Non starting 1.8

Early last week parked my 2004 1.8 after a drive, everything sit should be...engine running fine..

Next evening got in the car and tried to start it......yes it started but sounded like a bag of nails, almost as though it had sprung a leak at the manifold, it didn't want to rev either. I locked the car and decided to investigate the following day.

Now it doesn't even want to fire up....the starter turns the engine over fine.

Checked the fuse to the fuel pump..ok, tested the pump relay....ok Spark at the plugs .....yes.

Removed the access panel to the fuel pump and got someone to turn the engine over....there is a gentle whirring sound but doesn't sound quite right to me!!!!! I haven't released the fuel pipe to see if there is any fuel pressure as it doesn't want to release.

Any Ideas? I'm going to do a compression test tomorrow, however I am suspecting the fuel pump.

words of wisdom welcome..

If you can hear the fuel pump, then it's running. It should run for a few seconds when the ignition is first switched on. Release the fuel line in the engine bay and see how fast the fuel flows. It should flow several litres a minute, if the filter is clear. The filters are known to clog over time and are never changed.
Filter clogging is a gradual process, not a sudden one however. Has the engine got all it's coolant? It's not unheard of for a failing head gasket to dump coolant into a cylinder after shutdown. Giving your symptoms on the next start.

All the coolant is there. The fuel connector is not wanting to release at present. My initial thought was hgf, but no sign of it... hence a compression test tomorrow and get the fuel pipe off..

Have you a diagnostic reader? You’re engine is obd2 compliant and may give you a clue as to what’s going on.

I've been thinking of getting one over the last few days.

While not all OEBD or OBD2 readers have been created equal in their ability to access error codes, there are many to choose from on the bay of fleas that ought to do the job