I was reversing out to go to uni today and no lights or anything were left on, and all doors had been closed etc, and the car started up as usual, and I reversed about 5 metres out of my garage onto the driveway and everything was normal until, my car just like died. I was like wtf? Never had any problems with it before. I tried starting it up again, over and over and it wouldnt work so I had to then push it back into my driveway lol and take my brothers commodore to uni lol . Bad thing is I have been too busy to do anything with it yet and it's probably something simple, but I mean the car was running so I don't think it could be the battery. My startup motor apparently needed replacing but it was okay, and the car actually started like normal and then died like 5 seconds so I didn't think it was this, but yeah I will have a look tomorrow when I'm free.

The plus side, although some here may disagree obviously, is that I realised how crap the turning circle of my TR really was when I did my usualy u-turn in a section which I normally do with my TR, only this time I did it with a VP commodore, and man it was soo much easier, had like an extra 40cm at least, as I usually go slightly up the curb or have to 3 point turn but this was perfect. I am looking at maybe getting a 147kw VS Commodore as soon as my exams are over. Engine sounds quite good for a V6 as well. My next car was either gonna be a TE or a VS, and there r 2 reasons I'm upgrading, 1 is for a lot more power, at least a V6, and the other is I dont wanna FWD family sedan anymore so I might see how a VS goes. I could go VT, but I would rather the same engine in a 170kg lighter body.

If you want to save me some time and give me a possibility for my car dieing, I would appreciate it.

As it is a carby, do u think it has something to do with the automatic choke?

so you're trying to start the the but it didn't turn on yeah? did you feel something different about the car lately? slow acceleration, car jerking off? if so you ignition coil is dead mate, had similar experience on other car ;)

what do u mean died? do u have dash lights and will the motor crank over? if not then it's probably a bad contact at a battery terminal or a blown fuse or fuseable link.
if it does crank over it could be many things like coil, crank angle sensor, dirty distributor plug, dead fuel pump etc.

The car was already started and I actually managed to reverse back like 5 metres and everything seemed normal THEN it just switched off, as if it kind of stalled without the jerk beforehand. The car wouldnt start up again after that. I notice that the car tends to jerk when taking off especially on a cold morning a lot and being only 85kw in a 1400kg body, it always accelerates slowly so I wouldn't be able to tell the difference in that respect. :badgrin:

I found this and either way will have a look at it tomorrow morning

IF YOUR CAR'S ENGINE TURNS OVER, BUT WILL NOT FIRE.
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If your car turns over, but will not fire, out of the blue (was working fine before. No strange noises, no acting up ect) You have one of two problems: No spark, or no fuel. Maybe both. But here is what you can do to decide exactly which is your problem.

First, check for the obvious. Do you hear your fuel pump running when you turn your key to the "on" position for a few seconds? (if you have an electric fuel pump) If you don't, check fuses and fuel pump relay. If all are OK, try giving power directly to the fuel pump (DO THIS AWAY FROM FUEL TANK, DONT WANT ANY SPARKS AROUND THE FUEL TANK.) If fuel pump still doesn't run, it's fried. Replace pump and filter(s). If fuel pump runs, check if you have fuel pressure in your fuel rail. Look for a valve (same as your fill your tire with air) on the fuel rail. Press in the valve with a pen or such. Fuel should spew out. (do this after turning key to the ON position. No more than 20 seconds after.) If you don't have this valve, loosen an injector and see if you get a spew of fuel. If you get no spew, and your sure your fuel pump runs, replace fuel filter(s). If you have fuel pressure at the fuel rail, you need to make sure it's getting injected. Turn the engine over for about 10 seconds, pull a spark plug, check if it's damp. If it's not, check 2 or 3 more before deciding your not getting fuel. If that test shows your not getting fuel into the cylinders, something is up with your injectors. If it is, on most cars you can pull trouble codes and you will know what's up with the injectors.(By the way, that way of checking for fuel in cylinders is NOT fool proof)

If your getting fuel, and sure of it (all tests above check out OK) time to check for spark. Pull every spark plug wire, pull back the boot to expose the metal connector. Hold it near ground. (1/4 inch), have a friend crank the car. Check for a spark jumping from the wire to ground. Make sure you get that on ALL cylinders and make sure the spark is strong. If you dont get a spark, check coil. If you have a DIS (distributorless ignition system) you should be getting a trouble code if you have no spark in one or more cylinders. Check the code. If you have a distributor, disconnect the wire running from the coil that plugs into the distributor. Disconnect it at the distributor(not the coil) and hold it 1/4 from a ground source. Have a friend crank the engine, check for spark. If your getting a spark your problem is likely to be the distributor cap or rotor. Check/replace both. If it has been more than 35,000 miles since they have been replaced, replace them anyway. It's time. I would go into checking your coil trigger system ( for electronic ignition systems ), but that's to complex. make a thread about that.



