Spark but NO start

[jaecee]

Hi there,
This is my first post, its a long 1 but please hang in there, because, as it seems, my T4 was built by aliens.

Ok, my 1998 2.5 petrol T4 begun to have an intermittent starting problem about 3-4 months ago.
It would be fine on cold start, but after driving around then jumping back in it would have a bit of trouble starting. I would leave it for a minute or so and Bang she's good to go for another couple of weeks or so?.
This happened about 4-5 times in the space of 1-2 months. i have even driven to Sydney and back (from far Northern NSW) and it runs like a dream when going. Until about 6 weeks ago when i drove into town, did some shopping jumped back in and it hasn't started since.



The symptoms went something like this-
Turn the key/it cranks/revs 0-3? times/dies.
To me it sounds like a fuel cut out kinda issue....... but hey, i'm no mechanic.



Diagnosis so-far -
-It was towed to a reputable mechanic, where they initially thought it was a key(chip) issue?
This was ruled out.

-Then they guaranteed it was 110% a computer issue?
So i bought a 2nd hand computer which i had the immobilizer taken out($360 total). The mechanic hooked it up and it DID EXACTLY the same god-damn thing.!!

- The van remained at this work shop for 3-4 weeks until everyone including 2 visits by a "specialist" auto-elec that run a diagnosis over it TWICE.!! All claim to have NO IDEA why it wouldn't start.???????? ($380 in labour later)

- In my disbelief(and desperation), i had it towed to the VW dealership thinking "They have to sort this out"... right?

-VW did a diagnosis in which they asked me "Who was the mechanic who had worked on this, Because(in his words) its all SIMPLE STUFF" as he told me the Distributor Cap/Rotor button and ignition Coil were all stuffed.!

-So I sourced the parts myself($180 parts), raced them back to the dealer with expectations that these were the issues and that i would have my car back by the end of the day right?.... WRRRRRONG.!!


Update to come.......

[The One]

They have all ruled the simple things, like fuel, air etc? Your thread title says "Spark, but no start" which is interesting? Does the Vehicle actually have spark (Leads are sparking when you check them) or did you just assume it? Because if it has always had 'spark' then I don't understand how anyone (let alone a VW dealership) could justify that the ignition coil/distributor is faulty?

Anyway, like I said in your previous post, give Gold Coast Volkswagen a call/visit and ask to speak to Chris Thomas, his the workshop controller/foreman/parts picker/technician/everything over at their Nerang workshop, he is extremely knowledgeable and I have yet to see him not be able to fix any VW Commercial vehicle, only guy I would ever trust to work on my Commercial vehicles.

[jaecee]

They have all ruled the simple things, like fuel, air etc? Your thread title says "Spark, but no start" which is interesting? Does the Vehicle actually have spark (Leads are sparking when you check them) or did you just assume it? Because if it has always had 'spark' then I don't understand how anyone (let alone a VW dealership) could justify that the ignition coil/distributor is faulty?

Anyway, like I said in your previous post, give Gold Coast Volkswagen a call/visit and ask to speak to Chris Thomas, his the workshop controller/foreman/parts picker/technician/everything over at their Nerang workshop, he is extremely knowledgeable and I have yet to see him not be able to fix any VW Commercial vehicle, only guy I would ever trust to work on my Commercial vehicles.

Hey The One,

They have ruled out fuel/compression and i am assuming also air intake, but i will ask just to make sure.

The van "apparently" had no spark when it arrived at VW, they replaced the Dizzy cap/Ignition coil/rotor arm and tried to have me buy a complete set of Leads and Plugs.
I found it hard to believe that ALL of these parts were "stopping it from starting" so we agreed to replacing the immediate.. ie dizzy/Ignition coil....... hence, they got "spark, but NO start"

Yes, when i posted this thread they had confirmed to me they had "good spark" after the replacements, but were losing it somewhere "near" the distributor (Most likely the HALL SENSOR. so they swapped my whole distributor with another, this failed, now they think its the immobilizer (Again!) and are now trying to work out how to bypass the immobilizer. But as i have mentioned to them i have already bought an ECU which i had the immobilizer "taken out", which was tested on another van and started that van without a drama.

I swear i have apprentices working on my van.!!

I will definitely give Chris a call first thing this morning.!!

Thank you so much,
J.

[GOLFBALLS]

I remember this issue popping up a few times a couple of years back. Same sympoms and maddening lack of success.
If i remember correctly there was an issue with power to the ecu from the fuse box???? Cant really remember but its common on T4's.

Have seen ssooooo many T4's with home made push button start under the steering column!!!

[jaecee]

I remember this issue popping up a few times a couple of years back. Same sympoms and maddening lack of success.
If i remember correctly there was an issue with power to the ecu from the fuse box???? Cant really remember but its common on T4's.

Have seen ssooooo many T4's with home made push button start under the steering column!!!

Hey GOLFBALLS<

Thanks mate i'll pass this on. Spoke to them yesterday and they are now certain it is an immobilizer issue, even though i have told them 2 or 3 times now that i had tried a second hand ECU with the immobilizer REMOVED and it did the same exact thing. This ECU was returned to where i bought it and was tested in another "2.5lt 5cylinder petrol T4" and kicked it over without a problem.

Cheers mate.
J.

[kombivan]

Is the ignition timing correct and remaining correct if not look at the timing belt it may have several teeth missing causing the valve timing to change from time to time at engine start and stop. Remedy get a new timing belt .... but check if this is the problem first might only be 5 teeth (rubber) missing on the inside of the belt. good luck.

[bushnut]

relay 30 in the fuse if its a black one replace it with a new white one this is the relay that gives the ecu its power supply pretty cheap fix but gets over looked the relay contacts get worn out and dont bridge over and you lose power supply to your engine ecu so lose spark fuel ect.