Hey all,

Today I go out to move the Verada to remove a dent in the passenger side guard, was planning to move it off the lawn and onto concrete to make it less messy. Anyway, car cranks, no fire or hint of firing. Battery wasnt the best so I charged another battery and tried that. Nice strong cranking, and the smell of fuel, but no sign of spark or firing.

It had done something like this before with a near flat battery, but it did TRY to run that time (occasional splutter), not this time. Have had a look over the fuses, gave them a wiggle, some a clean and reinsert but no dice, same deal - cranks, fuel, no firing... what sensors should I be checking?

I was planning on new leads and plugs, as it did have slight misfire/hesitation when revved, but it did sit for 6-8 months untouched... is there an ignition module I need to check out?

Thanks in advance to any and all replies :)

You may have flooded the engine. Take a plug out and have a look if it's wet. If it is, heat it up with a blow torch or something to dry them off - don't be afraid to get some heat into them.

I can smell fuel, coming from the exhaust I'd say. You may be right, I've got the original battery charging now. I drove it where it sits now 2 days ago, and it started and ran fine then. Things like this do your head in lol.

I can smell fuel, coming from the exhaust I'd say. You may be right, I've got the original battery charging now. I drove it where it sits now 2 days ago, and it started and ran fine then. Things like this do your head in lol.

Have you taken a spark plug out and had a look? Just take one out and check.

Not yet lol.

I went out this morning, with the flat-ish battery in it - it tried to start, but not enough power. Put fully charged battery in, didnt even try to fire lol. The saga continues...

OK, so I was trawling some other threads relating to cars happily cranking but not starting, or having intermittent starting issues, when someone mentioned the immobiliser. I know this relies on the key, but what does it cut - ignition? As I have fuel (injectors and hopefully fuel pump OK) but it seems as though spark is either not right or non-existant - I have to remove a plug to check.

After the Veradas big internal clean, I'm wondering if cleaning around the ignition barrel has either dislodged some crap? I have read on here about the plug to the immobiliser being dud, needing a pull-apart and plug back in, and to the rear of the igniton barrel the plug can go a bit spaz. Where is the immobiliser module or offending plug? What fuses other than the (2?) one in the underbonnet fuse box and the 10A in the cabin fusebox relate to starting?

When I go to start, if I wait for all the pre-start checks to finish (SRS, CEL, ANTILOCK etc lights go out) then crank it, the CEL comes on and stays on while cranking... hopefully its logging a code so I can do a code check... this is doing my head in lol - I started it the other night in the cold/wet darkness and it went fine, parked it and 2 days later no start. I'll have to check out the dizzy & ignition coil/module so I can rule them out.... fun times! :D

So you still haven't pulled a plug out to check if the engine is flooded? Why man? The plugs aren't going to dry off inside the head, they will stay wet. Pulling a spark plug out literally takes 30 seconds. I doubt you're going to get much help when you can't even try such a simple thing.

If I can smell fuel out the exhaust, that pretty much leads me to believe it is flooded, but if I leave it for half a day it should generally unflood/evap. Last night I fiddled with the back of the ignition switch, and with the flat battery it kicked, so that shows hope lol

If I can smell fuel out the exhaust, that pretty much leads me to believe it is flooded, but if I leave it for half a day it should generally unflood/evap. Last night I fiddled with the back of the ignition switch, and with the flat battery it kicked, so that shows hope lol

It will not in my experience. I flooded my car a few weeks ago. Left it overnight, came back next morning and still wouldn't start. Took a plug out, was soaked, dried all 4 with an oxy torch, started first go.

immobiliser problems cuts the fuel, not the spark. dry the plugs out, see what happens. a leaking injector can do this. Have you tried the old fashioned way of starting a flooded carby car, foot flat to the floor when you crank it?

I went out and tried again with a fresh battery, cranked until the stink of fuel. Then was mucking around under the dash with connectors and it started (and has started all times since) (after some random firing while cranking).