GTT Caldina Won't Start

[BZG Wagon]

I had a problem with my 97 Manual Caldina GTT odometer, speedo & re-counter dying. The culprit was a small chip which had broken off inside the odometer unit (see pic below). Car was running fine apart from this small issue.

I had a mate soilder the chip back on, put it back into my car, turned it over and it started and ran for a few seconds before dying. Now the car won't start - it tries and tries and I dont get so much as a splutter from the engine. I've tried jump starting it but it doesn't seem to be a battery issue.

Any ideas?

Does the ECU use any information from the instrument cluster (i.e. this fixed chip) that could cause this problem? Or is it just a coninsidence?
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/2249 ... 041as5.jpg
[ADMIN EDIT: MASSIVE IMG CHANGED TO A LINK - POST LARGE IMAGES AS LINKS OR RESIZE!]

No error codes from the ECU.

[Zak]

Unplug the dash cluster all together and see if it runs.

[BZG Wagon]

Unfortunately it doesn't.

I reset the ECU (pulled the EFI fuse) and it sounded like it almost turned over for a second.

I can smell petrol out the exhaust. So I assume its not fuel.

I guess I need to check compression & spark next?

[Zak]

It could be any thing really, maybe soldering that chip on has damaged the ecu? It's really hard to say over the net.

[BZG Wagon]

I guess I'm trying to figure out whether its a conincidence or not & if what you said is likely or not.

Hmm... guess I'll call the AA or some other mobile mechanic?

1st car I've had that wont start on me.

[BZG Wagon]

Got it to start - just pushed it and pushed it to turn over with a foot full of throttle and it finally went.

Sounded like it was running on 3 cyclinders, smoke pouring out of the exhaust and a bit from the engine --> almost sufficated myself in the garage but after 30 seconds it started to run right again. Once it was warm I turned it off and restarted it again with no trouble.

Will let it sit for a while then take it for a 'test drive'. Might book it in with Northwestern Toyota for a quick look over & it may be a good time to replace the plugs.

Did I flood an EFI car?

[fivebob]

Did I flood an EFI car?

Sounds very much like it. Perhaps you have a leaking injector. Either that or no spark for long enough to flood the engine

[Mr Revhead]

are you running iridium plugs?

[matt dunn]

We have had a run of flodded Audi's in at work lately,

Too many keys on the rey ring causes the transponder chip to not read,
and the immobiliser kills spark but not fuel and they foul the plugs.

Have done three in the few months,

Tow them back to the workshop, remove and clean the plugs,
and take the keys off the key ring and they go.

Not old crappy models either, all the same about 1999-2000 A6's.

So yes EFI cars can flood.

[BZG Wagon]

are you running iridium plugs?

No idea. It had newish looking plugs in it when I bought the car but I'm not sure what they are.

The car is due for a service so I might pop some new plugs in it this week.

Why's that?

[Mr Revhead]

the electrode on iridiums are very small.
makes it easy to foul them up if you have some issues.
so the first problem you had may have fouled them leading to the 2nd.
saw this on a legacy recently, took the apprentice working of it a few days to work it out

basicly the same thing matt is talking about

[Lloyd]

Plenty of cars do it, especially ones that get a start just to move them around a workshop or car yard