Hi,

1999 4.0 V8 won’t start after the battery died from being left a few weeks. Charged the battery up and it cranks, sometimes catches but never runs, what I’ve done so far:

• Fuel pump relay tested, can hear pump working
• inertia switch - button presses
• spark tested - I have spark (though plugs not in best shape, looks a little weak but don’t have a reference)
• fuel pressure - 38psi, jumps to 41-42 when cranking but stable, doesn’t drop if left for 5-10 mins
• injectors - fuses and relays checked, can hear them clicking when cranking
• spraying carb cleaner into the cylinder and it will start (again confirming spark) but dies straight away
• taken plugs out and added a little oil to check for bore wash - no luck

I’m a bit stumped on what to try next! Car ran fine before battery died, so although the plugs look dirty I wouldn’t expect it to stop the car running at all.

Has anyone got any ideas?

Thanks

 

Check the CPS (crank positioning sensor) and clean it as well. Also, be sure your TB is opening, another member went through numerous checks only to find out the butterfly had affixed itself shut from soot.

In saying to that, check the pins on your TPS, are known to create issues....the replacements are gold tipped

 

Hello,
I am having the same issues, and have done the same thing. Can you explain to me what how to check the CPS and the TPS please? Thanks so much

 

Just what is says, check and clean the CPS (crank positioning sensor) and connection at TPS (throttle positioning sensor).

This is from the X308 Workshop Manual, which cannot be uploaded here because its too large. But can be found where there's a Dropbox link to do so.

 

Finally managed to take a look - I can’t see how to get the crankshaft sensor out without also removing the steering rack? Seeing as the workshop manual doesn’t say you need to, and other posts don’t suggest anyone else had any difficulty I must be missing something?!

 

Disconnect the maf and give it a try

 

So this one is solved and is not what I expected, I decided to drain some fuel into a container to check fuel flow, this is what I found:




(The crud is just because I used a dirty container, it's the milkiness)

Last time I checked petrol was clear! Suspicion was water in the fuel, started to drain it into a Jerry can so I could put some fresh fuel in, whilst I was waiting I took at look at the cap:



That would do it! Drain hole blocked + sitting for a couple of weeks caused contaminated fuel, after draining and putting some fresh fuel in, it started up. Ran a bit rough for a while but not is pretty much fine!