Lord Geordie Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 After 3 years of owning my Cavalier and putting on around 10,000 miles (now sitting at just under 50,000 miles) it decided to **** out on me! :no: No warning no nothing! Went beating on Staurday Newcastle to Alnwick not a pick of bother and parked it up. Tried starting it today and it just turns over! Got a spark and I can see the injector throwing fuel into the venturi but it just wont fire up! Tried to crank, and you can hear there is compression but just splutters, Gave it a bump and away it went! Parked up and idled fine! Go to touch the accelerator and it just cuts out. Then it wont start again. I have serviced the car regular and when I bought it I fitted a brand new water pump, timing belt, tensioner, aux belt, tensioner, plugs, leads, coil, dizzy cap, oil, oil filter and air filter etc. the car when running smells VERY rich and is emitting quite a bit of rich smelling smoke! I believe either the head gasket has gone or perhaps a Cat failure! I am NOW having to look for a new car! I have been looking at the Peugeot 1.4 HDI models but only have a grand to spend! Might have to sell a few bits to get a new car now :no: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSS Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 Don't bother with anything peugeot, they're ****, take it from a bloke that has owned 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 Don't bother with anything peugeot, they're ****, take it from a bloke that has owned 2. Sam of all the cars ive had, ( not many) I miss my Peugeot the most, mind you it was a 205 1.9 gti Loved it. Poo of a shovel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzab Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 What makes you say head gasket buddy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 Check out the temp sensor first, sounds like it could be reading wrong and the Ecu fueling accordingly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munzy Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 (edited) Check out the temp sensor first, sounds like it could be reading wrong and the Ecu fueling accordinglySomething along these lines sounds right. If it idles fine but stalls on acceleration that must be a clue. How old is the car? Will give us a steer on what electronic witchcraft is likely to be inside. *just read Cavalier so guessing early 90's? Edited January 23, 2014 by Munzy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 Or indeed an air temp sensor Or fuel pressure regulator Something simple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 Just sounds like a fuelling problem, don't be to quick to ditch it yet. My old cavalier done the same thing and it was a small price of rubber got into the carb you couldnt see it till the carb eas out,cleaned out and ran fine. Figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunderbust Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 No matter how old it is the car has only 50thou on the clock. I am sure that as has been said it will be something simple and probably to do with the fuel system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88b Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 Or indeed an air temp sensor Or fuel pressure regulator Something simple That would be my guess too , first thing it to either get it plugged in or make sure every plug is pushed onto the sensors tight. Crank sensor is another possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delburt0 Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 I'll go for airflow meter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 That would be my guess too , first thing it to either get it plugged in or make sure every plug is pushed onto the sensors tight. Crank sensor is another possibility. I had a crank sensor failure, not quite these symptoms but these little sensors can certainly mess things up! Got mine on a diagnostic machine which flagged up the error code which shows which sensor was playing up. £25 for the new sensor in my case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 Don't bother with anything peugeot, they're ****, take it from a bloke that has owned 2. why did you get another after the first steaming heap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 I had Peugeot cars for best part of 20 years before going over to a big 4x4 for towing the boat trailer. In all that time I did one tappet adjuster screw on an old pushrod petrol 504 estate, cost me about £2 for a new one and half an hour to repair. Snapped a cam belt on a 406 estate due to not changing the belt so entirely my own fault. Apart from that they were faultless and I'd have another one tomorrow if I didn't still need the 4x4. They make some of the best turbo diesels out there and have done for some time now. I wouldn't want a vauxhall for a gift, my cavalier blew up and was generally an unreliable orrible heap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted January 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 What makes you say head gasket buddy? White smoke! I had a good long think last night and came to the conclusion that perhaps the cam sensor may have gave up? That would sent the timing out, Leading to unburned fuel down the exhaust "white smoke" and failure to start as it don't know when to spark! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted January 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 I'll go for airflow meter. mine is the C18NZ 1995 and is a 1.8 there is no MAF sensor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 I thought white smoke was because the engine was cold! black smoke for un burnt fuel. unless the white smoke is steam, does it smell Just realised thats diesels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted January 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 (edited) I wouldn't want a vauxhall for a gift, my cavalier blew up and was generally an unreliable orrible heap. How very Dare you Sir! Having had Peugeots before and no trouble other than part prices and design flaws with coil springs and ball joints they were fab! Since pasding my test I have had Astras mk1 mk2 mk3! Cavaliers Mk2 and mk3. I have also had the Chevettes and novas and even a Carlton. Non were any hassle and THIS is the first major issue I have ever had with a Vauxhall, With exception to the new Agila pile of poop! But having said that, the new 1.6hdi peugeots are a pile also. New cars in general in my view Edited January 23, 2014 by Lord Geordie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 The car should run with head gasket failure and just get excessively hot? Then again, you would have probably noticed if the head gasket was gone before total failure? I.e temp sensor running up and throwing coolant out the bottom etc... I tested my head gasket the fun way, rad cap off and start motor - blew a load of coolant out - proof enough. On further investigation I had 2 severe cracks. Your problem sounds fuel related, and possibly due to a sensor or a blockage somewhere perhaps? my motorbike had same symptoms before, but it was a snapped choke cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikk Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 White smoke sounds like water to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLuke Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 Then again, you would have probably noticed if the head gasket was gone before total failure? I.e temp sensor running up and throwing coolant out the bottom etc... Bum. Mine dropped coolant out last week, I put it down to having not used it much recently :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 Bum. Mine dropped coolant out last week, I put it down to having not used it much recently :( Could be, just because it dropped the coolant out doesn't mean every time its a HGF. It could be a split pipe? It's more if the expansion bottle boils like a kettle and pukes out all your coolant. My expansion bottle also had oily **** in it and smelled of exhaust smoke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLuke Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 Could be, just because it dropped the coolant out doesn't mean every time its a HGF. It could be a split pipe? It's more if the expansion bottle boils like a kettle and pukes out all your coolant. My expansion bottle also had oily **** in it and smelled of exhaust smoke. It's a car that hasn't seen much use of late but my GF has now taken it on as an every day car. May be best to get it looked at. Smell of fuel soon after starting too. I hate the expense of vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted January 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 It's a car that hasn't seen much use of late but my GF has now taken it on as an every day car. May be best to get it looked at. Smell of fuel soon after starting too. I hate the expense of vehicles. As said! Check hoses! Thermostat housing for cracks or hose to radiator joints for leakage. May even just be the rad leaking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted January 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 Well! Gonna get my shift out of the way "midnight finish" then tomorrow I am going to set about stripping the power steering pump, engine mount, out to get to the crank sensor. Will replace that and see how it goes! As I say it makes most sense, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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