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alfa 156 2.4 doesnt start

1K views 35 replies 7 participants last post by  captainboogaloo 
#1 ·
so i got alfa 2000 2.4 that wont start

before this, car was left to idle for like 30mins then switched off and then next day in the morning it wouldnt start

plugged it to computer and it showed this

p1320 cam/crank synchronization
p0381 glow plugs


timing was checked
crank pulley removed and checked if anything has fallen off, all good there
changed crank and cam sensor with a good used working one
all fuses seem to be good
diesel gets to injectors
fuel pump runs
fuel pressure is good

battery is new

strange thing is that car starts and runs with spray, but as soon as you stop spraying car cuts off


is there anything else that i can try?
was thinking next thing to change would be ecu set
 
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#5 ·
Ether spray doesn't need glowplugs, just compression is enough. Derv doesn't either except at low temps.

A stuck shut off flap is sneaky since it prevents air. I recently had just that problem on a VW, flap sticking intermittently in the carbon oil gum that inhabits diesel inlets thanks to EGR, turbo mist and breather recirculation- it just wouldn't start.
 
#6 ·
Once running on spray it should keep running even if the glow plugs are not working, and if the valve was shut spray wouldn't work, so it's strange...

When you say the pressure is good do you mean the lift pump pressure or the rail pressure? If you don't know the rail pressure is good you could try a 'leak-back' test on the injectors.

Do you still get the cam/crank synchronization error, or was that historical?
 
#9 ·
You probably know this, but just in case: the 'O' ring seal on the crank sensor can apparently get left behind when removing the sensor. You can then end up with two in there when the replacement sensor if fitted. It's then too far from the crank to get a good signal.
 
#13 ·
before i changed crank sensor i checked rpms with tester while cranking and they were present, also when i removed old crank sensor there was no rubber on it, also checked inside block for rubber and none was seen, but still if there was a problem with said rubber it wouldnt shown rpms while cranking, unless it shows rpms but not enough to actually start the car
crank sensor is pushed in all the way

is it possible that engine ecu is bad and doesnt squirt diesel out of injectors?

i got another 2.4 for parts, so last thing im gonna try is to change ecu set, if it still wont fire up then **** it
 
#15 · (Edited)
Since you had revs being reported, and that comes from the crank (I think) then the cam sensing looks suspect. Is it possible to clean the tone ring via the sensor's hole? I've not had cause to take mine out to see, but if your tone ring picked up metallic particles sufficient to defeat the sensor the engine would continue to run, but not restart. (I think that's right for the 10 valve, the 20 valve will restart though it cranks for a couple of revs while it works the firing sequence out.) If the crank signal went bad, the engine would have stopped.
 
#16 ·
Sorry, just re-read your first post and noticed you have a 2000 year car - that would be a very early 2.4 10v with the old CF2 engine. Not a lot of people still have this engine.

I'd want to check the tone ring on the back of your cam pulley like RT says. Also you mention a new cam sensor and a new crank sensor - what brands were these?
 
#18 ·
There's a tone ring on the back of the cam pulley for the cam sensor, and another ring on the crankshaft for the crank sensor.. I guess you might be able to check the one on the crankshaft by looking through the crank sensor hole in the block with a bore scope and getting someone to turn the engine as you do so, would be easier than taking off the sump.
 
#25 ·
You don't need the fuse box, but you do need the code box, on your year of 156 it should be a yellow box about the size of a pack of ****, held on by two 10mm bolts, located above where your fuse box was. Is there still a transponder chip in the stub of that key?
 
#31 ·
Worth checking that the cam sensor has power ( 5V), and ground. If you then connect your voltmeter to the output (usually the centre connection) and bar the engine over slowly you should see the signal stepping between the two.

Did you check the timing only of the belt, or of the crank/cam? See here: http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-147-156-andamp-gt/733497-help-finding-cause-of-p1320-error.html
In that case the engine still ran, but if that half hour of idling damaged the sprocket enough the timing may be too far out for it to start (?)
 
#33 ·
Just a thought. I know you said in your OP that the battery is new, but have you actually checked it? I've had 3 new batteries at different times that quickly developed dead cells, and 10v from remaing good cells is enough to crank but likely not fast enough for injectors to operate and also confuse the ECU into imagining faults.
 
#36 ·
I had a 2.4 jtd 10 valve with p1320 code fault; after a massive investigation, and a lot of time, I strongly suggest you remove the the main bottom pulley and the gear, right back to the crank. I expect you'll find the woodruff key/ end of the crank lunched, and the engine unable to accurately time itself, hence the code, which if I recall actually means the Ecu is reading a big timing discrepancy, and refuses to fire. I'm afraid it's highly likely that starting these diesels with easy start is a massive shock to the timing system, and should be avoided at all costs.
Hope I'm wrong
Best of luck
Captain Boogaloo
 
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