Not quite MSE - but anyone any thoughts on the problem with my car...

Geodark

Recently my 51 plate zafira (z16xe engine) has been hard to start if it has been stood for a few hours. once started it runs great - and is great until it is left standing a while again. This morning it took 4 attempts to get it started and in the end I had to put my foot on the pedal to chuck some fuel through as I was cranking to get it going.

I have opcom, but typically when I have it attached it fires first time!

Going to whip the plugs out tomorrow and give them a check, but opcom was showing the first 02 sensor as being lean - if it was plugs surely this would have been rich?

Battery done 2 months ago, fuel filter was done 18 months ago. Air filter around the same time and throttle body was scrubbed with a toothbrush and carb cleaner just over a year ago (taken off the car so not just the top).

Only error I get is p0335 no engine RPM, but this is after trying multiple times to start and only happens every now and again - so not sure if this is a red herring. if not it points to crankshaft sensor doesnt it?

Any thoughts anyone? if it was crankshaft sensor would this only affect starting or would it happen all the time? As said - once it is started it never misses a beat.

Cheers everyone.

Captaincodpiece

Geodark wrote: »

Recently my 51 plate zafira (z16xe engine) has been hard to start if it has been stood for a few hours. once started it runs great - and is great until it is left standing a while again. This morning it took 4 attempts to get it started and in the end I had to put my foot on the pedal to chuck some fuel through as I was cranking to get it going.

I have opcom, but typically when I have it attached it fires first time!

Going to whip the plugs out tomorrow and give them a check, but opcom was showing the first 02 sensor as being lean - if it was plugs surely this would have been rich?

Battery done 2 months ago, fuel filter was done 18 months ago. Air filter around the same time and throttle body was scrubbed with a toothbrush and carb cleaner just over a year ago (taken off the car so not just the top).

Only error I get is p0335 no engine RPM, but this is after trying multiple times to start and only happens every now and again - so not sure if this is a red herring. if not it points to crankshaft sensor doesnt it?

Any thoughts anyone? if it was crankshaft sensor would this only affect starting or would it happen all the time? As said - once it is started it never misses a beat.

Cheers everyone.

There's your first problem.

Geodark

Captaincodpiece wrote: »

There's your first problem.

haha, have to say I have had near on 70k with it being absolutely no problem - apart from the throttle body ending up full of crap a while ago!

bought it at 40k, now done 105k - just hope that isnt the problem - the wife is Scottish and if I told her we needed a new car she would have a breakdown!

Rolandtheroadie

Can you park it with it's nose downhill tonight?

Just to try to discount the fuel running back. No idea if 1.6 petrol zafiras can suffer from this, just a stab in the dark.

Geodark

scotsman4th wrote: »

Can you park it with it's nose downhill tonight?

Just to try to discount the fuel running back. No idea if 1.6 petrol zafiras can suffer from this, just a stab in the dark.

Always park it with her nose down hill, and the drive side on the curb - but I do have a feeling the fuel is running back - definitely sounds like a fuelling problem.

Captaincodpiece

Geodark wrote: »

Always park it with her nose down hill, and the drive side on the curb - but I do have a feeling the fuel is running back - definitely sounds like a fuelling problem.

Naughty boy, lucky you don't get a ticket.

arcon5

Captaincodpiece wrote: »

Naughty boy, lucky you don't get a ticket.

Ticket for what?

marlot

It does sound like a fuel problem. I don't know this engine, but is there anywhere you can crack open a fuel pipe and see if its being pumped through?

atrixblue.-MFR-.

This is where I would start: back at the throttle body make sure there isn't any air leaks, make sure the pipes connected are correct and not torn or worn and the throttle gasket is making a seal.


If everything is tight and good in that area, I would be looking back at the fuel filter and make sure that its fitted correctly (they have arrows on them for fuel flow direction) and in line with flow, if not take it back and have the garage turn it around it around.
If that's fine, I would consider multimeter testing the fuel pump resistance, a weak pump is not good for fuel flow, you would have two options in this case, put a non return valve in the supply feed for the fuel line, this should stabilize the flow in the pipe, or try a second hand pump or a new one.




as your issues started around the time of throttle cleaning I would go back in that area make sure all electrical connectors are plugged in, like throttle position sensors, idle control and the pipe work. MAF sensors are also a known problem to cause starting issues.


If non of the above, then start looking at fuel injectors, and coil pack and plugs. the plugs can tell you a lot from their color and condition.

Geodark

arcon5 wrote: »

Ticket for what?

Exactly - it's perfectly fine to park like this where I live.

Geodark

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

This is where I would start: back at the throttle body make sure there isn't any air leaks, make sure the pipes connected are correct and not torn or worn and the throttle gasket is making a seal.


If everything is tight and good in that area, I would be looking back at the fuel filter and make sure that its fitted correctly (they have arrows on them for fuel flow direction) and in line with flow, if not take it back and have the garage turn it around it around.
If that's fine, I would consider multimeter testing the fuel pump resistance, a weak pump is not good for fuel flow, you would have two options in this case, put a non return valve in the supply feed for the fuel line, this should stabilize the flow in the pipe, or try a second hand pump or a new one.




as your issues started around the time of throttle cleaning I would go back in that area make sure all electrical connectors are plugged in, like throttle position sensors, idle control and the pipe work. MAF sensors are also a known problem to cause starting issues.


If non of the above, then start looking at fuel injectors, and coil pack and plugs. the plugs can tell you a lot from their color and condition.

No, the issues started a few weeks ago - the throttle body was cleaned last year. But I do have a feeling there is an air leak somewhere.