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MX5 Just died. Wont Catch.

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:31 am
by zc32s
So Ive been driving my mx5 all day and its been fine. I started the car to drive home and everything was still fine. Drove the car for a minute and it lost all power as I changed to 3rd gear. I tried turning it back on and the car just cranks. :(

Does anyone know where I should start?

I have a feeling something happened to the fuel system.

I cant smell any fuel when I crank the car. The tank is still half full.

Anyone in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne able to give me a hand?

Re: MX5 Just died. Wont Catch.

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:34 am
by tescoking
any smoke or burning smell?

Re: MX5 Just died. Wont Catch.

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 6:11 am
by Magpie
What model car?


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Re: MX5 Just died. Wont Catch.

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 9:07 am
by zc32s
Sorry. I shouldve stated in my opening post. Its an NA8.

There's no smoke or burning smell. It just cranks and cranks.

Re: MX5 Just died. Wont Catch.

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 9:31 am
by Carnage
Do you have spark?

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Re: MX5 Just died. Wont Catch.

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 10:03 am
by zc32s
Im going to check now whether it has spark or not. Had to roll the car up a hill back to my mates house. I've got very limited tools. I'll report back soon.

Re: MX5 Just died. Wont Catch.

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 10:24 am
by zc32s
So my friend doesnt have any tools so I cant trouble shoot anything. Anyone in melbourne free and willing to give a hand?

Re: MX5 Just died. Wont Catch.

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 10:47 am
by emily_mx5
Try to rule out a couple of things, easiest is fuel pump.
In the engine bay there is a small diagnostics box passenger side wheel arch.
You can test the fuel pump by connecting a bridge wire from the TFP terminal to the GND terminal.
This directly powers the fuel pump, open the fuel filler to hear it easily, it should be a whine noise.
if no noise it indicated the pump is dead, or the connectors are too corroded to turn it on.

Also check air intake, as your symptoms sort of sound like a big air leak.

Re: MX5 Just died. Wont Catch.

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 12:12 pm
by zc32s
So I pulled out the battery cable before. I just reconnected it to test the fuel pump.
The car no longer cranks, but this is possibly due to a drained battery since ive tried to start it so many times.

There is a high pitch noise coming from the fuel filter when I bridged the F/P and Ground. Im going to check the air filter box now. So where to next?

Re: MX5 Just died. Wont Catch.

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 12:20 pm
by Bauer
Timing belt?

Did it sound like it was turning over fast when you were trying?

Thats my guess given that it lost power during a gear change. Take the oil cap off while you are turning it over to see if the cams are moving.

Re: MX5 Just died. Wont Catch.

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 12:27 pm
by zc32s
I was thinking it is the timing belt as well.

I checked the cams earlier and it was turning when I was cranking the car.

Re: MX5 Just died. Wont Catch.

Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:03 am
by 93_Clubman

Re: MX5 Just died. Wont Catch.

Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:12 am
by Mr Morlock
you start by joining the RACV and take it from there- that is what the vast majority of people do.

Re: MX5 Just died. Wont Catch.

Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 12:40 pm
by zero00
Mr Morlock wrote:you start by joining the RACV and take it from there- that is what the vast majority of people do.

Agree MM - evil necessity

Re: MX5 Just died. Wont Catch.

Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 5:49 pm
by zc32s
Mr Morlock wrote:you start by joining the RACV and take it from there- that is what the vast majority of people do.


LOL that's exactly what I did this morning.

Hopefully my car will be back on the road soon.