'96 TE Magna Auto 154,000km's

So I picked my car up yesterday from the panel beaters (it was there for 5 days) and drove away, 2 minutes later my car just stops. I tried to start it but it didn't start you just hear the engine trying to start but it never does. RACV came and could not work out what it was, said it wasn't battery as my radio still works/lights/etc. In the end I got it towed home and I am going to get it towed to Eastside Mitsubishi dealer and have them look at it.

Do you guys have any idea what the problem could be? I've checked this site (http://martybugs.net/articles/magna-stall.cgi) but am not skilled enough to find out how to access the cables in that particular section of my car. Is disconnecting the battery a good idea and then plugging it back in (I also could not work out how to do this - yes I know I'm not car savvy) to reset the ECU?

Last question, do you guys reckon I should get it towed to my local mechanic who is around the corner or to the Mitsubishi dealer who are about 5km's away?

PPS. When I turn the key all the way to the right and the car is trying to start the engine light stays on in the middle console display not sure if this is normal or not. THANKS!

check the Fuel pump to see if its working

How? I'll google it.

What were they doing at the panel beaters? Take it up with them first.

Here is a list of things to check.

Fuel pressure: loosen the fuel hose to the fuel rail, point it in to a bucket and turn the car on, fuel should flow when cranking and for 3 seconds after turning the car to ON

Spark Undo a spark plug lead and put a screwdriver in it and the metal shank of the driver near something metal and crakn the car. Watch for spark.

i had a similar problem. iIt's either a fuel problem or a spark problem. Easiest thing is to check if you have spark from your spark plugs (check both the spark plugs and the leads) if you have to replace them and that's not the problem check your dizzy cap to see if there's any gunk on it, if so either clan it off or replace the cap, also check your ignition coil, mine was fairly old and needed replacing just the other day.
All the best mate

~twiggy~

Quick update.

The car is currently sitting in my driveway and the problem with it starting has not been found by myself. I disconnected the battery but that's as far as my knowledge takes me for cars (didn't fix the problem either..).

I'm going to call up the panel beaters place tomorrow to ask them if they dislodged any fuel pump or what not as they were welding on a new back bumper. After that I am calling the RACV again to check the car because I haven't diagnosed the problem yet but will get the bloke to check the things you guys have mentioned (eg. fuel pump connection to the engine, if petrol comes out of it). If it still isn't diagnosed I will have to get it towed to my local mechanic which is about 3/4 a km a way.

Thanks for the input and help guys.

Also another thing I have to comment on is that the magna brake pedal stops working once the car is off and I had to use the hand brake to pull the car to a stop when I was taking it off the tow truck and pushing it up into my driveway. I find this to be a very pecuilar feature that is totally useless (to my knowledge) and dangerous, on another occasion I parked my car and turned it off, but was too far forward so I put the car into neutral and it started sliding back, I put the foot brake on but it doesn't work so i ripped up the handbrake to stop the car in a fright. VERY DANGEROUS.

Also another thing I have to comment on is that the magna brake pedal stops working once the car is off and I had to use the hand brake to pull the car to a stop when I was taking it off the tow truck and pushing it up into my driveway. I find this to be a very pecuilar feature that is totally useless (to my knowledge) and dangerous, on another occasion I parked my car and turned it off, but was too far forward so I put the car into neutral and it started sliding back, I put the foot brake on but it doesn't work so i ripped up the handbrake to stop the car in a fright. VERY DANGEROUS.

the reason for this, is all cars these days have vacume assisted brakes.
that means that you dont have to push the pedal so hard to get braking force basically.

your brake booter (the bit that provides that vacume assistance) is the big black circlular thing on the firewall on the drivers side.

when and engine runs, it creates vacume, this vacume is used to assist other things - like brake boosters, so if the engines not running then theres no vacume being 'created' so no brake assistance.

your brakes will still work via the pedal, just you are going to have to stomp on the pedal a whole lot harder to get anywhere near the same braking force.

hope that helps on that one.

