I picked a 6 up over the weekend that doesn't run. It is a low miler and in good nick, so would be a shame to break it.

Rather than rip it all apart and find out it was an easy fix, I am after some common faults and pointers for what to try, so I can at least diagnose the fault.

The car fails to start, the previous owner thinks its the cambelt, but thats in one piece so I can only imagine it has slipped if anything.

He has checked the coil packs IIRC, so makes me wonder if the symptoms were cambelt failure.

He didn't mention how or when the problem happened, so may even be it just didn't start one day.

It just turns over but won't fire. If bumped it makes a 'bump' sound and flies fowards, but won't kick into life.

I have another full GTi6 I also got the same weekend , and the engine from another 6, so can swap over most things to try and get to the bottom of it.

Where would people start?

________________________________________

Senior Test Automation Engineer for the 306GTi6 Owners Club Forum

---

Immobiliser?
Does the fuel pump prime?
The relay behind the battery box?
Plugs out and see there are clues
Crank sensor

________________________________________

Nothing to see here

Whats the best way to check the immobiliser?

Fuel pump, didn't think about that either
It should prime on turn of the ignition shouldn't it?

I will take the plugs out and check the colour/condition of them and see if anything obvious occurs.

________________________________________

Senior Test Automation Engineer for the 306GTi6 Owners Club Forum

---

I will keep turning it over hoping the bugger will prime, if not, I will take the pump from the other one that I know works and see if it makes a difference.

I have immobiliser units from another I broke, but not sure if I would need to fit them all to get it to be effective

________________________________________

Senior Test Automation Engineer for the 306GTi6 Owners Club Forum

---

Does it sound like it's trying to fire, like a splut splut splut, or is it a dry cranking noise?

Take the fuel feed pipe off the fuel rail and turn it over. If fuel comes out the pump's fine. If not, you're looking at a blocked line, dead pump, inertia switch triggered etc

Then take coil packs off and test them for spark one at a time. If you have spark, great. If not, check you have power to them. Also try heating the spark plugs in case they're flooded. Crank the engine over with the injectors disconnected to empty out any fuel that might be sitting in the cylinders.

Finally run a compression test on the cylinders. If there's a lack of compression it could be a blown head gasket but I have a feeling that's not the issue from what you've said.

If they all work and you have fuel, the only thing that could be stopping it from firing would be timing. Could be something simple like the TDC sensor if there's no spark or it could be a slipped belt/pulley.

________________________________________

Bye bye Sundance Kid