General Brava engine has cut out!

[windrush]

Hi guys, could do with some advice please. My mate phoned me today saying that his 1.6 S reg Brava had started ok and then after a few seconds it started mis-firing and stopped. I went to have a look but he had run the battery low, with the ignition switched on you could hear a "buzzing" under the rear of the car for a second or two and then the buzzing stopped. I am guessing that was the fuel pump so I assume that is working, I have put the battery on charge overnight but I was wondering what else can have failed. I put a cambelt on it a couple of months ago and the cams are still rotating ok, could it be a cam or crank sensor fault? I think that I will pull a plug lead off and try another plug in the end to see if there is a spark tomorrow but any other ideas are welcomed! Why do cars act up when the weather is bloomin freezing eh!!
Thank's for reading this.

Pete.

 

[rallycinq]

Could be crank sensor, but you are right to check the spark first.

Cheers

SPD

 

[windrush]

Thank's for the reply. Well I charged the battery, pulled a plug lead off and tried for a spark with a spare plug and everything appeared ok. I tried to start it and it spun over and kept firing and finally it started, some knocking from the engine for a second or two (which I assumed was unburnt fuel) and it starts and runs fine now. I am getting it tested for fault code tomorrow as the owner is worried that it may re occour. It did cut out on the M6 at 60 mph a couple of years ago, he pulled on to the hard shoulder and it restarted and has been fine, until now! Take some finding these intermitant faults.
I may put a crank sensor on anyway just to eliminate it, do you use genuine Fiat ones or buy them from a parts supplier?

Pete.

 

[windrush]

Well I took the car to my local garage today but they were unable to read the codes as the diagnostic point is different from their code reader, so I am just going to "let it develop" and if it acts up again I will try a crank sensor. I guess that after 12 years it could probably do with one, I assume that they must fail at times.

Pete.

 

[rallycinq]

It can be as simple as muck or water confusing the sensor.

Find a good autospark and he should be able to test the crank sensor.

Cheers

SPD