Jump to content

Spark REFUSE to cold start


Recommended Posts

Spark issue

I am absolutely at my wits end, and ready to burn my car, any help would be greatly appreciated.

I have had CONSTANT problems with my car now for exactly one year.

HISTORY:

Last year March/April I did a long 700km drive. The car was running perfectly fine. On the morning I left, to drive back, the car would not start. I assumed it was the cold (also at a high altitude). I got people to push start me, bad the car started, although it was very difficult.

I then drove back the 700km, and the car gave no problems. It started every time I switched off. When I reached my destination again, and the car cooled down, it would not start AT ALL

I took the car to a mechanical workshop where they proceeded to con me into changing the rings at only 120 000km, telling me that that was the problem.

The rings were changed, and less than a week later I had the same problem. I took it back to the workshop, and they proceeded to tell me that it was not the thermostat the regulates the starting, apparently there are 2 on a Spark.

I feel that was the problem all along and they just changed the rings to make money.

Anyway, they put in a new thermostat and the starting was fine for a while and then again, NO COLD STARTING. Once the car has started it would start all day, but refuse to start in the mornings.

By now I was tired of the mechanic and took it to the Chevy dealer, who hooked it up to the computer and could not find anything wrong. They did a compression test and found there was NO compression on the cylinders.

Needless to say, I took it back the mechanic to fix, as they changed the rings on it for no reason and now I had no compression. I was told that the valve clearances was not properly set (by them), and they reset it.

Once again, the car worked for a while, and then refused to start. This time I decided to avoid the dodgy mechanic as well as the Chevy dealer and took it to another company. They found again, the valve clearance was not set properly, and set it.

The car worked perfectly for a few months, and as soon as I did the long drive again, the 700km drive, once I arrived, and the car cooled down, it refused to start.

I took it to the local town mechanic, who though it was the idle control valve, I changed the idle control valve, and the car started, I drove it for 180 km, and now it once again refuses to cold start.

If I crank the engine for a very long time, it does eventually splutter start, and will take after about 5-10 min of cranking, but this damages the starter and battery. I am really tired of this. I cannot touch the petrol pedal at all when starting, otherwise it floods. I have to crank solidly for a long time, and then the car slowly starts. If I touch the petrol/gas pedal, it just dies. So you crank for a long time and leave it to pick up revs.

I also smell petrol, and it would seem that the car is getting too much fuel at start up, flooding it.

Either that or the valve clearance changes whenever I drive long distance.

Can anyone please give me some guidance or help, as no mechanic can figure out what is wrong, and I am about to burn my car.

How do I set the amount of fuel the car gets at startup?

Link to post
Share on other sites

I just noticed you have the 2003-3cyl-800cc model of which I know nothing about. However, if the car runs fine after it starts..well, you can be pretty sure the engine is OK and a mechanic telling you you have "NO compression", well you drove the car there so that is nonsense as no compression would mean the car would not start or run at all. Obviously your problem is only starting and then it runs fine..so maybe throttle air control when starting as you smell gas. If an engine needs spark, compression, air and gas to start and run, it must be no air or spark on starting as we have ruled out gas and compression. No air, I doubt..but maybe the spark ignition works fine when running but no spark when cranking..that, not knowing your specific car and sensor types you have, is my best guess and after 45yrs of working on just about every kind of internal combustion engines from monster aircraft to family sedan to tiny hobby 4 strokes..I am pretty good at finding out what is going on with most issues since the principles of the internal 4 stroke engine have not changed since they were invented...So try having someone look at your ignition system since it runs fine after it starts and starting is all about the ignition system..hope that helps somewhat to get you going in the right direction before shady mechanics rebuild your entire engine, leaving you broke and homeless, and it still wont start.

Edited by Retired old Gearhead
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...