Doesn't start

[stormbind]

It turns over but won't fire.

If I leave it for a while, it starts. In that time, I might spray it with Easy Start (well the RAC did that today) or top-up the oil (which it burns almost as fast as petrol), or buy a chocolate bar.

One of these activities, or none of them, is the reason why the car decides to start.

My lunch today was extended by an hour while I waited in a car park for the RAC to help start it. I urgently need to make this old Rover more reliable.

Professional Opinions

Garage 1: Perfect car - no idea what's wrong. Maybe a dodgy piston ring but its passing all compression tests. Will rebuild engine for £1200.

Garage 2: Perfect car - no idea what's wrong. Maybe a dodgy piston ring but its passing all tests. Advised to sell because buyer won't find anything wrong with it (and it has 12 months MOT). The tyres, clutch and battery are all young too.

RAC: Weird car - no idea what's wrong. Didn't start, then started - but no idea why. He thought it might be a dodgy Longbridge fuel pump so opened the rear and found it was the Cowley part. He said the day it refuses to start is the day it can be diagnosed and fixed!

Help!

Can you please suggest what I can do to fix it sooner rather than later?

It might start in the morning... or it might not... don't know if I'll be at work at 9am or 11am...

Thanks.

[James.uk]

When you start it with easy start, does it continue to run?

Sounds elec to me, mech things don't usually run again once they are broken..

Help will be along shortly..

PS. Ignore AA men, they are not usually allowed out without a keeper.. innit..
...

[stormbind]

Yeah it ran perfectly after starting. The RAC guy even turned it off and re-started the engine many times to see if the engine would misbehave - but it was very well behaved and he was baffled.

The fault is intermittent. It refused to start twice today, but it can also go for weeks without complaint.

Oil on the plugs?

The car is losing a lot of oil (1L - 2L per day), which the garages say is definitely not a leak. As I said, it uses oil almost as quickly as petrol, and I thought the spark-plugs might be covered in oil and unable to fire. How would I prove/fix that? It's done 75,000 miles.

.. but it drives well

Oh and it passes emissions tests too - garages found not even a hint of a problem. Mechanic said " don't know how much its worth but its very comfortable and drives really well ". I feel I will have to buy some other car if I cannot fix this fault. I like the Rover 75 and don't want another car

[MangoMan]

If it is using 1 - 2 lts a day it would be leaving pools everywhere or it would be dripping out of the exhaust! Plus loads of smoke!!! I'm afraid oil just doesn't dissapear???

Starting issue sounds like Cam Sensor which gives intermittant starting problems.... Especially when engine is hot.

[stormbind]

Originally Posted by MangoMan

Starting issue sounds like Cam Sensor which gives intermittant starting problems.... Especially when engine is hot.

Ah ok, maybe cam sensor - good idea. How much would that cost?

Originally Posted by MangoMan

If it is using 1 - 2 lts a day it would be leaving pools everywhere or it would be dripping out of the exhaust! Plus loads of smoke!!! I'm afraid oil just doesn't dissapear???

Sadly I have had this conversation a few times already. Right after the mechanics explain to me,

"I needed to put 2L of oil in your car!"

I reply with,

".. and I put in 2L yesterday!!"

To that the mechanic inevitably answers,

".. well its not coming out of the engine so its being burnt. There is no leak and there is no where else it can go, except the gear box!" (they joke)

Aside from the gear box reservoir..

Maybe the spark plugs are drowning in the stuff? I can go 30 miles and the oil level will drop from MAX to below the dip-stick with not a drip of oil anywhere and not an sniff of smoke. You are welcome to join the queue of mechanics who have driven my car if you like?

I wondered if the sump area (bottom of dip stick) could get blocked because when I take the stick out its oiled almost to the handle/ring. I clean it, put it back, and when I take it back out apparently there is no oil! Maybe there is a blockage and oil is only getting to the dip-stick when its under pressure?

All change

... it had its last full oil change about 10 months ago. I wondered if having the 11-year old (75,000 mile) engine flushed would make matters worse?

[MangoMan]

Well, that is mighty strange!

I remember a friend of mine had an old car that used to, as he put it, drink oil! I tell you, you didn't want to be behind this thing on the road, it was bad!!! And he used to complain that he had to put in about a pint a week, yes a PINT!

And you just dump a tablespoonfull of dirty oil on your drive! It looks like a damn sight more than that I can assure you. So to say that you are putting in 2 lts a day! The car only takes just over 5 from empty!

I'm sorry, but I would have to see it to believe it.

And as you've said the Cam Sensor has been mentioned a few times before, so it would be a good idea to change it......

[stormbind]

Originally Posted by MangoMan

I'm sorry, but I would have to see it to believe it.

I'm around Guildford at the moment (but can be in Ipswich or London at times) so if anyone wants to believe then put your name below. Car is parked at Surrey Research Park most days.



Believe in the Rover V6 that runs on synthetic..

[Robson Rover Repair]

Edited. Wrong fault.

[chrissyboy]

this has to be a wind up ,innit if no oil is leaking from the car then it can only be getting burnt as bill says your see clouds of smoke coming from the back .

[danmayberry]

my transit engined ldv uses a gallon of oil a month,and doesn't reek or leek