Cavalier battery change now won't start

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Sat 7 Dec 2002 00:32
Cavalier battery change now won't start - afterburner
Please could someone help me on this annoying problem?

Cavalier Mk3 SRi G plate

Replaced the battery, and now the car will not run.

It turns over ok, but seems not to fire?, replaced the air box, there is nice atomised fuel on all four cylinders excellent sparks.

It usually started first time every time, replaced ECU and ignition relay, fuel pump working fine.

Anyone have any ideas?, will not go on a bump start or whilst being towed either.

:(
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Sat 7 Dec 2002 06:12
Cavalier battery change now won't start - Andrew Moorey (Tune-Up)
Forgive the questions but...... for how long was the car standing between the last time the car ran and the first time you tried to start it with the new battery. Is there the slightest possibility that you may have inadvertantly fitted the battery connections the wrong way for a moment or connected jump leads to the wrong connections . Did you do anything else to the car at the same time that you changed the battery.
You state that there is atomised fuel in the cylinders, I assume you mean the cylinders are wet with fuel, possibly flooded?
As I said forgive the questions but in 16 years of diagnostics you sometimes need to be a bit of a detective to gather all the facts to solve the 'crime'.
My initial feeling is that if the vehicle had stood for any length of time over a couple of days we may have a classic case of the hydraulic lifters holding the valves open. A symptom of this is that the engine seems to spin over very rapidly without 'churning'. A towstart will sort this and immediately the engine fires hold the revs at 2500 for a couple of minutes until it is running smoothly. Other thoughts are disturbed earth connections on the front panel near the battery. If it was possible that the battery was fitted the wrong way round then it is curtains for the ECU.
Await your responses ......!
Andrew
Happiness is a T70 at full chat!
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Sat 7 Dec 2002 09:14
Cavalier battery change now won't start - dan
Speaking entirely as a clueless monkey but with direct experience of which you speak:
Try jump starting it with a mains powered starter thing (whilst its still plugged in). Some cars can turn over great, spark etc.. but not start - battery hasn't got the 'right' oomph.
Does it start if you push start it? Does your battery cell(s) gas when you attempt a start? Perhaps your sparks are wrong (gap too big) or the spark is weak cos your discap is worn out/coked up.
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