G'day,
A similar thing happened to me not long after I got my car. The battery was on the way out, this upset the BCU (Body Control Unit) and hence activated the "kill" switch. Radio etc worked fine. Got NRMA to jump start and he said common problem with batteries going on Magnas. Got a new battery a few days later and no problem since. If it was at the panel beaters and not "charged" for a week or so and the battery is old it may only compound the problem. Hope this helps :)

Got the RACV again to check my vehicle at home and the bloke said it's most likely the spark plugs/distributor/ignition system as it seems to have a weakish spark. I am getting it towed up to my mechanic now though so he can fully check it out.

Sorry to steal your thread but i'm having a similar issue to you with my 97 Verada Ei. Its so random tho. Some days it will start fine and run perfect. Other times it will kick over and over and over but just wont actually start. I've had racq out and the guy that came same a spark or fuel issue to me as well. Or an electrical issue with the ecu. He didnt really know what to suggest. Keep me updated as to how you go with your issue.

Funny you post that DrPsi, this morning I had the exact same issue with my 1997 Ei Verada....

Only happened the once though, it cranks fine but never turns over, I let it sit for a minute or so and it turned over normally :confused:

Hopes it doesn't happen again :pray:

Funny you post that DrPsi, this morning I had the exact same issue with my 1997 Ei Verada....

Only happened the once though, it cranks fine but never turns over, I let it sit for a minute or so and it turned over normally :confused:

Hopes it doesn't happen again :pray:


That is EXACTLY what mine does. Its been going for about 3-4 days now. Its a pain in the ass cause i dont know when its going to do it or whats causing it. Any ideas?

That is EXACTLY what mine does. Its been going for about 3-4 days now. Its a pain in the ass cause i dont know when its going to do it or whats causing it. Any ideas?
Nothing, I spoke to my mechanic about it (car was serviced yesterday) he doesn't know what it'd be talking about what happens over the phone, but if it happens again to let him know and he'd look into it.

I'm guessing it has something to do with either spark plugs or maybe the fuel pump though.

have the inhibitor switch checked out for the correct setting
the two holes have to match (that is neutral )
inhibitor switch is under the shift cable on the auto box

have the inhibitor switch checked out for the correct setting
the two holes have to match (that is neutral )
inhibitor switch is under the shift cable on the auto box
Would that be touched during a trans service? I had that done yesterday, never had this failing to start issue before.

I had the same issue the other day... Looks like it was a clogged fuel filter (should be replaced every 40k kms)

Try this, when you get the issue turn the keys from off to ignition a dozen times then try and start it, apparently this primes the engine a little bit each time letting more fuel in.

Replaced my fuel filter today and I could hardly blow through it.

To replace:
Fuel filter is located in front of the rear left (passenger) tyre.
Firstly Depressurise the fuel tank (open the tank) and also d.c the fuel pump which is located under the lower rear seat in the centre behind the plate (4 screws)

Run the engine until it dies to clear the fuel from the line

Undo the fuel filter, firstly at the bolt end with two spanners so you dont bend the line
Then at the nipple end with pull the plastic toward the filter then squeeze the tabs and pull away from the filter to d.c.
THen undo the bracket holding it on

have a rag and catchtray handy a bit of fuel will come out.

Replace with new filter be careful not to cross thread the line otherwise you'll be in trouble.

Plug in fuel pump

Cheers

Thanks very much for that reply Tim. I think i will have to get myself a fuel filter and change that to see if i can resolve the issue. Still would like to hear if anyone else has had a similar issue and how they got it sorted

Go tim! I'm on it :D

I had a similar problem. Turns out it was the immobiliser which is in the key barrel. I took the surround off, unplugged it, plugged it back in again and the car started. :think:

DrPsi, have a watch of this, and tell me if this is the same thing you experience.
http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r161/rhys_fairall/AMC/?action=view&current=Video-0011.flv

Prior to the firing of the engine on the 3rd attempt on video (which was actually about the 5th) I pumped the accelerator to the floor a couple of times, then it turned over.

