Car not starting

[KJV]

The bad smell could be a collapsed Catalytic converter..
Give it a bash with a rubbermallet see if it rattles..

[MadMax]

Stop guessing and read the error codes.

[Shaunster1996]

Managed to start for 3 days in a row. Tried to start it today and wouldn't start.

[mcs_xi]

Managed to start for 3 days in a row. Tried to start it today and wouldn't start.

Refer page one for suggestions.

[RonRabbit99]

Have you looked at this?

https://martybugs.net/articles/magna-stall.cgi

[DeexEnigma]

I've connected the battery to a multimeter and is reading fine. Just so weird for it to stop working within such a short amount of time

Just to make a note of this. Depending on how you check the battery this could be a false positive.

By just reading the battery without a load you may get what could be considered normal. The best way to test if a battery is holding charge is to light up the headlights and watch the voltage. It should drop by about a volt or so initially, then stabilise quickly. If it continues to drop you have a dead cell/battery. If it's below 11v or so after about a minute, you have a faulty battery.

[Latindancer]

Have you looked at this?

https://martybugs.net/articles/magna-stall.cgi

About 3 years ago, my car had the exact same symptoms, and I luckily found that article somewhere....perhaps on this forum.

Car has started perfectly ever since.

[yourmate]

Managed to start for 3 days in a row. Tried to start it today and wouldn't start.

Digging up this old thread as currently having the same issue. How did you end up resolving it?

I've tried the martybugs technique but it still doesn't always start. Even got it towed to autoelectrician at one point when it wouldn't start at all but when it got to the shop it started every time! Drove it home and of course it would not start the next time I tried...very frustrating.

[mcs_xi]

Digging up this old thread as currently having the same issue. How did you end up resolving it?

I've tried the martybugs technique but it still doesn't always start. Even got it towed to autoelectrician at one point when it wouldn't start at all but when it got to the shop it started every time! Drove it home and of course it would not start the next time I tried...very frustrating.

replace the starter motor.

[erad]

It is either a battery on its way out, or it is the immobiliser. Immobiliser cuts the fuel, so if you can smell petrol in the exhaust, immobiliser is OK and you have no spark.