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1992 Vitara won't start or run once started
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Author:  Pitchfork [ Fri Sep 28, 2018 1:37 pm ]
Post subject:  1992 Vitara won't start or run once started
My first post..

Car:
1992 Vitara 2dr, soft-top, 4 cyl 1.6 Carburettor, located in Australia. Engine plate shows engine as as G16A and type ETA01C, built Sep 92. Engine number 306210.

Back story:
It's my friend's car which I am helping her try to get going. They have owned the car 18 years. It was not used for 6 months then tried to start and wouldn't so they called out the roadside assistance who told them it was a fuel pump issue. The fuel pump was replaced with a brand new one, the car still failed to start.

Car has then sat for 12 months with no use.

Current situation:
I have replaced the battery with a new one, the old was dead. It turns over but not start, I kept trying and eventually it started twice from about 15 attempts. Both times it ran for approx 30 secs and then died.

Called a mobile mechanic, he confirmed weak spark, cleaned distributer cap and rotor arm, spark improved and he says sufficient.

Spray starter fluid into the air intake, the car starts and runs as long you are spraying it. Revving it slightly sounded very rough.

He advised he believes fuel is arriving through the fuel pump to the carburettor. He believes the issue is inside the carburettor which is not letting fuel through and says we need a new carb or get the existing one cleaned/rebuilt.

Called a carby rebuild guy, $450 estimate "if it needs 2 new diaphragms - worst case". He told me to drain the fuel tank and change the fuel filter before doing anything further.

Questions:
- Does this seem like a good diagnosis?
- Is a carburetor rebuild likely to resolve the issue?
- Could this be a problem with something else like a sensor or ECM?

Thanks in advance for your opinions, I'm a bit stuck!
Author:  bumstein [ Fri Sep 28, 2018 4:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 1992 Vitara won't start or run once started
Pitchfork wrote:
Questions:
- Does this seem like a good diagnosis?
- Is a carburetor rebuild likely to resolve the issue?
- Could this be a problem with something else like a sensor or ECM?


Welcome Pitchfork!

Do you have a zook too? If not I reckon you need one in your life..

Answer to your questions;
Yes
Maybe and
Yes, although being a carby model I don’t think there will be an ECU driving it.

Diagnosing anything like this is a difficult process and needs to be systematic. The fact it runs on aerostart suggests it’s fuel rather than spark but this CANNOT be relied on as excluding of a spark issue. Confirm you have good spark, a google search will give you tonnes if info on how to do it.

I’m not sure I can find the problem for you without looking at the car, and quick disclaimer that Vitaras aren’t my thing I can’t comment of Vit specific issues.

Old fuel!!!!! First and foremost I’d dump the fuel from the tank and as much of the fuel line as possible. Old fuel doesn’t work and could be your issue, especially if it has been parked up for a while and worked fine before it was parked.

The tank could have water in it or be full of muck. So drain the tank, see what comes out and replenish with good fuel. Change your fuel filters while you’re there, it’s cheap and good practice.

I’d also look at disconnecting the fuel lines and blowing them out with compressed air. BUT!!!! Please be aware that fuel is flammable (even old fuel) and if you blow the lines out make sure you’re not blowing the vapor out onto anything hot. Seems obvious but I reckon it’s still worth a mention. Also, I’d blow the lines out in sections, excluding inline devices such as the fuel pump or filters. You dont have to blast it with 40 thousand PSI of pressure, but clear them out and see what comes out.

New filters and fuel, lines all connected again make sure you’re getting fuel back to the carby. Turn the motor and make sure the pump is pumping the new fuel from the tank all the way through to the carby. I tend to disconnect the fuel line where it enters the carby and poke the hose into an empty bottle, then you can see that the fuel is being pumped right up to the carby. Another disclaimer!!! DONT allow fuel to spill from there onto engine components such as the alternator, it will catch fire and burn your car to the ground. Be very careful if you decide to try this method, I don’t recommend it but I do do it.

Check any vacuum hoses or lines for a leak. A vacuum leak can be difficult to find and cause havoc! I had a vacuum line leaking air and stopped cylinders 1 and 2 misfiring.

If it still doesn’t run I’d suspect dirt or water has gotten into the carby. If you have the knowledge and skills to pull a carby apart and give it a cleanout then great. If not then perhaps consult a carby specialist, or if you can find one to borrow (someone might have a spary they can lend you to put on and try) before you get your carby rebuilt and confirm that this is or isn’t the problem.

See how you go with that lot, report back what you find and what you’ve done. It’s a process of elimination and I’m sure you’ll find the culprit.
Author:  Pitchfork [ Sat Sep 29, 2018 1:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 1992 Vitara won't start or run once started
Thanks for the advice bumstein, appreciate it. I'm not currently in a zook but this one will be mine to use indefinitely if we can get it going and rego'd so I have a vested interest in reviving it!

The lady that owns it has decided to put it through a blue slip at a local garage, depending on what shows up we'll decide if it's worth pursuing repairs. She's going to ask them to diagnose the starting issue as well and clean fuel tank, change fuel filter at same time. Will be awesome if the old fuel turns out to be the issue, we'll see.

It's going in for blue slip on Tues, we know it will fail but will see what shows up. It needs one anyway because the Reg has to be moved fro QLD to NSW if it's going to be used so it's not a total waste of time.
Author:  Pitchfork [ Thu Oct 04, 2018 9:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 1992 Vitara won't start or run once started
My friend has been busy with other stuff so car still not been for blue slip yet...will update once it does.
Author:  sathz [ Mon Jan 14, 2019 2:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 1992 Vitara won't start or run once started
Hi. Any updates on what yr vitara problem was?
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