2002 Vauxhall Astra no start

Hello again Joe! How have you been? Had a couple of days tinkering with car but seem to be going round in circles. I drained old fuel (it looked really bad) and replaced it with some fresh fuel and a bit of Redex for good measure. Sill no start and now I don't have fuel at the rail again! I ran a feed from the battery direct to the pump and the pump is working, that put fuel back at the rail but still no start! I am inclined to think the no start is down to the cam or crank shaft sensors coupled with the problems on the fuel circuit? (Assuming of course the ECU is not toast!) Been trying to teach myself how to check the fuel relay circuit with the use of the internet. I don't know if any of the following will make sense but here goes. Pin 30 + 87 are the load side of my relay? Whilst pin 85 + 86 are the control side? Using only a test light (sorry that's all I have) with key on I should have power on pin 87 but I have not? And pin 85 should flash when cranking or give a few second prime when key on, but it does not? All I do get is constant power on pins 85 and pin 30 with key either on or off? Originally I did have some power at the pump when I tested the plug (unplugged) but now I don't even have that! I have tried a jumper wire between pins 30 + 87 to no avail Seems to me the fault codes 0230 x2 and 1230 x2 are trying to tell me what is wrong but I carnt seem to grasp what I must do to solve them problems? Except perhaps try and get an apprenticeship with a auto electrician! Lol Very close to admitting defeat here unless you have any ideas? Don't worry if not at least it has been fun (albeit sadistic fun) trying to work it out. Lol Thanks again for your help. Jim :o)

Hello Joe good to hear from you again! Hand is still a bit tender but healing fine thanks. Yes I have been trying again with car but it is fighting me all the way! Lol The wiring to the relay box looks ok, no obvious damage. But I am not too sure about the wiring to the plug at the pump? I can tell this pump has been replaced before because someone in the cars past has cut off the quick release connectors and replaced them with hose clamps! Not an idea I like myself but I have been told that its common for this to be done? At the moment though its this plug I am not sure about, problem is I cannot get much access to it from inside the car so I intend to see what I can do from underneath. Just hope I don't need to drop the tank to get to it! As for the 2 fault codes that repeat twice I have deduced that the 0230 code is Fuel pump secondary circuit high C-07? And, Fuel Pump Relay Open Circuit C-07? And the 1230 code is Main Relay Circuit Voltage High C-03? And, Main Relay Open Circuit C-03? Hope this means more to you than it does to me? Lol With reference to the starting fluid. Yes it does start only for half a second with the fluid, and I don't know if its relevant but when I crank the car without using the starting fluid, although it wont fire, I get the same smell as when I do use the starting fluid? Another problem I have encountered (as if I did not have enough!) Is the spark plugs seem to be seized! They are located in deep recesses in the engine and I have bent a couple of tommy bars trying to undo them! With my hand the way it is at the moment I cannot do too much more of that, but I think we did say that if the car fires only for half a second with fluid we do have spark? At least the weather here has improved for the time being so I will be able to tinker around more each day, so look forward to any suggestions you might have? Take care Joe, hope to talk soon. Thanks Jim. :O)

Hey no worries Joe! I appreciate all the help and suggestions you can and have given me to date! I understand you got your own things to see to, so don't ever worry if you cannot get back to me straight away. This project for me is more of a learning curve or a hobby and is in no way urgent at this time. Anyway I spoke too soon about British weather, last couple of days have been wet and cold! Lol tomorrow is good forecast (fingers crossed) so I will get underneath car and see if I can get better access to this cable? From the access port under rear seat I can only reach a couple of inches of this cable so I am hoping I can pull it through from underneath without dropping the tank, was thinking maybe I could put some string on it from inside to pull it back into position? Only time will tell Lol I will give it a try tomorrow and let you know how I got on. I am happy to hear you can do wheel cylinders too because when we get my car running I want to replace the rear cylinders and brake shoes so the fun should continue! Lool Take it easy Joe talk soon. Cheers Jim :o)

Ha ha Joe I don't think anything will ever be simple on my car! Did you ever see a movie about a certain Plymouth Fury named Christine? Well I think my car is Christine's daughter! And sure enough she's almost a teenager which explains why she will not fix herself! Lool Let you know how I get on today talk when you can Joe no problem. Cheers Jim :o)

Hello again Joe. I made a bit of progress today I think? Managed to get at more of the wiring from inside the car and found the live had a break in it! I repaired that and it restored the fuel to the rail. I gave it a few squirts of starting fluid and it fired up and ran or about 10 seconds! I was almost packing my picnic basket when it shuddered back to a stop! Lol But now it is trying to start every time I crank it so I am trying to think where to go next?
Do you think the prime suspect might be the camshaft position sensor now with it having the 0340 fault code? Or perhaps a blockage somewhere? Geez I don't know! I have put the battery on charge and will try it again tomorrow maybe? One thing I want to check is if the other codes have cleared as I believe removing the battery for a few hours will do this if indeed those problems are now resolved? Look forward to any suggestions when you have the time Joe, I am going to go and mow the lawn now before the trouble and strife puts me in the dog house! Lool Talk soon Jim :o)

Joe additional, additional update. Houston we have lift off ! There I was cutting the lawn like a good boy when it dawned on me that I had not re-synced the key fob! I put battery back in and done it then hey presto it started up! It spluttered and coughed a lot at 1st but now it starts 1st time and ticks over sweet.
All my engine management lights have gone out now so that's great too. I think for sure your idea about the fuel being degraded was spot on! Before I drained old fuel I had fuel at the rail BUT I drained tank by removing pump again because it was easiest way I could manage to do it. When I replaced pump after draining old fuel the live wire must have broken then causing a lot of head scratching! Soon as I fixed that wire then remembered to re-sync the key Doh! It came back to life!
Joe I want to thank you again for all your help you have been great and I really appreciate everything! As we say here in the UK. The jobs a Gudden! Have a virtual beer on me!
Don't worry its not goodbye just yet. WE still need to sort them brakes out! Lool spend ages trying to get the car to go now we have to work out how to make it stop! Haha Talk when I can get hold of the parts I need might be a week or 2? Until then take care and cheers! Jim. :O)

Oh darn it pic would not load. But think I will take a rain check on the grass cutting thanks, 5 acres? Don't think mine is 5 sq yards and that takes me long enough! Lol Sounds great though pity the pic would not load. Never mind I am sure I will need some help doing these brakes, first problem I have is removing Vauxhall wheel locking nuts that are seized! Darn security key keep slipping but the thread is not ripped so its a bit baffling/? I have seen a trick on internet where a guy made a tool that clamps the socket and key to the wheel and holds it in place while you connect a breaking bar, so I am going to see if I can make one myself? I want to replace rear drums, shoes and cylinders along with front pads and rotors in a ideal world that is? Just need to gather a few funds first then the fun should begin! Can only imagine the joy I will have trying to get the drums and rotors off! Assuming of course I can get the wheels off 1st! Lol Enjoy the calm before the storm talk soon. Cheers Jim :o)

Oh sorry yes did get what you said but was bit thrown by darn pic not loading! Lol 60 USD and you sold it for 2k after 2 years? Did you send it to Pimp My Ride! Lool It wasn't that one where they put a pool table in the back was it? Haha There is hope for me yet, so far my car has cost me 50 GBP as it was given to me by my nephew. Think I am looking at another 200 GBP to get it fully roadworthy with a M.O.T Certificate? (Don't know if you have M.O.T Testing by law over there?) However to get a mark up like the one you got I would need to put a pool table and a swimming pool in mine! Lool Wonder if the pic would work on your profile? Just a thought talk soon Joe take care! Jim :O)