GTV6 Not Starting

[shane wescott]

Hi Most Excellently Knowledgeable People

I went over seas, drove a Fiat, my GTV6 found out, and now it has cracked it. 

When I came home I started it, it ran fine, sat there for a while turning the motor over at up to 2000rpm for a few minutes and then made a plan to drive it to work the following week.

Night before work, turned it over it idled rough, while I mucked around with the new rego sticker, then after about one min it stalled.

Has not started since. I get the occasional kick, but nothing consistent.

Can someone tell me, I seem to remeber everytime I turned the ignition on I could hear the electrix fuel pump from the tank area. Now I dont.

Any suggestions would be welcome on troubleshooting tips.

Thanks Guys

[greengtv8]

how long was it sitting for?...how much fuel is in the tank?...how long since last put petrol in it?...where was the car parked while you were gone? is the engine turning over fast?....is the engine good with oil, or does it use alittle? any problems before you left?

[dehne]

pull the fuel pump out and see if it works if not u can buy from ebay 4 about 140 they work fine it may also be the fuel relay but check pump first

[shane wescott]

To answer some questions, it has been sitting for around 6 weeks. Has been started once or twice during that time for a couple of minutes.

There is around half a tank of BP untimate in it.

Turns over fast as brand new battery, just seems to be a lack of fuel.

Thanks for the suggestions on the fuel pump and relay these will be my first hit and I will also try the plugs as occassionally (as they do) a plug clogs. I have the hotter US plugs in it but it still happens on the odd occassion.

I will give you an update after todays work.

CAtch ya

Shane

[shane wescott]

Quick Update - it lives 

Tried agin to start got the occassional kick.

Great tips re the relay and the fuel pump, I now know where they are and how to check them.

Decided to pull the sparkies and they were all gummed up. Bit of a clean up put them back in and away she went.

Quick run up to the car wash and a run around the ring road and all is well.

I promised the GTV6 I would never drive another Fiat 

Moral of the story I supposed it check the easy and common stuff first.

Catch ya

Shane

[alanm]

I have a GTV6 GP that has run on 5 cylinders a couple of times this week. I reckon its the same problem you've been having – dirty plugs.
I bought a tool today to get the plugs out. Perversely it got to 2 plugs but not to the others! The valve cover casting must be minutely different across the 6 cylinders and it was just to big for the other 4! What are you using to get your plugs out? Does it get to the plug next to the brake fluid reservoir? Also do what brand of oil filter do you use?

Liked your story in the club newsletter, I can really relate to it.

Alan

[shane wescott]

Yes. The Old Get the Spark Plugs Out of the GTV6 question.
Clearly the Brke system was installed on these cars after the spark plugs were in.

I dont have the original tool for getting them out which will reach every plug. My alternative is to drop a tube spanner over the plug, stick a socket on the end of the tube spanner, and then use a small plug spanner to grip the plug and extract it.

Unfortunately, this system wont work for the cylinder next to the brake cylinder :-( I borrowed a custom tool once which could get all sparkies out. My plan is to make a custom tool out of a tube spanner for the hard to get at one.

The oil filter was genuine alfa, but was much smaller than the one that was already installed ?? I did a check on the weba dn the part number for mine was correct. One of the great thigns I did when replacing the water pump (see other posts) was to remove the aircon compressor. This gives great access to oil filter.

Thanks for the comments on the article, if you're based in Melbourne I would love to see your GP at a club run.

CAtch ya

Shane

[alanm]

Okay, so its not just me who has problems getting the plugs out!!
There is chance I might be able to buy the original tool, I'll let you know if I have any luck.

Yes I'd like to go on a club run, according to the club calender the next one is Benella.
I'm also planning to take the car to the club display at Como (?), missed last year because
Pur Sang were replacing the head gaskets.

Cheers
Alan

[alfagtv58]

Yes I'd like to go on a club run, according to the club calender the next one is Benella.

Hi Alan,

The next run (Early Morning Run) is on the 5th October....a couple of weeks before the Benalla run.  Heading up towards Reefton.

See here! http://www.alfaclubvic.org.au/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,68/topic,1764.0/

[alanm]

Thanks Phil, Reefton sounds good.

Enjoyed watching you and the silver (?) GTV at Winton. I didn't expect the alfas to be competitive against the Porsches but one of you much to my delight passed 2 of them! Its always enjoyable to see someone pass a Porsche. Looking forward to seeing more at Sandown in November.

Alan

[Thmpar]

Hey shane i had your problem once or twice in the last 7 years but that happens, i put in a standard equivalent to the platinium plugs.
never has a drama after that, took me a long time to to work that out.

Platinum are too touchy as far as the electrodes are concerned one little spot of oil or fuel and they are fouled the standard ones will clear them selves with a good run.

[alanm]

Hi Shane

I did get lucky with the spark plug tool, I'm told it came with the car when new??
Anyway, its brilliant, I got all the plugs out no problem! I have not started the car yet but I'll bet that it starts more easily and idles smoother when its cold. Interestingly the plugs on cylinders 3 and 6 were the most manky (the hardest ones to get at the back). New plugs, NGK standard.
Cheers
Alan

[shane wescott]

Hi Alan

Plugs are another discussion all together (which I think you can find an old one somewhere else on this forum).

I only use Golden Lodge in Alfa's. Always have and probably always will. The ones I have in the GTV6 are the hotter US market ones.

Nothing against any other brands, but I have had nothing but trouble with anything other than Golden Lodge in the nearly 30 years I have had Alfa's.

Glad you could get the dinky di tool, it certainly makes the job easier.

Catch ya

Shane

[Southern75]

Yeah i find that golden lodges are good but they don't seem to work that well around town.

As for getting out the spark plugs i have some words of advice.

The original tool isn't bad but i find it difficult still on number 2 and 6.

I find the traditional spark plug socket and extensions is the way to go.

BUT!!!

be warned some supposed good brands will have difficulty.

I have a sidchrome set of sockets and the walls of the spark plug sockey are too thick to fit down the whole.

I went into a tool shop with a set of veniers and the staff there thought i was a nutter and ended up buying a craftsman aircraft one and now I also have a snap-on one which works fine.

How i do my plugs.

1 drop socket into tube, attach 1 x3" extension
2 attach 1 wobbly 3" exntension
3 attach uni joint
4 attach long extension (i use a 15" one)
then ratchet them out.

I have a spark plug change now down to less that 10 minutes.
It sounds hard but its easy and it doesn't kill my back (am 6'2" tall so this is why i use the long extension)

Hope this cna be some help

[Thmpar]

Thats the same thing i did to mine Mick never had a problem after that.the lodgers and similar style plugs are absolute rubbish.