Practically Classics Forum

I did at one point have the v6 running for a good 5 seconds but she died as
though suffocated, when I managed to get to the same point again I opened
the throttle and that killed it too!

Then! a new fly in the ointment, actually I should say transmission fluid!!
With all this turning the engine over to try and get the old girl to fire up the V6,
there has been the pressure building up in the transmission pumping the fluid
around into the oil radiator. This is not a problem as it is doing as it's supposed
to do!

The problem is the oil cooler radiator it's self as it failed, spraying the electrics
and the rest of the engine-bay with oil! So a new oil cooler is needed before any
more cranking the engine over!

Sounds like it could be lacking fuel, can you get a pressure gauge on the fuel rail.

Perhaps the fuel pump supposed to be wired via an engine run relay?

The fuel pump has it's own relay controlled by the ECU. While I'm cleaning
up the mess the car stays on the pit so it can take all the oily water and
washing up water. But before I start on the front I will check the connections
at the rear incase the pressure of the pump has blown the hose off the pipe
which runs from the back to the engine.

I think I re did the filters etc on the injectors giving them an overhaul with
fresh 'O'rings before putting the fuel rail back on ages ago!

The oil cooler was off a BMW, but I can't remember which one. I will be better
off with a newer one as it looking a little ropey in the first place.

Well at least I found out now rather than on her first outing on the A19
at about 70mph. If that had happened that 41th auto box would be a killer
as the car would be going straight to the scrapyard as you can't get them
easily over here! I have a 3 speed 31th but thatwon't mate up with the V6
I think!

Until I post other wise I am now looking for a replacement so please let
me know if anybody finds something suitable.
Thanks.

Even with the oil spills with moving the engine and box around when putting
it in and pulling it out etc I haven't left marks on the drive like my
father's landrover discovery, my nickname for dad's is the exxon valdez!
r

This is progress. Keep on going and you will get there. I'm glad you're actually concentrating on getting the engine running. How old is the fuel in your car? Modern unleaded goes off quite quickly and could cause the very problem you're having. Try adding some fresh fuel to see if it makes any difference.

I added a gallon or two a month ago, there was a gallon in the tank off
last year. I didn't want to leave more than a gallon in the tank for the
reason you gave, it going off! Well! that and incase something happened
to the car and someone tried to either drive her away or tried to nick
what fuel was there!(yes I was thinking of those gypsies back then too!)
I didn't want to leave the tank dry, incase I inadvertently activated or
left the fuel pump running and it had nothing to pump.

I wonder if the fuel pump and ECU combination works the way that it does on the Rover 800 series:

When you turn the key to position II, the ECU sends a 12v feed to the fuel pump to make it run for a couple of seconds to pressurise the fuel rail, to provide fuel for starting, then shuts the pump down.
Once the engine fires, and the ECU receives a signal from the crank position sensor to tell it that the engine is running, it energises a separate relay to keep the fuel pump running.

If that separate pump relay is faulty, or the ECU "run" signal does not reach the pump for some reason, you can run 12v direct to the pump for diagnostic purposes - that should enable the engine to run, proving that the rest of the system is OK.

I thought I'd better refresh myself with details of the fuel pumps of the
voyagers and the neon to confirm that the neon fuel pump can cope with
the voyager V6. After what was said earlier about checking to see if there
was enough fuel pressure at the rail. The details I went off are off are of
replacement fuel pumps.
Chrysler/Plymouth Voyager/Grand Voyager (Town & Country) and under
the Dodge brand Caravan / Grand Caravan from 1996-2000. Also Chrysler
and Dodge Neon using the DOHC and SOHC Engines.

The Petrol Engines 2.0L, 2.4L, 3.0L, 3.3L and 3.8L all have a similar type of
pump, with a pressure of 3 Bars 100L/h

It is possible that your recent fuel has also gone off. It does go off quite quickly. Maybe you should drain the tank and put some fresh fuel in. A constant ignition fed live to the fuel pump would help in your diagnosis. I'd also recommend fresh oil, filters (air, oil & fuel) and plugs for optimal running conditions if they haven't already been replaced. The injectors may need attention especially if they're an unknown quantity.

I don't hold with this "fuel goes off quickly" myth: my MGC is in storage at my father in law's house and starts easily each year when I visit on holiday. The fuel in there is now 3 years old and works nicely! The same applies to my wife's Rover - each year that gets started and taken for an MOT on year old unleaded, no problems.

With respect to the fuel pump, the pressure is usually controlled by a regulator on the fuel rail, the pump just pushes it in, pumps are sized to max load, an undersized pump will not stop it starting and running at light load.