Diagnostics
Car Cranks but Won't Start and How to Find the Cause
You turn the key, the starter spins the engine over strongly, and nothing happens.
Diagnostics and parts writer, page 2 of 7
Greg specialises in modern car electronics and has spent years explaining fault codes to people who have never used a scanner before. He writes about diagnostics, parts selection and the electrical systems that most DIY guides still treat as a black box.
Diagnostics
You turn the key, the starter spins the engine over strongly, and nothing happens.
DIY Repairs
The squeal starts on cold mornings, lasts ten seconds, then fades.
Diagnostics
A P0171 code on a cheap scanner tells you one thing: the engine is running lean on bank 1. It does not tell you why.
Tools and Garage
A family hatchback weighs around 1,200 kilograms. The scissor jack in its boot is designed to hold one corner of that for ten...
Parts and Replacements
A timing belt costs perhaps £30 on its own. The labour to fit it, on a typical four cylinder engine, runs three to five hours.
Games
Spend enough years chasing faults in engines and you stop believing in hunches. A car does not care what you feel is wrong.