Vectra 2.8 turbo not starting.

[EliteBadger]

Hi folks,

I'd hoped my first post on here would be to ask something less doom laden but hey, it is what it is.

I have an ex police 2.8 turbo, shes been grand since I got her but not today.

I fuelled her up to about 2/3rd of a tank, she started and drove away fine, went to see a mate, she stopped and started there fine too. Then went to a shop a couple of miles away, when i came out she would crank and even start and rev up to about 500rpm, then she would stall.

Never had this kind of issue, she's been fuelled and ran many times. I plan to go back to her this eve and disconnect battery/ discharge her and get any fault codes read. But no warning lights come on dash so I dont know if there will be many codes to read.

Cheers for any advice and if you need further info just ask.

[EliteBadger]

Update, went back to her an hour later and shes still cranking but not starting. Engine management and service lights are on too.

[Dog_Book]

Look in troubleshooting instead of this none technical issue thread, someone might have had similar in the past.

[EliteBadger]

I have an ex police 2.8 turbo, shes been grand since I got her but not today.


I fuelled her up to about 2/3rd of a tank, she started and drove away fine, went to see a mate, she stopped and started there fine too. Then went to a shop a couple of miles away, when i came out she would crank and even start and rev up to about 500rpm, then she would stall.


Left her for about an hour and when i returned, she would still crank, but nor fire at all and the engine management light is now on.

Got a mate to read the codes off the ECU and there are no trouble codes, not even showing that the engine managment light is on.

I am at a loss and really could use any advice on where to start looking.

[Jon1796]

Get codes first see what’s there. Could be maf or crank/cam sensor.

[LastOne]

Might be as simple as dirty/blocked fuel filter, might be something as complex as stretched timing chains, which the 2.8 can suffer from. As peeps above have said, extract the fault codes first, then post them on here. If you don't have a code reader, £20 will buy you a decent one on Amazon.

[EliteBadger]

Thanks for the replies guys, I got my mate to read the DTC's and there are none. We cleared them out 2 weeks ago when i got the car to give me a baseline. It's not even showing the MIL is on but my eyes looking at the dash say differently.

[EliteBadger]

I may be being a totaly bellend here, but does MIL stay on until engine is running? could swear mine didnt but found a vid where it does. If so, i think i'm going to get a new fuel filter the morn.

[Jon1796]

Stays on till running, if stored faults passed stays on for 4 secs, if faults present stays on depending on what fault.
what are you reading faults with as not all codes can be read by the basic crappie readers.

[northpole]

yes at least invest in the cheapest solution opcom so you can readout the car or find someone near you that has either tech2 or opcom to readout the car properly. as a non-start can entail a whole load of things... but mostly either ignition/ fuel/ sensor related if it was the immobilizer the car wouldn't even try to start plus you'd have the key warning light on.