Zero revs!
 

Hi guys,

My Type RA (97) has recently started cutting out; the first time happened when i went back to it after it'd be parked for an hour: turned the key but it wouldn't tick over (revs stayed at zero), left it for a few minutes, went back and it started straight away. A day or so after it happened again only this time it cut out in slow moving traffic, but like before, i tried it again and it started.

Not being a mechanical person at all, i was wondering if someone could suggest what to look at or what might be wrong (give me some ammo to take to a garage and hopefully not get ripped off)?

Thanks for looking!

Kel

Did it start the first time? You said it didn't tick over, but did it start?

I've had a few probs where;

I start the car
Remember I have my gear lock on
switch off straight away
5 seconds later switch it back on and the bugger just turns over, and splutters to a start.

I've heard this happen to a few others and it appears to be a vapour type lock. Which could explain the car dying when moving (but only after a few seconds/minutes after setting off)

This may also happen if you blip the throttle before switching off.

But if it doesn't even turn over (ie engine dead and just a click from the electrics) then this may be different.

Sorry I missed this mate, but I don't ususally come into this section as I'm no help either when it comes to technical stuff!

Al.

Al,

I turned the key and the car simply wouldn't rev/fire up. So i never got the engine started the first time. I tried it again and it started no problem.

When it cut out while driving in traffic, that happened about 30 minutes into the journey :( There was no spluttering when it died, it simply dropped the revs to zero and when i pressed the pedal they wouldn't increase, so the car rolled to a stop.

Any more ideas buddy?

Cheers

Kel

But the engine turns over?

eg you get the noise you get just before it fires up?

If the engine turns over but doesn't start or fire up, this may indicate a similar fuel problem to mine... it could indicate an electric fault where there isn't a spark to ignite the fuel.. keep it turning it over and you may hear it attempt to fire and eventualy splutter into life.. if this happens then it's fuel.. a fuel prob would alo mean it cuts out and dies with no revs as there is no fuel to run it. Re-starting it a few seconds later could mean that you have some air in the pipes causing the vapour / fuel lock.

If the engine doesn't turn over at all and is dead completely, then that could be battery / electrical problems.

Not much help here mate, I'm no mechanic and I'd need to see/hear the problem.

You in the AA/RAC? Give em a call the second it happens again. Just leave it off and call them.