406 Breakdown, help needed

[Zippokovich]

My 406 has broken down

I was doing 60 on an A road at 12 midnight and suddenly notice the speed dropping and loosing power. I tried flooring it and then tried clutching - at which point the revs dropped off rapidly until the car totally stalled, still doing 45.

I steered it into a little field entrance and turned everything off. When i tried ignition again the starter turned over no problem but the engine wouldn't. I tried several times and most times it would splutter for a second and then die again immediately.

Not knowing what to do i called for a pick up and my dad towed me home, but he has no idea what could be wrong ether.

Its a 51 1.8 petrol LX and has never had any problems starting or anything like this.

It has had an as yet unidentified antipollution fault but the light was out and has been for over 2 weeks

[steve_earwig]

Oh no, sudden death without any clues. Yeah, I'd be scratching my head too Give me a set of points and a carb and I know what I'm doing but "modern" engines? Where do you start?! The usual things to look for are fuel, spark and compression but I'm not really sure if the first two are going to be easy, although I'd think there's no reason for you to suddenly loose compression unless your cam belt snapped and I'd think you'd know all about that.

I suppose it can't hurt to have a peer about under the bonnet and see if a connector's loose or something. The fuel pump relay is in the same box as the engine management, in the black box on the r/h inner wing. Also, some have a cut out switch on the l/h suspension turret which seem to occasionally have issues.

SO, fuel. Can you hear the pump run when you turn the ignition on? It's under the back seat, so pull this up for a better listen if necessary. Haynes says there's a Schrader valve on the fuel rail for depressurizing the system so give it a prod with a match and see if anything comes out (ignition off, of course).

The real problem is going to spark, I'd imagine you have a coil pack sitting over your cylinders which makes things difficult, to say the least. The output from this is likely to send you off to meet your maker too.

Hth.

[swiss]

Indeed, as the man says: fuel, air, ignition.

Now, some of you may have realised that petrol enjins are not my thing. But with me lumpy old diesel, I could easily prove the fuel by slacking the injector unions one by one and checking that HP fuel pisses out (technical term) of each when the lump is turned over. Check the filter, too.

Regarding air, I would check the filter and see about performing a compression test.

Unfortunately as far as ignition is concerned I would have to contact the local witchdoctor. You could always replace the spark plugs, though, if they're not too deeply buried. If it is a loose electrical connection, you're gonna have fun finding it.

GL!

[jasper5]

Check the spark first, take out a coil pack/plug lead, push a good spark plug into the lead/pack then hold the lead/pack resting the plug onto a good earth, get someone to turn over the engine via the key and look for a spark at the plug.

No spark could be a faulty crank sensor amongst other things.

A good spark means you can move on to fuel system.

[steve_earwig]

I thought electronic ignitions don't like being fired without plugs in

What about a jump lead? One end around the plug, the other to a good earth? I'd think that was a safer way of doing it...

[jasper5]

The electronic ignition is not affected by plugs in or out, the spark should be there if all is working correctly.

If you are bothered about touching a plug lead or coil pack, then use the jump lead method, I always use the method I posted, but by all means feel safe about what you are doing.The coil pack lead is insulated, but stay safe.

[puggy]

Ah the old touch the engine with plug trick done that a few times over the years
been a quick cheap test , after several shocks i used pliars with rubber coating
on the handles

[jasper5]

You haven't lived 'til you have had shock from a plug lead

The last garage I worked in, we had a very cheeky 16 year old girl in the office, to get back at her cheeky ways, we used to charge up a condensor (when ignition systems had points and condensors for you young folks) by plugging the wire into a plug lead and holding the metal body to earth, then running the engine.

Leaving it on her desk, she would pick it up and when she touched both the wire and the metal body it would discharge the current and give her a nice shock

Seriously, do take care with high tension plug leads.

[steve_earwig]

Ht leads? Pfft, you've not lived 'til you've been degaussed

[Zippokovich]

FALSE ALARM guys!

The dam thing was out of fuel despite reading 1/4 of a tank. So it not appears i have a gauge problem >

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7755

Cheers for the responses to this anyway, my come in handy one day - or to someone using search!

[teamster1975]

Ht leads? Pfft, you've not lived 'til you've been degaussed

[steve_earwig]

Leave the television a while before you start to dismantle it

Chucked me across the room that did

[teamster1975]

Leave the television a while before you start to dismantle it

Chucked me across the room that did

I wondered whether it was a telly when I read it. You poor sod Steve!
Always put the fear of good into me doing CRT repairs.

[mjb]

I've always said the 2 things that scare me are big capacitors and big springs

[swiss]

HP steam. You don't know there's a leak till it's sliced your legs off

Glad the motor's ok, Zippo. You're not the only one here having trouble with your Lie Gauge