Bubble Micra non-start shock, horror, gnashing of teeth and wailing.

[purplebargeken]

WTAF???

 

Mrs PBK's '97 Bubble Micra in the usual red has failed to start. Am in utter shock. This thing has never failed to start in like ever!!!

 

She actually drove it yesterday and it stalled a few times and kangeroo'd a couple of times. 

 

Am thinking coil pack perhaps. Plugs too.

 

Any ideas? Am genuinely in bloody shock. 

[Kiltox]

Battery? It’s cold out....

 

Or is it crank no start?

[Kiltox]

Kangarooing and stalling followed by crank no start would suggest fuelling issues IMHO

 

Fuel filter clogged up?

[purplebargeken]

Plenty of decent UL sloshing around. Battery a year old and very strong. Turns over but not catching at all.

 

Hmm, fuel filter, interesting point.

[Kiltox]

Definitely be a service item that is forgotten on these....

 

End of the day it’s the usual routine - check for fuel, check for spark.

[purplebargeken]

Seems easy, disconnect 15a fuse to depressurise, remove filter and replace, refit fuse.

 

Problem sorted. Hopefully. 

[drewd]

We bought one of these for my wife a few weeks back, and had to re solder some contacts on the throttle body as they're prone to dry joints apparently. It would start fine, but the idle was really low and rough, and it did kangaroo a bit. I cut out on me when coasting up to junctions for a bit too.

 

The MAF is integrated with the throttle body on these.  There's a metal cover on the side of the throttle body which is sealed on with black silicone/mastic which you can cut off, re heat the contacts with a soldering iron, then re seal it.

 

I've read that mechanically they only really suffer from throttle body and coilpack issues, but I'm not sure how true this is. The coilpack is integrated with the dizzy, but can be replaced if you strip the dizzy down.

 

As above, I'd check for a spark, then investigate the throttle body. If you've got a spark and fuel it should go. Do you have a spare key you can test it with to rule out a key/immobiliser fault?

[MikeR]

Dizzy can go kaput on these ...sons got the t shirt ....

[purplebargeken]

Okay, just had a quick peek. Fuck it's cold out there! The fuel filter looks like it has never, ever been replaced. I'll start with that. 

 

Then if no joy I'll work my way through the known weak spots.

 

Will update.

 

Ta x

[Fumbler]

Much knashing of teeth and wailing indeed. Sister had one of these. Then her kneecaps dislocated when she depressed the clutch so she left it to rot in out lay-by. Even when it was weighed in the engine started first time. I'd put my monies on the above plus coil.

[Psycho Charlie Knobcheese]

Hi Ken,

As mentioned the dizzy can cause issues. It usually manifests itself in damp weather. Give the dizzy a liberal spraying with WD40 and it should spring to life and should be fine for a good few weeks before needing doing again. I've had two previous K11s that have done it-I think the dizzy gets hairline cracks in it with age.

Always keep a tin in the boot!

[purplebargeken]

Fingers will be less dead during daylight hours lol.

 

Of course, all plug removal items are in the lock up. 

 

Thursday and Friday should be busy then as the BMW needs my attention too. 

[purplebargeken]

Already have new plugs waiting to go in by the way

[UltraWomble]

 

 

Mrs PBK's '97 Bubble Micra in the usual red has failed to start. 

Is this some kind of early April Fools joke?

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Micra won't start... Yeah, good one! Checked the engine ain't been nicked... Lolz an dat..

[purplebargeken]

I know, it's weird......

[Youngsod]

Had it been on a short run before? The reason I ask is a problem I had on both my K11s, when it's cold the ECU overfuels to the extent it soaks the plugs. No problem if the engine gets hot, but if you shut it off it leaves the plugs soaked and it won't restart unless you dry them off.

 

The solution for this was either a new ECU or once you started it, don't stop it until it's warmed up.

[purplebargeken]

Stuff that new ECU option lol

[Youngsod]

Funnily enough, that was my thought too.

[MikeR]

There is a resistor mod for the overfueling .. Not tried it myself . but a good churn and foot to floor clears it

[sierraman]

MAF used to be a problem on these.

[Marm Toastsmith]

My wife's first car was a micra K10. One day something electrical broke and wouldn't start. It CAN happen.

[Zelandeth]

Seems that folks know the usual suspects on these so check them first.

 

My usual routine when faced with a non-standard "modern" is as follows. If the engine is cold/hasn't run in a while check it's not flooded if it's viable to first.

 

1. Check battery is strong, if not charge/apply (decent!) jump leads.

2. Give it a decent schoosh of easy start. If it shows interest in firing with that, no fuel is getting there, investigate as needed. If not, no spark, first port of call on something modern enough to have injection and electronic ignition is crankshaft position sensor, as that usually seems to be the guilty party in 8 out of 10 total no spark cases I've come across.

[paulplom]

I'll put a fiver on the fuel pump.

[purplebargeken]

^^ Cool! Can you make it a tenner?

 

A fiver goes nowhere today and it'd be nice to find money in an engine bay nowadays.

[oldcars]

Had it been on a short run before? The reason I ask is a problem I had on both my K11s, when it's cold the ECU overfuels to the extent it soaks the plugs. No problem if the engine gets hot, but if you shut it off it leaves the plugs soaked and it won't restart unless you dry them off.

 

The solution for this was either a new ECU or once you started it, don't stop it until it's warmed up.

It thought it was a RX8

[Youngsod]

It thought it was a RX8

 

 

Well that CG10DE does produce roughly the same amount of torque...

[purplebargeken]

New fuel filter fitted, the old one was the original. Service item my arse.

 

I'll whip the plugs out over the weekend and will spray WD40 over things.

[HH-R]

Weren't these known for killing ECUs?

[purplebargeken]

We'll have no mention of ECU's here please.