cloggedb

Cranks and Tries to Start but wont

36 posts in this topic

Have a 2006 smart 450

 

The car cranks but will not start. When cranking it does shake pretty violently. It looks very similar to this clip https://youtu.be/rPB7lqbOPhI?t=3m9s. a good amount a black smoke does come out.

 

I have just got the car so I plan on adding some fresh diesel as car has sat for about 7 months, checking the electronic fuel pump and checking for a seized alternator. I plan on getting to work on this car this week and weekend so if anyone has any other ideas on what could be causing this please let me know.

 

Thanks for the help! 

 

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Do you hear the pump in the fuel tank run when you put the key to the #1 position?

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wheres the best place to listen for this? Under the car or near the gas cap? I hear a lot of electronic in the cabin so its hard to isolate 

Edited by cloggedb

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If its blowing black smoke out that should mean its getting gas right? The seized alternator would just stop it from cranking fast enough?

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Why do you not check if alternator indeed is seized and if it is unseize it?

Edited by tolsen
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That's the plan as soon as I can try it, I'm just wondering why it would be blowing the black smoke out while cranking, I'm new to diesels so just trying to learn 

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Black smoke at start up is not uncommon with diesels.

I beg, if your car had say for several months, there is a high chance EGR valve is stuck too.  Your first mod ought to be adding a blanking plate in exhaust supply to EGR valve. 

 

To check if alternator is seized, all you need do is observe alternator pulley whilst an assistant cranks engine on starter.  Only takes seconds.

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3 hours ago, tolsen said:

Black smoke at start up is not uncommon with diesels.

I beg, if your car had say for several months, there is a high chance EGR valve is stuck too.  Your first mod ought to be adding a blanking plate in exhaust supply to EGR valve. 

 

To check if alternator is seized, all you need do is observe alternator pulley whilst an assistant cranks engine on starter.  Only takes seconds.

 

I'm new here and was wondering about the EGR blanking plate comment.

If the EGR is part of the problem then why not just turn the EGR internal valve 180 degrees which should stop Exhaust gases from entering? 

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5 hours ago, JasonRoberts said:

 

I'm new here and was wondering about the EGR blanking plate comment.

If the EGR is part of the problem then why not just turn the EGR internal valve 180 degrees which should stop Exhaust gases from entering? 

EGR is not the cause for the non start.

Turning EGR cartridge 180 degrees is possible but difficult.  Fitting blanking plate is easier.

 

 

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Don't touch any high pressure pipe.  Black smoke means fuel is being injected so you won't learn anything by cracking open high pressure unions risking life and limb and damage fuel rail.

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Finally had time to get the car up and take a look. Alternator was seized. with the belt off car fires right up, so i need to go get some liquid wrench and try to unstick it. If I get it unstuck is there anything i can do to prevent it from happening again? This is going to be a spare car so it will sit for up to a week without being driven. Should i just start it up every few days?  

 

Thanks so much for the help guys!

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It does not take much effort to unseize alternator by working it on its pulley nut.  The only real obstacle is removing splash guard on right hand side of drive belt.  Wet the two large plastic expansion plugs in penetration oil and gently pull out the centre pins.  Guard then drops down more or less by its own weight.

Spray wicking oil into alternator windings aiming for the tiny "gap" or lack of gap between rotor and stator.  The oil offers some protection but needs be reapplied from time to time.

Run engine at least weekly.

I dismantled my alternator completely when mine was seized.  Turned down rotor a few thou and applied electrical winding varnish.

 

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Got the alternator free! Starts up wonderfully now, but i have run into a few new issues. I didn't get to drive it very far, just around my cul-de-sac a few times as i have no plates or insurance. When first starting to move it sounds like the car is about to stall, it reminds me of when I learned to drive standard. once you get over about 5 km/h it all seems fine shifting smoothly. The other issue is i let it idle for about 25 mins i had 3-4 drops of oil on the ground, from the middle of the engine. cant seem to fine the source of the leak yet.

 

Making great progress, this has been well worth the $700 i spent on the car!

 

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Most common oil leaks are rust holes in lube oil pipes to and from turbo, rust hole in sump or holed inter cooler due to bad design of its support cradle.  Oil in inter cooler originates from engine breather pipe.

 

You may need to clean, lube and paint your clutch actuator.  There is guidance on Evilution's site.  Also strongly recommended to periodically check transmission wiring harness. 

 

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Have a new round of issues. My right turn signal blink very fast, looks like the middle light of the 3 wont blink but will come on fine when braking. I also dont have reverse lights. What could be causing this?

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Lights check the bulbs and the wiring to them it might be this,  the EGR plate look under mods.  relating to the EGR  on this sight to find out how to do this, there is a little more to it,. think you mentioned oil leak look at the intercooler see if the oil leak is coming from there.

Edited by Wild!
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had a chance to work on the car a bit. Cleaned the actuator and it is shifting much better, took a look at the lights and the bulb is good and it is making good contact but doesn't want to flash for more than a second. the middle light will work when locking and unlocking doors, and will maybe flash once when using the signals but wont continue to work for more than that. 

 

Tried to put the egr plate on, but cant get the egr off, any good guides for this? the one on here has all the pictures removed.

 

I seem to have cruise control but when i try and turn it on the only thing that happens is the fog light dash indicator turns on, that cant be normal?

 

Thanks again for all the help guys! 

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9 hours ago, cloggedb said:

 

I seem to have cruise control but when i try and turn it on the only thing that happens is the fog light dash indicator turns on, that cant be normal?

 

That could be the aftermarket MDC cruise control unit.http://www.smartieparts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6  The indicator light could be placed in the rear fog light position. Over the years I probably installed over 30 of them.

Where did your smart come from?

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3 hours ago, smart142 said:

 

That could be the aftermarket MDC cruise control unit.http://www.smartieparts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6  The indicator light could be placed in the rear fog light position. Over the years I probably installed over 30 of them.

Where did your smart come from?

I got the Smart from Markham, but i believe it originally came from Ottawa.    

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Looks like I have the cruise control unit! that's a surprise but its nice to have cruise! 

 

My turn signal still doesn't work, its still flashes when locking the doors but that's it. same with the reverse lights, they only flash when locking the doors. I took apart the ebox and it was clean, but i still gave it a spray of contact cleaner, and i cleaned the connectors on both tail lights. I lifted the contacts up inside the lights as well. i'm not sure what else to try.

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I would suggest that you reprogram the cruise control unit using the instructions from the link I provided.

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get a code reader and got P0600 - Serial Communication Link Malfunction . Could this be my light issue? no check engine light and apart from that car is working good

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17 hours ago, cloggedb said:

get a code reader and got P0600 - Serial Communication Link Malfunction . Could this be my light issue? no check engine light and apart from that car is working good

Had a look at the sam, I see that on N11-3 pin 12 ECU (MEG unit) is gone. and pin 9 now has two wires in it.

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