non starter

Hi can anyone help, started my m plate t5 up yesterday morning it fired for about 2 seconds then just stoped. Now all it does is just turn over. I have got spark and fuel belt is not broken or anything obvious, doesnt even seem like it is trying. This is the first time it has let me down.thanks for any ideas

My da's 850 was a pain for this, check fault codes, i'd near say its crank pos sensor missing, did you move the car last time it was started? of just move it a very short distance? This being the car, attach something strong to the fron tof it by a heafty rope and take it a drag, it will start with in the lenght of itself. Happened to me a few times, sometimes it'll start by alot of cranking, but twice i had to tow it. Something to do with sticky valves, there was some recall years ago for new cyl heads, so i'm told anyway

Cheers i will give that a try maybe that as i washed it on the drive then started it up and moved it to park it about 5 feet.thanks

Thats excatly what it is then, take it a drag, usually starts in the lenght of its self, but last time it happened, he towed it 4 miles and only started after he gave up and was nearly in the drive way again. Let me know how you get on lad.

Hi ive tryed moving it about still nothing and i have done diagnostics check it is saying front and rear knock sensors. My management light as been on for a while when i did a check a bit back it told me that it was the front knock sensor but it didnt miss a beat or make any difference to performance. Now it is telling me both would this stop it starting now.thanks

No, the knock sensors will not stop it starting or running although the ECU will be in 'limp home' mode. Although you may not realise it now, the engine will be quite a bit down on power with the knock sensor(s) in error as the ECU will adjust the engine map away from performance and towards safe running.

hi i have got it started eventually just kept cranking it over and over with jump leads. took ages.but went in the end.strange because it is fine now.i will have to get those knock sensors sorted any idea how much they are? thought that it maybe a little down on power.cheers

You didnt tow it far enough then, the knock sensors afaik wont cause that problem, sounds identicial to what i described above

Same problem here. Pushed it in neutral about one carlength, and it fired right up. I thought it was a battery problem at first, but everything electric worked, except when you turn the ignition there is no response, it just sits there and looks at you. As soon as I pushed it, it started up normally. The frustrating thing is that it is totally intermittant, and happens at random times for no apparent reason. My mechanic thought it was a neutral postion switch, but also said they rarely go bad. I'm still puzzled.