Hey fellas,
A couple of times i've tried to start the engine it would attempt to start when turning the key but it wouldn't crank. If i give it a bit of gas on the pedal it would start after 3 attempts.
Not sure if this is the starter motor, alternator or something else on the way out?
Most of the time, the car would start fine without any fuss. But a few times this has happened.
Any idea what it could be?
If it's the starter, I'll probably go out and get it replaced in advance before i end up getting stranded.

Any help would be appreciated.

Dimi

similar issues to this?

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59088

http://martybugs.net/articles/magna-stall.cgi

the stalling issue link, people have also suffered from the car not turning over for the same reasons. I had the same problem, issue was a low battery and the immobiliser not liking that fact

similar issues to this?

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59088

http://martybugs.net/articles/magna-stall.cgi

the stalling issue link, people have also suffered from the car not turning over for the same reasons. I had the same problem, issue was a low battery and the immobiliser not liking that fact

:stoopid: I have recently had the problem of stalling immediatley after starting. Checked the battery and found it low in water:redface: topped up and seems fine now.

Thanks for your replies. When you say low battery, mine may be low as well. Battery could be stuffed too because i checked the connectors today and they seem to have the white powder residue on them. Doesn't that generally mean it's time to replace the battery? I read through the links you gave me, and it seems like there's half a dozen reasons why this has happened to everyone else. One of them was the ignition coil, the other was a fuel filter with sediment in it etc. etc. :think:

Good old white powder. Terminal corrosion. I used to get it all the time prior to changing the battery, changed the terminals while I was at it as well. It can be caused by excessive drain on the battery, not necessarily an electrical fault in the car but if the battery is old this can happen as well.

Check the water in the battery I suppose, if it's a maintenance battery. If all appears to be in order then i'm not really sure. Could need a battery swap but I don't want to send you off in the wrong direction, just thought i'd throw my 2 cents into the thread.

Mine was doing similar to what you described, for me it appeared to be the fuel filter.
http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r161/rhys_fairall/AMC/?action=view&current=Video-0011.flv
3rd attempt was after fully opening the throttle and releasing again before crank.

Similar to what yours does?

Lugo that's exactly what it's doing. I read your thread and thought that was what was happening with mine but got confused because there were a few other replies including one about the ignition barrel and immobiliser.
When i turn the switch on the car it'll make the start up noise and not start but almost every time, on the 3rd attempt with my foot pumping the gas the car will start.
So it must be the fuel filter. I'll grab a new fuel filter from repco tomorrow and see if that improves within the next few days then i'll post up a reply in here incase others have the same problem.
Thanks for your help and input guys.

Since that other thread i grabbed myself a fuel filter and i havent had the problem since. Starts every go now. A fair bit of crap came out of the old filter so i guess that was my problem....

Yeah there were a few ideas in that thread. The Fuel Filter seems to have resolved my problem. Probably wouldn't take you long to remove the ignition barrel cover and check for loose wires. The inhibitor switch mentioned in the other thread too probably isn't the most likely because I'd imagine the car would never start if the inhibitor switch was playing up.

My fuel filter was really clogged and full of crap, so I presume it was prevent fuel getting to the engine on start, but once you got the flow going it was ok. Let us know how you go.

So does the engine turn over (crank) or do you hit the key and all is silent.

A lot of people get the term crank wrong, cranking is when you hit the key and the engine turns over. So when it cranks and it does not fire it can be several things such as the immobiliser (there is a small plug near the ignition that can come loose, it has 2 wires that goes into the back of the ignition next to the night light) Can also be the fuel pump relay as well. Can be battery has enough grunt to turn over the motor but not enough to turn over the motor and hit the relays.

If you hit the key and nothing happens, it can be the inhibitor switch, ignition switch, starter or wiring fault. Battery will be more consistant

Thanks Mal for your reply, when i hit the key it makes the start up sound.
Today it happened again once. Took 4 attempts and the engine started.

Guys.... that white powder needs to be cleaned off....

use a wire brush and scrub that crap off and apply some petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to the battery terminals before you put the clamp on.... it won't happen again for a long time...

Does the engine turn over when you turn the key?? or does it just "click"

More information please....

I had a similar issue where my starter just clicked... took 4-5 turns of the key on then to off, to get the starter to engage and crank the engine over to start it...

It was just the solenoid contacts in the starter motor, $10pr at an auto electrician and I fixed it myself.... one usually wears quicker than the other resulting in a very poor contact....

Steve

Thanks Steve, nope doesn't "click" it makes the whole start noise. Then after a few tries and pumping the gas pedal the engine will turn over and it can be driven.

Check the spark plugs as well bro, sometimes carbon builds up on the tip and requires cleaning.

The plugs would be the first thing I check too...could be fouled.. improper gap...

Let us know what you find...

Steve

Thanks Steve, nope doesn't "click" it makes the whole start noise. Then after a few tries and pumping the gas pedal the engine will turn over and it can be driven.
thats exactly what mine did. does the rev needle go up as normal and quickly go to nothing and stall? mine was taking 3-5 goes to start. the water level in battery was low. I topped it up on friday and have not had a prb since. I assume it did the battery no good, and will replace next time i experience the trouble.

Once again, thanks for your replies.
I've changed the fuel filter on Monday and it was fine for 24 hours but started doing it again last night.
So now i'll try and see if it's a battery problem like what was happening with Magtone's.
Going to clean up the oxidation and top up with water.
I'll let you know how it goes after a couple of days.

