MK 3 CAVALIER 225K NON START INTERMITTENTLY.

[nms11]

Hello, Nigel here. I have a mk 3 20ne motronic (I think) and have enjoyed it and your forum for a long time.

I recently sorted an issue which has been driving me mad for several months. Well, I believe I have sorted it. Given a few people have queried non starts, poor running etc and various solutions have or may have materilised i thought I would let you know what the symptoms on mine were and how I solved it. Hopefully it it is not a repeat - apologies if it is.. But it may help some one.

Symptoms were:- runs ok but bit hesitant when cold and not its usual lively self when warm. I just thought it was that time for service and or new engine!! Six months ago ran as described then on trying to restart wouldnt even fire. No spark, no fuel. Nothing. But would turn over and apparently all the dash lights came on ok. then six hours later started again and ran as described. Four months later same. But less hours to get restart ok. Then began to do it more regularly and I couldn't trust it to go any where.

It eventually just wouldn't start at all. went for the usual engine earths, CTS, Crank sensor, fuel injection engine earths included a couple on the back of the rocker cover top which were well oily and i hadn't seen before, general wiring etc, etc. nothing. Even the paper clip test did not give any fault codes.

It would start occasionally and run ok but not its usual lively self. Then same wouldn't run again.

So I decided it was a dry solder in the ecu as had happened on a calibra ecotoc I had a few years ago. On that one I tried everything and found that when it ran if i tapped the ecu it stopped. Turned out to be faulty soldered joint.

So I took out the ecu and noticed by chance above it a couple of thin brown earths wired onto a small screw onto the A pillar right at the top below the screen. They looked well rusted and turned out I could turn them by finger. They look factory, they look to go into the loom, so they could be factory or could be a later by some one else.

Cleaned them up and I then noticed - should have noticed this before - that the mil light was now coming on again with the ignition lights before I tried to turn it over. This I now remembered was not happening - only when it would n't start. it would start if that mil light illuminated on turning on the ignition before trying the starter. .

Put everything back in and has started fine for the last week . Dash lights brighter, excellent cold start first turn, excellent cold running no hesitiation, excellent hot running too!!

Need less to say that I am very pleased.

Hope this may help some one. I would advise all to check these earths because they are in line of fire for any water/ condensation in that A pillar area.

best regards and thank you the chance to chat and the effort you guys put in. The chats have helped me many times. N.