General Sciento wont start!!!

[m_loades]

Hi there!

I recently bought an 'S' reg Sciento sporting as a project. Main problem is it doesnt start. it had been stood for 4 months and when the previous owner tried to start it it wouldnt. i have swapped most of the sensors, coil packs even the injector from a scrap punto but it still doesnt start. i cant get my head round it... timing is right, compression is good, fuel pump works, good spark at the plugs. i've reached a hurdle at the ecu. could this be the problem? if i turn the ignition on and off about 5 times i can get it to fire sometimes. not very often but once its running it runs fine! took it for a drive and it is great! when you try to start it from 1 turn of the ignition it tries to fire, just the spark seems to late. almost like the it is retarded too much?????? i do not have the red key. looking at other forum q's i dont think this is the problem... just givin you a heads up on the situation. any help will be appreciated! cheers, Matt

 

[GhostWKD]

fuel filter maybe?

sounds like its a fuelling problem, like when you start a lawn mower you're effectively priming it by turning key few times then starting, as that feeds petrol in at the turn of the key... so i'd say either fuel filter restricting most of it so it trickles through, or a sticky relay maybe (take it you get the whirrr when you turn the key to first stop bit?)

defo start at fuel filter for me though

 

[m_loades]

hi,

thanks for the reply, i have got fuel at the throttle body (took the pipe off and it poured fuel through when i turned the key. once the car starts it revs up to 5000rpm quite happily! if there was a fuel problem wouldnt it cough and splutter?

cheers

 

[GhostWKD]

it may be that there is fuel but not enough fuel pressure, if timing is right and a good spark its the only thing it can be does it throw up any warning lamps at all? (injector warning light or anything?)

 

[The Sultan]

the 899cc engines had a comon problem with the rpm sensor wiring caching on the alternator belt

i'm guesing it is a 1242 from the punto ecu swap thou

 

[frenchwood]

Sounds like it could be the cold start function playing merry hell and not giving enough fuel.

What motor is in it and what mods?

If it is the ECU it's a pain in the ass to swap because of coded key - You'll need the lockset too!

Could be fuel return... ie not enough pressure on the fuel line which is causing it to run lean until you effectively flood it. Have you swapped out the Fuel relays? if not give it a go, as a weak electrical signal will screw up the fuel at TB even if you are getting fuel at initial prime.