(T) cinq wouldn't start this morning!

I cant believe it, after years of my cinq starting everyday it wouldnt fire up this morning!

I normally use it everyday for 2hrs of commuting but it has sat unused for 10 days over christmas and now it wont start up. The starter motor is trying but the engine wont turn.

The water in the rad reservoir is low even though i topped it up last week, the head gasket was done 20K miles ago so could it have gone again? the oil looks fine no sign of any water getting in, it has been leaking oil alot for a bit, not sure if this could be the problem?

i have sprayed wd40 over the electrics too,

any ideas?

thanks

nath

When you say it didn't fire up,do you mean it wouldn't turn over or it wouldn't start?

If the first, the battery has probably died.

Otherwise, try and start it. Pull a spark plug out. Is it wet (smelling of petrol and wet) or dry.

Get back with the answer.

batt is new and the starter motor sounding fine just the engine not turning, will take a plug out tomorrow,

thanks

It sounds (sorry) as though the starter motor is turning, but not engaging.

If there's a long hill nearby (and someone with a car and towrope to pull you back if need be) try bump starting it.

If it fires up, we know it's something to do with the starter.

How can the starter sound fine, but the engine's not turning. Sorry don't understand.

Cheers

D

i'm learning slowly with all this so i might sound like i'm talking rubbish but i know what i mean, when it tries to start the engine moves slightly on its mounts, is this show the starter motor is working fine?

thanks

Can you see the belt that drives the alternator turning when you try to start it?

Cheers

D

do you mean it turns over like its trying to start but doesn't fire up??

is it just a faint whirring noise when you try to start? if you put it on flat land in first with the handbrake off and clutch up, does the car jolt if you try start it? (not a great test - ideally you want the front end up on axle stands and see if the wheels move.)

right folks, havent had the time to look at it today, i'm gonna get the RAC out tomorrow and see what they say, hoping its not too serious!

thanks

nath

Tried foot to the floor on the accelerator when starting up?

I GOT IT STARTED!

Thought i would try a one more thing before i called the RAC and reset the fuel cut off switch under the dash. After a couple of seconds pumping it started straight away and idled normally,

any ideas as to why it would have cut off? maybe just the cold weather or something more sinister?

nath

does it start normally, after u switch it off and on again ??? If not i think is the starter motor, as that's what happened to me before.

And that fuel cut off light (i think that is the managment light ?), if it is i don;t think RAC can get it off.