the LPG switch gets no power and car won't start.
even the relay thats used to switch signals would be worth looking into.

does the LPG switch/guage light up when u try start the car?

Krytox · 30-07-2006, 10:51 PM

get em to check if theres spark at all, there could be water on the coil pack and or crank sensor, unlikely the cause but worth checking b4 spending $$$!

INJECTED_250 · 30-07-2006, 11:38 PM

If the gas uses a petrol start, it wont fire if the fuel pump is dead...

peterban · 31-07-2006, 10:40 PM

Any luck with your problem starting?

dsjoyce · 31-07-2006, 10:46 PM

Hey guys, thanks heaps for all your help. They brought the sparky in today and it looks like my fuel relay i think it was just decided to die. One new relay later and she's going good again!

dsjoyce · 31-07-2006, 10:55 PM

**** **** crap! Take back my last comment. Yes she's running fine, ON PETROL, however she won't start on gas at all :( Funny thing is but if i give her revs and then flick to gas the engine goes ok, but as soon as i take my foot off the accelerator she dies again. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me there is a quick, simple and cheap fix to this!?!?

EFFalcon · 31-07-2006, 11:10 PM

sounds like your idle mixtures arnt set right.
depends on what LPG setup you have.

dsjoyce · 31-07-2006, 11:12 PM

But why would they of messed with my idle mixtures when all they did was replace a relay?

tufLTD · 01-08-2006, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsjoyce

But why would they of messed with my idle mixtures when all they did was replace a relay?

Maybe your LPG converter is freezing up?? Did they bleed it after they replaced the radiator?

dsjoyce · 01-08-2006, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tufLTD

Maybe your LPG converter is freezing up?? Did they bleed it after they replaced the radiator?

I've no idea! Were they supposed to bleed it after replacing the radiator? Guess i'll have to go back to them :@

tufLTD · 01-08-2006, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsjoyce

I've no idea! Were they supposed to bleed it after replacing the radiator? Guess i'll have to go back to them :@

If they didn't bleed the LPG converter, it will cause an air lock & the converter will freeze up. No coolant flow = freezing up.

dsjoyce · 01-08-2006, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tufLTD

If they didn't bleed the LPG converter, it will cause an air lock & the converter will freeze up. No coolant flow = freezing up.

Ah ok. Hopefully it's something like that...if i get a chance it'll be going back to them tomorrow...for the last time (fingers crossed!)