IF YOUR CAR'S ENGINE DOES NOT TURN. TOTALLY DEAD.
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If it will not turn over, at all, check battery connections first. Clean them off and tighten them. Check ground connections, relay connections and starter connections. After that, try to start the car again. If all are ok and no difference was made, proceed. Take your battery to an advance auto parts or autozone and have it checked for free. If you can't do that, pull on your headlights, hi beam, and see if they are bright and remain fairly bright when you try to start the car. If it remains bright, your battery is probably OK. Next step is to check starter relay. You will need a volt meter for this. Turn the key to the ON position. Test voltage at the starter. Thick red wire to ground. If your getting within about half a volt reading from what you get at the battery, the starting system is OK, but the starter is fried. If your getting no voltage where the red wire (thick) hooks up to the starter, your starter relay is probably shot. ( make sure you test for voltage when the ignition key is to the START position.

If all the tests above check out OK then obviously you have a more complicated problem that the basics which are above.

i think i know what you are talking about. it happened to me about 5 times in a row before i fixed it. i found that the connection between the fusable links in the fuse box under the engine compartment where the culprit. There is one link that can cut the entire power, and stall the engine.I pulled the whole box out; cleaned up the connector pins as good as possible and sprayed with a penitrating oil to keep out corrosion. then i bought new fusable links, opened up the casing and crimped the female conectors a bit so that they grip the prong on the male pins better- and that fixed my delema. I s**t myself when it happened, no power at all to anything, then ten minutes later it would start again and i would get another 10 metres down the road.
Hope it helps :-)

The problem was the fuel pump. Am getting it fixed tomorrow. Thanks your the tips

i know what you mean by WTF.....my magna TF does the same thing but worse.
i was backing mine out the other day and it just died for no reason everything was fine. mine stalls occassionally for no reason. most days it wont even start now and the dealers have know idea what it is cause the computer wont register a problem. sorry i cant be much help but if you get any info on it pass it on.
:confused:

When my car was doing stupid **** at idle eventually it wouldn't start all together, then it would, then it wouldn't. never really found out what the problem was but i wiggled alot of wires in my engine and then it fired up, strange ey?

you have 3 things to check...

spark
fuel
idle fuel

its as easy as that, get back to me when u figure out which one isnt working. if its not cranking at all then it sounds like an earth fell off or the starter is avg

Ok all this sounds very familiar to me, I have spent some money recently at the auto-lecko
I posted a thread about it (KR Verada electrical probs) the lecko was hopeless and the car would not start at the lecko, I virtually reposessed it back. I could at least start it after a few goes before I took it there.
I have found that there may be a problem with the ECI computer as each time I replace something it goes for a day and the problem returns. I Virtually have a whole new EFI system now and the problem still exists.
Interestingly I was reading about the barometric pressure sensor earlier, as it died yesterday after driving for 2.5 days in 30 degree heat with no probs, then just as a storm was about to break ...she died.
I am about to replace the computer, but before I do I will track down a baro sensor and replace that. Yer right about the dealers, they just don't seem to know and the codes don't always store..wierd eh. Keep us posted eh?

My next car was either gonna be a TE or a VS, and there r 2 reasons I'm upgrading, 1 is for a lot more power, at least a V6, and the other is I dont wanna FWD family sedan anymore so I might see how a VS goes.

so u want a RWD family sedan in the commodore? fair enough. i like RWD better too, like u said, helps with the turning circle :D

The plus side, although some here may disagree obviously, is that I realised how crap the turning circle of my TR really was when I did my usualy u-turn in a section which I normally do with my TR, only this time I did it with a VP commodore, and man it was soo much easier, had like an extra 40cm at least, as I usually go slightly up the curb or have to 3 point turn but this was perfect. I am looking at maybe getting a 147kw VS Commodore as soon as my exams are over. Engine sounds quite good for a V6 as well. My next car was either gonna be a TE or a VS, and there r 2 reasons I'm upgrading, 1 is for a lot more power, at least a V6, and the other is I dont wanna FWD family sedan anymore so I might see how a VS goes. I could go VT, but I would rather the same engine in a 170kg lighter body.



