RichardR...How's the car...?
Discussion
Hi Dave,
I have to admit, it's been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster over the last few days...
I was hoping to get the car back on Sunday as was looking forward to a nice long drive on Sunday and Monday morning (plus a few scrumpies on Sunday night with my mate who lives near Tom's), but Tom had a problem with the lights on Saturday and, despite numerous phone calls, we were able to get round that. So the arrangement then was for Tom to drop the car back last night; that meant no nice long drive home for me, but I did at least need to go and drop something at a friends last night, so there was a good opportunity. Anyway, I was hoping that Tom would get to me for about 7ish, but he ended up arriving at about 9:00pm. This meant that it was too dark to have a good look, and also that I had to rush out as I had to be at my friend's before 9:30. So, Tom left, and I jumped in the car to head off (a drive at last!
), turned the key, and nothing (of any consequence) happened 
. So I ended up having to use my wife's car again! 
Anyway, it appears the immobiliser's completely packed up now (after my last non-starting incident). It did come back to life last night long enough to get in the garage, but then died again. At least I'm managed to arrange someone to come up today and fit a new immobiliser for me!
You know, I'm getting a sneaking suspicion that some higher power doesn't want me to drive my car! First someone drives into me, then there are delays getting the work finished, and then the immobiliser packs up 5 minutes after the car's been driven back to me! And then, just to really take the piss, the sun comes out when the car's stuck in my garage!
To answer your other questions
, the work looks great from my inspections so far; I'll have a proper look when it's out in the sunshine. I should be getting the photos through on email, so I'll post them when I have them.
Just want to have a drive now!
Cheers,
Richard
I have to admit, it's been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster over the last few days...
I was hoping to get the car back on Sunday as was looking forward to a nice long drive on Sunday and Monday morning (plus a few scrumpies on Sunday night with my mate who lives near Tom's), but Tom had a problem with the lights on Saturday and, despite numerous phone calls, we were able to get round that. So the arrangement then was for Tom to drop the car back last night; that meant no nice long drive home for me, but I did at least need to go and drop something at a friends last night, so there was a good opportunity. Anyway, I was hoping that Tom would get to me for about 7ish, but he ended up arriving at about 9:00pm. This meant that it was too dark to have a good look, and also that I had to rush out as I had to be at my friend's before 9:30. So, Tom left, and I jumped in the car to head off (a drive at last!
), turned the key, and nothing (of any consequence) happened . So I ended up having to use my wife's car again! Anyway, it appears the immobiliser's completely packed up now (after my last non-starting incident). It did come back to life last night long enough to get in the garage, but then died again. At least I'm managed to arrange someone to come up today and fit a new immobiliser for me!
You know, I'm getting a sneaking suspicion that some higher power doesn't want me to drive my car! First someone drives into me, then there are delays getting the work finished, and then the immobiliser packs up 5 minutes after the car's been driven back to me! And then, just to really take the piss, the sun comes out when the car's stuck in my garage!
To answer your other questions
, the work looks great from my inspections so far; I'll have a proper look when it's out in the sunshine. I should be getting the photos through on email, so I'll post them when I have them. Just want to have a drive now!
Cheers,
Richard
Well, I got the new immobiliser fitted, but it would appear that that wasn't the only problem as there still seemed to be no feed to the live side of the ignition. However, when almost any of the wires on the connector for the wipers etc were earthed, the ignition became live. It was possible to start the car this way, but when the wipers were switched on the engine died.
The alarm guy ended up staying for quite a bit longer than planned trying to find the problem, but gave up in the end saying that I needed to get a full-on auto-electrician to look at the problem. I duly booked another guy to come out on Thursday, but thought I'd have a quick poke around anyway just in case. I located the earth forward of the passenger footwell and cleaned that up, but it made no difference. I then thought I'd check that the earth the alarm guy had been using on the steering column (which had been used for the previous immobiliser) was good, so I ran a jump lead from the negative terminal on the battery to the bolt on the column and, hey presto, everything came to live. It would appear, therefore, that when the guy was connecting any of the cables for the wipers, lights etc. to the supposed earth, what it was actually doing was providing a false earth through the component so that the circuit was then able to function.
Anyway, I wired a new earth to the column and everything now appears to work, so I finally got my drive in the end, albeit in the dark and about 26 hours after I was originally expecting!
The new immobiliser's also a big improvement on the old one as it uses a transponder rather than a touch key which means you can basically just get in and turn the ignition on without faffing around with the touch pad.
Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for sunshine tomorrow!
The alarm guy ended up staying for quite a bit longer than planned trying to find the problem, but gave up in the end saying that I needed to get a full-on auto-electrician to look at the problem. I duly booked another guy to come out on Thursday, but thought I'd have a quick poke around anyway just in case. I located the earth forward of the passenger footwell and cleaned that up, but it made no difference. I then thought I'd check that the earth the alarm guy had been using on the steering column (which had been used for the previous immobiliser) was good, so I ran a jump lead from the negative terminal on the battery to the bolt on the column and, hey presto, everything came to live. It would appear, therefore, that when the guy was connecting any of the cables for the wipers, lights etc. to the supposed earth, what it was actually doing was providing a false earth through the component so that the circuit was then able to function.
Anyway, I wired a new earth to the column and everything now appears to work, so I finally got my drive in the end, albeit in the dark and about 26 hours after I was originally expecting!
The new immobiliser's also a big improvement on the old one as it uses a transponder rather than a touch key which means you can basically just get in and turn the ignition on without faffing around with the touch pad.
Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for sunshine tomorrow!
RichardR said:
Congratulations on the sunshine this morning too. Hope you're making use of it (I know I am
Absolutely! I had the roof off at 7:00am this morning despite having a cold!
So did I, and it was bloody freezing...
cloudy and overcast all the way to work, but at least the suns out now for the trip home later on.. 
Its glorious here in Cambridgeshire and has been all day....looking forward to the long drive home. (normally short but will go the long way home)
Mike
PS hope it does rain the rest of the week I am off to Dublin tomorrow for a few meetings....! Sorry guys but I dont like missing S driving days!
>> Edited by v8smith on Wednesday 31st March 15:03
Mike
PS hope it does rain the rest of the week I am off to Dublin tomorrow for a few meetings....! Sorry guys but I dont like missing S driving days!
>> Edited by v8smith on Wednesday 31st March 15:03
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