Once again, thanks for your replies.
I've changed the fuel filter on Monday and it was fine for 24 hours but started doing it again last night.
So now i'll try and see if it's a battery problem like what was happening with Magtone's.
Going to clean up the oxidation and top up with water.
I'll let you know how it goes after a couple of days.

my car has been having similar issues as well of late actually - but anyhow wont talk about them here.

when topping up your battery im sure you know that it DOES NOT need to be filled right up to the point where its to the top of the holes... only needs enough to cover the plates, and about quarter to half an inch higher.
this is to allow for the temp expansions that will be taking place due to it being in the engine bay and the way it works.

when i filled my battery up tonight with distilled water, had to put between half an inch to an inch or so roughly into each cell...

Forget the plugs unless yo know they are very old or they are Champion/KLG etc

Things to check

1. Is the fuel system holding pressure, overnight it will drop to almost nothing but should still have a little pressure. If the valve in the pump is not working correctly it could be draining fuel back to the tank thus on crank the fuel pump only pulses until you have fire and it is taking a while to get fuel through. BYW, leave the pedal alone, it is EFI, the only thing the pedal will do us cut fuel totally if held flat to the floor.

2. Check the BEM and it's connections, these are known especially in the plugs to cause issue

3. Check the ECU and Fuel pump relay.

When you hit the key without cranking, do you hear the fuel pump pulse for a few seconds and then go silent? If so you can rule out your pump relay but look to the pump holding pressure.

May sound strange, does it still do it if parked on a hill with nose pointing down hill, this will stop fuel draining back and although you have no pressure, you have the volume that can be pressurised quickly and starting is usually not impared

When you clean the battery terminals, do not put vasoline on them, this is old school and there are terminal protectors available that crap all over the old vaso. Vaso will get hot and melt away, terminal paint will not. Make sure the terminals are on and tight before you paint them too !!!! :)

Last thing, check the wires under the dash that come from the ignition switch, 2 small wires with a 2 pin plug, these come lose and also corrode and can cause this issue

Update: Replaced fuel filter and cleaned battery terminals and white powder.
Problem still persists.
I called Phil Gilbert Mitsubishi in Lidcombe today to ask for my stereo code and after giving them my VIN number they told me that my car was overdue for a recall. I said what? And he said your car was due for a recall a few years ago. He said something about the fuel pump needing to be replaced or something. And told me to book it in during the weekday.
Don't know what that was about but i hope it fixes this problem. It's really starting to annoy me.

Today it happened twice. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon. On both times, to get it started, I didn't pump the pedal. Basically i turned the key from "Off" to "On" about 3 times then i attempted to start it and it fired up.

Alrighty, so far so good. Basically i've been turning the key from off to on position and after 3 times the two hazards blink once (don't know what that means) and the car turns over fine. I do this everytime i'm about to start the car and i haven't had the problem since.
I think it's something to do with the immobiliser?

And i don't have the remote central locking pad, i always access the car by using the key :think:

Alrighty, so far so good. Basically i've been turning the key from off to on position and after 3 times the two hazards blink once (don't know what that means) and the car turns over fine. I do this everytime i'm about to start the car and i haven't had the problem since.
I think it's something to do with the immobiliser?

And i don't have the remote central locking pad, i always access the car by using the key :think:

it means that you are going to program a central locking remote for the car

it means that you are going to program a central locking remote for the car

has the battery been properly tested under load?

it means that you are going to program a central locking remote for the car
Ah i see. Thanks mate.
While i'm at it i'm going to buy a keyless entry remote now from the Mitsubishi down the road today and program it. Maybe this start up issue has had something to do with me not having my central locking remote no? Because in the other thread, one guy said it had something to do with his immobiliser.

Battery hasn't been tested though. This could be the issue too.
I'm slowly working down a list of possiblities. Crossed the fuel filter off the list becuase that's been changed. Now it's gotta be either the immobiliser, ignition coil or battery :think:

Anyways enough blah blah from me. I'm hoping my findings will help others who encounter this strange problem.

Ah i see. Thanks mate.
I'm going to buy a keyless entry remote now from the Mitsubishi down the road and program it. Maybe this start up issue has had something to do with me not having my central locking remote no? Because in the other thread, one guy said it had something to do with his immobiliser.

no worries man,

when i got my 3g the remote didn't work, i had to wait 2 weeks for my new one to turn up, but in that 2 weeks i didn't have any starting issues using the key

The turn on and off times seems to me like you are not keeping fuel pressure. Interesting about the recall though lol. This may be the issue

Having no remove makes no difference, my TF has no remote either lol

Changed the battery yesterday to a brand new NRMA one but problem still exists.
Hopefully the recall visit will sort it out.

I've got this problem back now intermittently. For me though, it won't fire up, so I give the ignition barrel a firm couple of bumps and away she goes. I'm thinking that immobiliser wire is loose in ignition barrel, common issue yeah?

The white stuff on your battery can cause power to be lost or drained from the - to the + across the top of the battery. That stuff is acidic, and best cleaned by neutralizing it with a base. Or Bi-carb Soda and warm water, and watch it magically disolve before your eyes, rinse it well though, whats left after the chemical re-action is water and salt.

Hey Lugo is it happening to your car again?
I'm thinking it might be an ignition coil or fuel pump issue.
I'm just trying to find out before hitting the workshops because i know they'll end up telling me it's "something" else and i'll get it fixed, then two days later the problem will happen again.