Have you checked for spark and injector pulse?

Timing light or spare plug to check spark, noid light for pulse.

 

doesn't tell the full story on a batt. How old is the batt?

Since you have been abusing (yes, flattening) the batt, you need to put a meter on it. Even if it shows 12.5v it might be misleading and need a load test esp. if the batt has some age. A batt can show 12.5 and still have a weak cell. Following the female analogy above, these cars are very particular about getting what they need and the electrics NEED a healthy batt.

 

^^^ This is exactly where I would start as well.
You must start with the most fundamental aspects and then work from there.
If these checkout, then a fuel pressure gauge to check for fuel at the fuel rail.
Even though you hear the pump, it's good to confirm proper pressure at the injectors.

 

Pull out the plugs and make sure they are not completely fouled up.

 

I've confirmed ignition and timing ok as I can get it running rough spraying engine start into the air box, and confirmed this with a timing light.

I could not get any joy with the noid lights (I'm a novice with these, but it seems pretty straight forward), so that tells me LH ecu may be faulty. Could this simply be the LH relay? I dont have a spare to check,but what would happen if I jumped the circuit??

 

you should have a "spare" 53 relay in the horn relay position .... toot the horn then borrow the relay.

 

Battery was apparantly new when I bought the car (Mar 2013), and took a fair bit to flatten it first time round. After charging, definitely did not last as long.

I'll check the plugs for fouling, but still feel the inherant problem is "no signal to fuel pump". Does anyone know which terminal on the fuel pump relay comes from the LH ECU - 85 or 86? (Sorry, google is my friend....its terminal 86)

 

Yes, done this and no joy. Definitely not the relay itself.

 

Hey at least you have sun

 

True. Its 30 degrees (85 oF) and blue skys everyday here. Unlike you poor buggers in the northern hemisphere who are freezing your asses off.

 

SUCCESS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

So had another look this morning and thought maybe to just recheck that it couldn't be something simple. Pulled the relay for the LH ECU, checked terminals etc, everything looked ok. Swapped a few standard single pole relays around. But still no start.

Anyway, thought I'd jump terminal 30 and 87 on the ECU relay and as suspected, it energised the relay for the pump. turned the key and bingo, engine fires up within a few seconds..............OHHHH MY GOD was that the sweetest sound ever. I found myself doing a Tom Hanks impression standing on the beach in Castaway...."Look what I have done, I did this...I have made fire....."

Replace the ECU relay and she fired up again no problems.........

SO, thanks to everyone for your comments and suggestions. You all stopped me from straying from something simple to a catastrophy, I had visions of shelling out $2K for a new ECU......I even shed a tear when telling my wife earlier that I could not fix it...live and learn.

Just goes to show that good clean with de-oxit of the CEP is well over due.....

RENNLIST SAVES ANOTHER!

 

and the mantra of JB still holds water........... Relay Relay Relay ......
glad the car is running