Car Won't Start, But Rac Can't Find Anything Wrong

[Treacle71]

When I turn the engine on, it starts, then cuts out. This happens each time. RAC said he can't find anything wrong and I'll need to take it to a garage 🤷. I asked him if he thought it was worth it, but he said it's up to me if I want to spend money on a 17 yo old car. It'd need to be towed there.

I just wondered what anyone thought? I'm thinking of scrapping it.

[Treacle71]

Thanks Naomi, but I need advice regarding my old banger currently xx

[naomi24]

Treacle, you need to get your story straight.

[DDIL]

If you are planning to scrap it then it doesn't matter if it's not going 

[Buenchico]

Possibly relevant:
https://www.dubizzle.com/blog/cars/car-starts-for-second-then-dies/

[gingejbee]

OK...advice. Scrap the 17-year old banger and use the two-year old car that you (apparently) bought. Simple.

[Canary42]

My last car was a C1 - lovely car.  I bartered it for a new fence when I got banned from driving.

[10ClarionSt]

It sounds like a faulty fuel pump to me, as suggested by The Winner. It could be a broken spring on the rocker arm, which rides on the cam shaft. The spring keeps it tight against the cam. If the spring's broken, the rocker arm won't pump the fuel. But it could also be a cam rod, not an arm. It's about the size of a cigarette, and if worn, won't ride on the camshaft. If it aint either of those, then I don't know. 

[Treacle71]

 Thanks, 10ClarionSt. I can't understand why the RAC didn't pick it up 🤷🤔

 

 

[Treacle71]

Thank you, Buenchico 🙋

 

 

[Maydup]

A new fuel pump might be outside of your RAC cover? Most times they will tow it to a garage if they can't fix there and then but by the sounds of it you were undecided about whether or not to have it fixed. 

Decide how much you're willing to spend on the old car and then get a mechanic to come out, diagnose the fault and quote to fix it. 

[dustypuss]

https://www.google.com/url?q=redx+car&rct=j&sa=U&url=https://www.halfords.com/brands/redex.html&ved=2ahUKEwjyqIyjxoKKAxWHUUEAHZ-rOnkQFnoECA4QAg&usg=AOvVaw0lstwI-b8qPyFzxCcl5mhQ

[dustypuss]

Works wonders on the wife's 24year old lupo.

[renegadefm]

A garage should give you a quote on the repair. 

[TheWinner]

if you called out the RAC, where did they take you? to a garage or back home? and second question, if the car is so old, regardless of what the problem is, do you want to keep getting it repaired when you have another car?

[douglas9401]

My money's on dust ingress, fatal for wee French cars, especially those in mixed-up fantasies that plague Q&A sites.

[Bazile]

F​​​​​​​​​​​​awlty cars usually respond to a good thrashing with a tree branch 

[davebro3]

scrap it - not worth the hassle...

[10ClarionSt]

BA should go to Bazile!

[davebro3]

But Basil's car wasn't French - Austin 1100/1300 I think.😀