Servicing in north Cheshire

[mhop74]

I'm new here having just bought a 2004 Roadsport last week. Day 2 of ownership and it won't start :-(. It turns over and twice in 20ish attempts it started, but then immediately cut out.

Can anyone recommend a garage with caterham experience in north Cheshire / Manchester?

Thanks.

[StuBo]

I know of a good man in Mold who may be able to help, will pass on details and get him to contact you.

[mhop74]

Thanks Stubo. Email is Marcus -at- hopwoods.co.uk.

[B@W]

I'm in Cheshire but I use Stuart at Fauldsport in Staffordshire to service my R500

[Little Rocco]

Hi Marcus you have mail sorry to here that your having trouble

[James.S]

Fauldsport, they can set the car up for you as well.

J

[c7 dfh]

Have you tried Track v Road in Clitheroe?

Dominic

[TVR4500cc]

As above. Track V Road knowledgeable, friendly and sensibly priced. My R500 is there at present. Good luck getting her running - presume you've checked the basics - good earth, fuel and healthy spark at plug? New plugs or clean & gap check worth a try if she runs ok once started?

[mhop74]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys ...

At the risk of exposing myself as a complete newbie could someone explain how the immobiliser works? Does it arm after a period of time, and when armed would it allow the starter to turn over but not to fire? If this is the case, then because the car has a battery cut off switch I may always have started it before the immobiliser armed on previous occasions and therefore never needed to press the button on the fob!

It started fine tonight and this seems to be the only thing different from yesterday.

[TVR4500cc]

Ooops. Start to turn power on, listen for fuel pumps running. If not turn off with start and try again with proximity fob. Once dash on and pumps running (briefly) press and hold start to turn starter and fire her up. Dash lights come on but no fuel with mine if no fob. She will turn without starting if no fob. If I stall her, I need to power off, use fob, turn on dash / fuel, count to three then press and hold to start. Hope that made sense. Good luck and enjoy. Suspect different models / years may vary??

[Tango7]

There are at least 3 types of fobs/immobiliser that Caterham have fitted:

1) Large fob on keyring with two buttons on - one button is blank and the other has a padlock or similar on it. Hold the fob around your left knee and if you press the padlock button, you will hear the immobiliser click and arm itself, usually with a red flashing led on the dash showing with rapid flashing whilst it arms and then a delayed flash when armed. Press the blank button and the immobilser should be heard clicking as it disarms and the LED goes out. The car is ready to start

2) A Vectra immobilser where the immobiler key is physically inserted into the dash to unset the immobiliser which usually bleeps to confirm. Automatically resets when the ignition is switched off and after a few (10?) seconds.

3) A small wand (less than an inch long) that deactivates the immobilser by being in close proximity to the sensor which is usually a coil of wire around or near the ignition key. If you keep the wand on your keyring, its meant to be always ready to unimmobilise your car and obviously when you remove the keys, the engine stops and the car automatically set the immobiliser.


For (1), I always set the immobiliser manually to avoid any confusion.
(2) is a pain but again you know were you are as you have to unset it manually too
(3) can be a bit more hit and miss dependant on how well the car picks up the signal from the wand. I used to leave the key in the ignition and keep the wand in the handbrake pocket to wave around the tacho face and it worked fine but wouldn't be as reliable when on the key ring.

[mhop74]

I have the first type your describe Tango7.

Apart from being slightly embarrassed by the schoolboy error I'm relieved there is nothing wrong! Now bring on some dry weather!

[Risky]

Obviously yours is a Rover immobiliser then. What Tango 7 says is correct, however, if you have switched off the big red key, you will probably have to re-set the immobiliser. This is no problem. You switch on the big red key and simply press the lock button about 5 or 6 times in quick succession, then press the unlock button and you will hear the immobiliser click to unset as Tango 7 describes. Then start.
When you lock the car, press the immobiliser and the red light will begin to flash rapidly - after around 10 seconds it will begin a regular steady flash. Wait until this steady flash before you remove the big red key.

This type of immobiliser does set automatically after a few minutes - it's touch and go whether you can fill up and pay for petrol before it re-sets. If it has re-set you will have the steady flash - simply press the unlock to unset before you start.
It's just a simple habit to get into.

[V7SLR]

mhop74 .... where are you in North Cheshire?

Stu.

[mhop74]

Risky - thanks for the explanation - this kind of fits with how it seems to work! (in my case random button pressings until the big red led goes out!)

Stu - Lymm, nr Warrington.

[Tango7]

Glad its sorted. Things like this are frustrating when you are new to the car. Try unarming the immobiliser by trying different places around the front of the dash to see where works best. I always set the immobiliser manually when the engine stops, its easier than messing with it later on if it sets itself!

[Risky]

I think Stu is asking where you are based, as there is a Lotus 7 club meeting at the Ring O'Bells Daresbury on the last Wednesday of every month. Pretty close to you. Get along and you'll have all your simple questions answered.