Please help. My Vectra wont start.

[Charlie Croker]

Hi all. Well what a nightmare I'm having. My 2002 Vectra B Sri 150 2.2 petrol has really spat its dummy this this time.lol.

I was working away delivering pizzas as usual and I jumped into it 10 mins after it had been running/starting and driving perfect and hey ho would it start would it hell.

 It seemed by the way it was struggling to start that it had run out of petrol even though the gauge was just out of the red and I'd put a tenner in it earlier. I was cranking it for 10 mins or so and it wasn't for starting so I thought it must be out.......puts some in out of a can I had and it went straight away but it was running ROUGH and it belched out some blue smoke for around a 30 secs then cleared. So I called it a night on the deliveries and nursed it home. It was running real bad and was really down on power. Over the next few days it ran like shit then not too bad then back to shit again. Most of the time it started ok but others it just wouldn't go until it decieded it wanted too. Last Monday I jumped in to get the kids to school and it just wouldn't go and despite all my best efforts has refused to start since.

 

The battery was ok.......its a bit drained now from trying to start it but its far from dead.

It gave no clue or hint anything was amiss until the first time it wouldn't start.

The Sunday before it finally gave up the ghost it was running better than it had done all week.

I cant hear the pump clicking when I turn the ignition on...........im not sure it clicked before this happened as I never really listened for it.

Now the rev counter hardly moves of the stop when I crank it and im sure it moved a lot more before.

 

Any ideas guys??

 

Ive not been down to it for a few days as its making me lose the will to live..........that's forgetting about the two jobs its cost me.

 

If anyone has any idea what could be wrong with it I would love to hear from you.

 

Thanks loads in advance Guys.

                                             Charlie.

[Guest Tony Hayers]

Don't know anything about GM motors (sorry) but have you had a crack at disconnecting the battery for a few hours, clear any fault codes from the low fuel/supply issue?

 

Start with the easy stuff I guess. Don't forget to have the stereo code to hand.

 

Edit - could the fuel pump be getting tired or even failing?

[gary_davidson]

wifes disastra can do this sometimes when we only move it a short distance, usually clears after a good run. Only time it didn't I was away from home so off to the garage it went - I can't remember what they changed, could have been an air flow meter or something like that. 

[Lacquer Peel]

SCRAP IT.

[fordperv]

with things like this google is your friend, i know nothing about newer gm stuff, i take youve done the regular checks to see if its got fuel and spark? 

[Station]

Crank sensor.

[Station]

No, Coolant Temperature Sensor.

[Split_Pin]

I'd echo what station said. I'd also get shot of it and get something smaller, simpler and preferably either Peugeot XUD, Vauxhall Isuzu or old Ford Tddi. I reckon a MK3 astra or early Focus diesel would be much better for you.

 

I'm a Vauxhall apologist, but this car sounds like something you just don't need in your life.

[cort16]

Cough. What you want is a really cheap veg friendly XUD TD powered Citroen ZX

[Station]

Unplug CTS once it's started, that'll make it go into 'limp home mode' (which defaults to a preset definition on the ECU, like starting up from cold). If it runs OK, it's the CTS (btw, it won't start with the CTS unplugged, you have to do it after you start it).

 

Coil in the crank sensor starts going when it warms up. They always break due to their proximity to a big, hot metal lump (the engine block).

[AnthonyG]

Pizza delivery and not in a Micra?

[Joey spud]

Have you got any breakdown cover (even with a bank account),was the mil lamp on while it was running shite ??

 

Checking all relevent fuses is a good place to start.

 

Ideally you really need to get it code read it and then look at some live data for stuff like crank and cam signal,temp sensor reading and pump relay activation.

 

If you stick your head under the rear by the tank and get someone to switch the ignition lights on you should hear the in tank pump buzz for a couple of seconds.

If you cant hear it crank the engine while banging the tank to see if it comes to life.

 

These also have a mechanical pump driven off the cam shaft and these often die too.

 

Don't really get many of theses falling over at the roadside unless the timing chains break.

[srad34]

If you don't have home recovery, tow it a couple of miles away and......

1. Set fire to it if your premium is up to date
2. Call for recovery and hide the tow rope or they will rumble ya 
3. ALLVOXHALLSARESHITINNIT, so cut your losses and take the £50 from WBAC     

[Albert Ross]

These have a camshaft driven high pressure fuel pump. It's a fucking wank design. It's likely to be that, as you describe it as having run out of fuel.

[The Moog]

Cough. What you want is a really cheap veg friendly XUD TD powered Citroen ZX

Sounds like Cavcraft has opened a northern branch!

[Charlie Croker]

Been out to the Black Bastard today and checked all the fuses and they are ok. I cant seem to hear the petrol pump. It just seems dead.....the rev counter doesn't move off the stop. Gonna see if I can catch the dude across the road he has a code reader so ill see if it throws anything up but ive been told the engine needs to be running for the reader to come up with anything so if that's the case its a non starter if you will pardon the pun.

The main problem is getting the private plate off as the mot expired on the 11th and the tax is out at the end of the month and ive not got the V5c back in my name yet so its looking like im gonna be bolloxed for sorn.

 Aaaahh count to ten.

[Bren]

The fuel pump is not cheap and has a habit of contaminating everything when it grenades - tiny particles end up everywhere, injectors, tank etc.

 

Fitting a new pump means that all the swarf gets pumped around again causing more trouble.

 

I'd try another pump - if it gets it running get rid ASAP. Due to the cars age and the fact it's a 2.2 petrol means it's worth the same as a few shares in blockbuster.

[Charlie Croker]

Well got a bit of a result on this. Rang the DVLA today and to cut a long and boring story short I can get the private plate off so im not giving a rats ass about the car. The plate should be off at the end off the month so if anyone fancies a good source of bits then apart from the front seats which my pal wants for his astra van its here and stuff will be cheap as chips or if anyone wants the whole thing then I'm sure we can sort something out (£200ish?)

 

Its a 02 2.2 Sri in black and the body is in decent nick. Ill try and get some piccies up.lol.

I'm still looking for a early N plate Vectra so now's the time if you have/know of one.

                                     Cheers Charlie.

[michael1703]

Fuel pump relay?