Your right TR turning circles are quite shocking, my first car (TR) was absolutely hopeless when doing a u-turn, my second car, VS commodore, was heaps better. But my advise, seriously dont buy a VS. Ok they look alright and can be made to look fantastic (in my opinion anyway) and the RWD bit is great, but they just arent a very classy car. The build quality on VS commodores, though much improved over just about every other commodore before then, is still not that crash hot, and the motor in em is ****. Its better then the V6 in VN-VR commodores, but its still harsh, lumpy and hates to be revved. Basically, yes it has good power, but its a real ***** of a motor. I personally liked my TR more then i liked my VS, and i have always been a holden fan so that really speaks for itself.

If you wanna more powerful car i would just go a later model magna 3.5, its just a much much much better car then a VS commodore. But if you really wanna RWD car and you just cant help yourself and wanna do power slides and **** then go a VT, they may be heavier, but they're heavier because of all the refinement holden put in em. There is about a light years difference between a VS and a VT, and now days the price difference between them isnt that much, so go a VT

P.S just dont buy a VS, they're crappy :P

i like RWD better too, like u said, helps with the turning circle :D
Just gotta use your hand brake more Brendan!

Drove my uncles VY series 2 Calais yesterday which was great, has the full bodykit and 17" inch mags - looks great in stock form. I much prefer RWD compared to FWD, and much of the reason I may not upgrade my car to another Magna is for this reason, not to mention Mitsubishi's current status. Adding to this is the Magna's bad public image but is not as much of a factor in my decision. Basically I am either going to upgrade to a VT Series 2 Acclaim or Berlina very soon or wait until 2006 when the new VE commodore comes out, prices of Commodores drop signifcantly and pick up a 2002 VY Acclaim for roughly $12,000 maybe even less with the new VE coming out. Currently a 2000 VT II Acclaim is valued at $14,000 so the 2002 VY Acclaim, $23,000 so hopefully a 2002 VY Acclaim will be worth $12,000 in just under 2 years time due to the introduction of the new V6 engine (already from the VZ) and new the new generation commodore (VE).

mate probably not 12000, but 15000 is probably a realistic price for a 2002 model VY in 2 years time. My mate has a VY and though it still has the crap engine, its a very very nice car, but i still prefer my TL magna, yes the nose is ugly but its got a WAY better engine, is just as comfortable, interior is presented much better and better quality, has more features (a base model TL has the features of a berlina level commodore) and really the only advantage in RWD is if your going to be doing motorsport events such as track days, motorkanas etc, or if you wanna be silly and do powerslides and stuff on the street.. in normal every day driving the magna KILLS the VY commodore... havent driven a VZ as yet so cant really compare a magna to that, but its certainly better then a VY and any previous model commodore..

but then again there is more scope to modify a commodore so if you wanna go down that path the commodore is a better choice.. but then again modified commodores grow on trees.. originality counts for alot in the modified car scene...

I actually prefer the VY Commodore acclaim to any equivalent Magna as I have also driven a TL and it wasn't as fun, nor as good looking lol. I suppose it's each to their own. VY Acclaims are currently going for as low $23,000 and were $37,000 new. I can't imagine they would be more expensive ($15,000) in 2 years time than a 2000 Commodore is now. ie if a 4 year old Commodore acclaim is worth $14,000, than in 2 years time a 4 year old commodore should be even cheaper because the new shape will be out and new engine. But oh well, we'll have to wait and see...looking forward to seeing what the new magna, new commodore and new Falcon will look like.

less join the other 37million people and own a HOLDEn
wickeeeeeeed

At least you will fit in with the crowd lol. Nah I like all of the big 4 I reallly do, and I really love Magnas too, just I don't think they have been developing bigger, better cars than their rivals in recent years. This is what concerns me the most - Mitsubishi. This is based on January and February only. Mitsubishi accounted for less than 6% of the market share :redface:

hell when i was looking at a VT i couldnt get one with okay-ish km's for under 16,000! including series 1, for the price u can pick up way nicer magnas then a commo, but each to there own as u say

commodores have a habbit of having an initial plumet in resale value, then they stableise and their value will seem to hover around the same price forever.. You still cant get a 96 commodore ute for under $10000 for christ sake!!!