help i have an electrical fault

[canna]

Please can anybody help i have an electric fault on my s1 elise,
it started after an engine rebuild now when the boot or bonnet are shut the engine cuts out also if the main lights are put on the dash lights dim
please can anyone help in telling me where to start looking for this fault?
any help would be appreciated thanks, Canna...

Edited by canna on Thursday 14th August 21:25

[ptp170]

Check the earthing strap from the gearbox to the chassis

[canna]

Thanks for the tip PTP170 the earth strap is fine seems like its gonna be abit harder to solve, to go into abit more detail the interior light dims when i try to put lights on and also slows the windscreen wiper? also the box next to alarm makes buzzing sound when i put main lights on the bonnet and boot alarm contacts also make the dash display lights dim stick on or the rev and speedo keep reseting.
any help PTP170 or any one else out there would be very much appreciated.

[ptp170]

Have continued my responses on SELOC FYI

Edited by ptp170 on Thursday 14th August 23:29

[Gad-Westy]

I must admit, electricity is witchcraft to me but it does sound like you have a general earth problem, or possibly a dodgy battery or battery terminal. As far as I can recall the S1 has three earth straps. One at the front somewhere, one by the immobiliser and one next to the gearbox. I'd suggest removing all three and clean up the contact face with a file or wire wool and then reattach using new bolts/washers/nuts with some petroleum jelly or vaseline as lubricant.

If that doesn't work I'd say it was your battery with an outside chance of a failing alternator.

[canna]

Thanks for advice had all earthing straps checked and battery seems to be fine, don't think its the alternator as the problem has been when the car is running or not. Could the fault lie with the alarm or immobilizer?