2002 1.2 Ibiza not starting

[littleredibiza]

Hi All,

Hoping someone can help me.....

Drove the car home last night no probs, wen't to start this morning and it would turn over but not start. The oil light flashes red several times and i get three 'beeps' from the dash. Checked oil level, & coolant level both fine. The car has had oil filter change quite recently.

The engine warning light had appeared recently but has been showing no faults......

Any ideas?

Many thanks,

Andy.

 

[techie]

Dont worry about the oil warning, this is just because your turning it over and its not going fast enough to generate full oil pressure.

Needs a diagnostic check and the basics checking like compression, spark, fuel etc.

Early car so you could be unlucky and the timing chain may have slipped.

 

[RUM4MO]

Maybe to expand a bit on what Techie said about the oil pressure "problem", most of us will never ever get this warning so when it comes it gives you a fright! I think that VAG will have "inhibited" the oil pressure warning for a few seconds to cover the engine start period, as Techie said, you will not get high enough oil pressure at cranking speeds to switch the oil warning switch - so the "inhibit" period runs out and you keep cranking the engine and so the oil pressure switch signal is getting read and triggers the warnings. Some engine manufacturers used to place the oil pressure switch very close to the oil pump, so the light went out within seconds even at cranking speeds - VAG seem to use a sensibly higher switching switch and probably place it further away from the oil pump.

Good luck with sorting the engine though as it seems that these engines can be nasty little buggars - though it seems that most can be sorted cheaply - which was not the original perception.

 

[littleredibiza]

Ok. That makes sense about the oil warning.

I had feared the dreded timing chain. What is the best way to veryfy that it has slipped without stripping the engine?

Thanks,

Andy.

P.S. The cars now at 80k miles.........

 

[RUM4MO]

Ok. That makes sense about the oil warning.

I had feared the dreded timing chain. What is the best way to veryfy that it has slipped without stripping the engine?

Thanks,

Andy.

P.S. The cars now at 80k miles.........

Based on nothing more than urban mythe + what is reported on these forums + a bit of practical logic, if the engine has done 80K miles on the first chain then I'd reckon its its due a new one as it has been said that these chains are light weight so stretch and so can not get correctly timed again if using the original stretched chain. It was always thought/hoped that timing chains would last the life of the car - but it seems that some engine designers cut corners and so we are back to what we have with timing belts - again not based on experience - yet - as I'm still a belt driven person!

In answer to how to check it without stripping the engine, I'd think that you could remove the front cover and see where everything is - as long as you know where it should be!

 

[littleredibiza]

Sounds like time to change the chain then. does anyone know if there is a tech guide anywhere to doing this? I'm a pretty competant mechanic, done several timing belts in the past on various cars with no prblems.

Cheers, Andy.

 

[techie]

If the timing chain stretches though the oil pressure fed tensioner should take this slack up.

Two main reasons I hae found they fail

1. The bottom pully bolt comes loose and it slips
2. Oil level gets low and pressure drops, tensioner comes loose and chain slips. The engine only holds 2.8 litres of oil, can use up to one litre per 600 miles of driing. I see so many with low oil, go around a corner, oil pressure drops for a second and bang.

12v will usually hit the pistons meaning bent vales, 6v usually get away with it. There is a modified chain kit for the early cars with an improved chain and cam gears. Timing is checked by a locking tool in the camshaft which goes in place of the camshaft sensor and a tool that locks into the flywheel that goes in place of the crankshaft sensor.

Changing the chain isnt difficult if you have the tools but removing the front timing case is quite a long job, get the right sealer to seal it up after. Also will need a compressor and airgun for the bottom pulley or the specail counter holding tool. Do not use the locking tool in the flywheel, they snap off.