First start oddness

[RichLV]

Hi folks.

Need some of your insightful advices at the moment. So I've assembled the car and primed the pump, got oil flowing around. Then we tried to start it. And it does not start. So the stuff is as follows:

1. The dashboard is dead. Only the speedo side works. Autocheck, trip comp, tacho, all of the other gauges including auxiliaries are just dead and don't move at all. It's not good since I cannot see the oil signal, pressure, temperature etc. which I must monitor during the first warmup. Funny thing is that I haven't touched the speedo in months.

2. The car does not start. It cranks, while it cranks some bubbly sounds come out of the exhaust, but it doesn't start. I've hooked up VCDS to check maybe some faults are present, but no, nothing but the standard G28 since the car isn't started. Fuel rail is under pressure, I checked it by loosening the bolt at the end a bit and it sprinkled violently, so that rules out dead fuel pump or G28 issues. Haven't checked for spark yet, will do that tomorrow.

Would really appreciate where the start looking on the speedo and what to do if there's no spark and no faults on G40 or G4 are logged.

Thanks!

[220bhp]

Which engine ,3B , ABY, ANN.

[220bhp]

I see its an AAN. have checked and cleaned the earth connections. This stopped mine from starting. Recheck the timing. Can you smell petrol out the exhaust.

[andyg plym]

It wouldn't be the "motor" fuses would it ? Had similar when I put my engine back in just cranked and wouldn't fire.

Also check the wiring on the g28, had mine break after getting caught between engine and gearbox

[RichLV]

I'll check the engine fuses at the ECU. Although I have the thermofuses there, they should be working unless overheated.

I went over the timing 3 times. Both on the crank and the cam and also the fake dizzy. Strangely enough it doesn't stink of fuel when cranked. If by earth connections you mean those which are at the intake manifold then they are clean.

The dashboard stuff worries me too, don't even know where to start looking at that. I'll try hooking up my old S4 dash, see if it works. If not then that's a pity...

[martinws]

Possibly the 2 white plugs going to the coils the wrong way around. I had this with mine and got a no start but plenty of farts from the exhaust.

[RichLV]

That's just the power to the coils, wasnt it that it can be connected in any combination?

I've hooked up my old dash and it's the same. Nothing is coming alive when I turn the key. For some reason horn also does not work, only the relay clicks and it makes no sound.


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[UrS4boy]

Potential solutions to why your 20VT'd S-car isn't starting

That's just the power to the coils, wasnt it that it can be connected in any combination? I've hooked up my old dash and it's the same. Nothing is coming alive when I turn the key. For some reason horn also does not work, only the relay clicks and it makes no sound.

The two white connectors on an UrS firewall connector rack are the coil power wires and it does NOT matter which one goes where. The wiring harness side has all three pins powered in both of the harness connectors.

Not sure why it would happen but often electrical weirdness in a C4 is because the electrical portion ignition switch has failed. Relatively easy fix with the instrument cluster out:

http://12v.org/urs/IgnitionSwitchReplacementDIY.pdf

Once you get the power to the instrument cluster sorted, you might want to go through this:

Potential solutions to why your 20VT'd S-car isn't starting:

http://forums.quattroworld.com/s4s6/msgs/210191.phtml

[SashaG]

Failed relay in the back of the ignition barrel would be my theory. It's the cause of tons of these issues.

[HORCH]

I was going to say an earth, or faulty ignition barrell

[UrS4boy]

Failed relay in the back of the ignition barrel would be my theory. It's the cause of tons of these issues.

I was going to say an earth, or faulty ignition barrell

There aren't any "relay"s at the back of the ignition barrel. And igntion barrels to me = the part that contains the key tumblers (Item 3 below)

The part that fails and causes all the issues is the ignition switch (Item 5 below) The casing cracks and the spring doesn't pull the switch back to RUN after it is released from the START position.

Item 5 is usually what fails:

REFERENCES:

Anatomy of a damaged ignition lock/steering wheel lock assembly

Ignition switch replacement guide (C4 example)

[RichLV]

It's long solved. Old fuel (9 months) was the problem. Pumped it out, filled it with fresh one and it started from half of a key turn.

[HORCH]

There aren't any "relay"s at the back of the ignition barrel. And igntion barrels to me = the part that contains the key tumblers (Item 3 below)

The part that fails and causes all the issues is the ignition switch (Item 5 below) The casing cracks and the spring doesn't pull the switch back to RUN after it is released from the START position.

Item 5 is usually what fails:

Yep, thats the part I meant, should've been more specific
Happened on my dad's 80 and lights and a couple of other things I can't remember now, would'nt work.

Glad the cars fixed anyway