That was taken when I moved the car to another part of the backyard to wash it, now I've washed it its stuck helpless where it is, its totally dead, won't turn over no matter how many times I try now :(

I've got it booked in for the fuel filter to be changed tomorrow morning (if it gets there), but atm I'm a bit optimistic about that changing anything...


Edit: RACV has been past and managed to get it started, he too has no idea whats causing the problem, pretty much just kept trying to start it with both keys until it did, which was about 10-15 go's. He's guess is the immobiliser, but he's really not sure, reckons I should take it by Mitsubishi to get it checked out. All pretty funny to have this happen less than 24 hours after I get it back from servicing don't you think?

Dude thats exactly what mine has been doing, but if it doesnt fire i've been doing the 'switch to on, then off, and back to on' thing five times and then its firing when i try after that. I've been noticing my car is surging at traffic lights today too so i'm gonna get myself a fuel filter after pay day and try swapping it. Anyone got an idea of what one is worth? And if you can get an aftermarket one?

Dude thats exactly what mine has been doing, but if it doesnt fire i've been doing the 'switch to on, then off, and back to on' thing five times and then its firing when i try after that. I've been noticing my car is surging at traffic lights today too so i'm gonna get myself a fuel filter after pay day and try swapping it. Anyone got an idea of what one is worth? And if you can get an aftermarket one?
I'm not sure if the surging relates to a filter problem, but it may do if the fuel is coming through the filter in bursts from clogging.

As for the cost, I've been told its ~$25 for a fuel filter, but I'm paying my mechanic $30 to supply and fit, seems worth $5 to me, I don't want to be fiddling around with my fuel lines.

Yeh its filter issues, they cost $23ish from repco. So $30 fitted is fine.

Just got the filter changed over, he seems to think that may have had something to do with my problem, as when he emptied the old filter it was far from clean, lots of what looked like black particles etc in the fuel. If I'm lucky that might have been contributing to economy and starting issues.

could be t inhibitor switch thats what happened to me

Ok so ive had this same problem and at was really hard to pin point,

I had the computer fixed the keys recoded, new fule filter, ect ect turned out the immobilizer was intermediately on/off.

Ended up taking to an auto electrician.

Now he said with magnas there is a wire in the ignition that has a current and reads a code in your key. He has seen many magnas around this age 96 where the wire in the ignition comes loose.

Now when the car tries to read the key with this pulse the pulse won’t pass through and the immobilizer comes on. Hence if you wiggle the key around like crazy sometimes it will work if it’s a loose wire.

Something to look at, cost $45 to fix in the end.

Good luck

My dad had a similar problem with the VT commodore just after he got it serviced. He had a look first himself, and found that a wire near the ignition had been pulled out so it was just contacting. May well have been the mechanic trying to get more work from him if he takes it back to diagnose this problem... lucky he found it. there was no problem since.

knowing your mechanic, and being able to trust him is a good thing :)

Not saying this is nessicarily the problem in your cases, but maybe worth a quick look to make sure everything is connected properly if you are still having problems.

My car is now running, turns out it was the ignition coil, although the mechanic replaced the distributor cap as well even though he told me that was NOT the problem. He said he had to do trial + error to work out the problem that's why he did the cap first.

--
Distributor cap = $143
Rotor button = $75
3x front s plug = $11

Distributor check +
Replace ignition coil = $190

Labour = $70

Total Cost = $489
--

Anyone know if these prices are right? He had to source a genuine Mitsu part for the distributor cap (or the coil I forgot which one) that why it cost so much - normally he gets third party ones but could not source one (would've been 1/3 the price too according to him!).

bohip, sounds like you got stuck with the expensive way out :( Prices don't sound unrealistic, just a pity it cost you that much just after forking out on it.

Cheers for all the replies. At least i know what to try first with mine this weekend. Think i'll start with the filter first. Hopefully that can sort out my issue.