Stubborn AUA engine fitted to a 1.4 petrol BBY car refuses to start

Once the engine is repaired should the car be sold as an ongoing project car without an MOT?

  • Yes

    Votes: 1 16.7%

  • No

    Votes: 5 83.3%
  • Total voters
    6
  • Poll closed .
I remember chipping in on the original thread and my understanding is that it is BBY originally, but the core of the engine was replace with an AUA but as Mac says core elements like ignition and fuel components were from the original BBY. It’s worth noting that the BBY has a different oil separator and plumbing so worth checking what type it has.
 
Thank you @birtyA2, excellent suggestions,
I will raise the vehicle so I can take pictures of that oil separator.

Yesterday evening, the interior was cleaned. This morning the hinges were cleaned with a toothbrush and spray oil, and the door reveals were then cleaned. Together with the engine bay, the coils and spark plugs were taken out and cleaned. Following the engine compression test, a fully charged battery was installed, the oil was changed, and the car was turned on.
A great deal of cranking, followed by short firing bursts, and then more cranking.
 
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rotifer II said:
Thanks @birtyA2, good ideas,
I'll lift the car and get some photographs of that oil seperator.

Been extra, extra, busy
Cleaned the interior yesterday evening and this morning, I used the old spray oil and a tooth brush to remove the grease off the hinges before detailing the door reveals. This afternoon after the engine compression test I did a swift oil change. The coils and spark plugs were removed and cleaned then the engine bay given some light detailing. Hooked up the charged battery and tried to start the car.
It does a lot of cranking which is nice, with some short burst of a couple of cylinders firing for a second, then it goes back to cranking.
I'll record it
Click to expand...
Better to log it. Tell you more than listening to it I think.
Mac.
 
Making VCDS logs is something I have forgotten how to do. ⁣⁣🪵🪓
By tomorrow morning, I will figure this out and create some logs.
🙂👍
20241203_194337.jpg
 
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rotifer II said:
I have not learned how to do VCDS logging. 🪵🪓
I'll work out how to do this and we sould have some logs by tomorrow morning.
🙂👍
View attachment 132349
Click to expand...
Just go into measuring blocks choose three groups (suggest 002, 003, & 010 to start with), click Go on each group, check you have live data in the blocks.
Click Log button, and start the log. That's it, log is running. Crank as long as you can. Stop the log.
The csv file id saved in the logs folder.
Change it from csv to txt, and post it here.
Mac.
Full story here:
 
rotifer II said:
I have not learned how to do VCDS logging. 🪵🪓
I'll work out how to do this and we sould have some logs by tomorrow morning.
🙂👍
View attachment 132349
Click to expand...
Some things catches my attention in this picture.
Assuming this is a car built to have a BBY engine, and the engine swap was made with the intention to keep it a BBY car:
1. There is a part missing on the camshaft cover (actually the whole cover might be an AUA cover which doesnt have this part); a BBY has a device near cyl 3/4 by the lifting eye, which via a hose shall connect to the intake duct.
2. The EGR valve is the older type with plain metal housing. A BBY normally has the more black and plastic housing EGR valve.
Both things might contribute to the running problems seen in the video.
 
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Hello,
I appreciate everyone's explanations on how to complete this logging task. I realised I had already done this back in March while repairing the red colour strom.
 
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@birtyA2 - It’s worth noting that the BBY has a different oil separator and plumbing so worth checking what type it has.
Click to expand...
20241203_205535.jpg

@Joga -
1. There is a part missing on the camshaft cover (actually the whole cover might be an AUA cover which doesnt have this part); a BBY has a device near cyl 3/4 by the lifting eye, which via a hose shall connect to the intake duct.
2. The EGR valve is the older type with plain metal housing. A BBY normally has the more black and plastic housing EGR valve.
Both things might contribute to the running problems seen in the video.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the suggestions. My other BBY engine has the missing cam case breather. I have seen the exact item you are referring to. The fact that this car lacks it is a little concerning.
My other BBY's old metal EGR is identical to this one. I tested both vehicles for the EGR adaptation in VCDS, and they both passed.
IMG_20241204_032037_DRO.jpg

@Little Dog - New fuel clearly hasn’t worked. Could I sugest: Monty Python
Click to expand...
The petrol can has not yet been filled up at the garage. The car was not delivered until Monday, 02/12/24, at 1530..I might begin to look like John Cleese in a few more days.:)

@Howey - Reading the previous linked thread it would seem the spark plug being changed has generated a non start situation. This would be my first check along with fuses and anything that potentially could have been connected incorrectly during the engine change
Click to expand...
Wells 3 and 4 for spark plugs had water in them. Instead of water, could it be coolant?
20241203_144838.jpg
Tomorrow, I will return to check what we were able to gather from the well.
I am glad you suggested checking the plugs; it was a smart move. ⁣⁣
Look at how little oil I was able to get out of the sump. It was neat fuel, I think. Is this the reason the engine was damaged?
20241203_135956.jpg
Does anyone have an inexpensive 1.4 BBY engine for sale?

invoice from 2018 for a prior engine replacement.
20241204_022351.jpg
 
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End of the Road? ​

In addition to the absence of oil, the spark plug wells are once again being filled with coolant.
The easiest options are to replace it with a cheap BBY engine or sell the whole car for spare parts.
After I dry out the wells once more and check them again later.
 
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I foolishly performed a compression test after pouring oil onto the pistons through the spark plug holes which produced higher pressure readings. I suspect the car nearly ran in the previous video because of the oil sealing the rings temporarily.

Another compression test was conducted the following day.

20241204_162314-COLLAGE.jpg
This confirms my suspicions that there is some form of engine damage.
Using the timing tool that fits into two timing holes in the cam cover, the crank flat tooth was in line with the mark on the block, indicating that the issue does not lie with the timing.
 
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