Hope someone can help me (with a car related prob)

[Umar B]

Hello people, hope you lot can help me out.

I have a 1991 MR2 turbo. Something weird has just happened this morning with my car. As I was driving to work all was OK until suddenly the whole car shut down, everything just switched off, I had to turn the key to start the car again but about 2 second later is started again, just stalled and everything just turned off. This happened about 4 or 5 times before I stopped the car in my work car park.

I had a look around and everything seemed OK, nothing disconnected (that I could see) there is enough petrol in the car, fluid levels are OK and the battery is still connected
Running out of ideas and getting increasingly worried that is could be something very expensive

Does anybody recognise the symptoms, what can I do?

Please help

Umar B

[pdv6]

Immobiliser gone haywire?

>> Edited by pdv6 on Tuesday 4th March 10:55

[Umar B]

pdv6 said: Immobiliser gone haywire?

>> Edited by pdv6 on Tuesday 4th March 10:55

Mmmmmm Possible i suppose, Thanks PDV6, i'll check it out.

Any other ideas people??

[Plipton]

pdv6 said: Immobiliser gone haywire?

.... either that or a knackered (intermittant)open circuit battery, main +ve cable, earth strap or connector fault, by the sound of it.

[dave_s13]

Unusual for an MR2 to do that, the immob suggestion seems like the most likely culprit.

Go to www.mr2dc.com and post your question on the technical forum, give as much detail as possible (include immob type) and someone should be able to offer more suggestions.

BTW I drive a '94 MR2 Turbo, they're bloomin great, and usually VERY relibale. Good luck.

[Umar B]

dave_s13 said: Unusual for an MR2 to do that, the immob suggestion seems like the most likely culprit.

Go to www.mr2dc.com and post your question on the technical forum, give as much detail as possible (include immob type) and someone should be able to offer more suggestions.

BTW I drive a '94 MR2 Turbo, they're bloomin great, and usually VERY relibale. Good luck.

Done that already mate (great minds etc etc!!)and www.imoc.co.uk aswell

I agree that the immobiliser sound like the problem. I'll go shout at the people who fitted it

They are great cars are they! This is the only thing that gone wrong since i have had the car and its probably the only thing that will go wrong.

By the way, have you registered with mr2dc or Imoc, if you have whats your screen name?


>> Edited by Umar B on Tuesday 4th March 11:34

[moleamol]

I'd say alternator. When the alternator is not too healthy the battery doesn't get charged and just dies, along with everything else.

[Umar B]

moleamol said: I'd say alternator. When the alternator is not too healthy the battery doesn't get charged and just dies, along with everything else.

But the car just dies while i am still driving, could a badly squealing drive belt damage the alternater? i don't think it could but i am probably wrong

Thanks moleamol

[deltaf]

Hi Umar. Open the engine compartment hatch, and have a look at the alternator/air con belt.
Is it cutting into the cambelt guard?
I came across this exact same problem on my GT4, where the cambelt had been changed at some point, but the screws hadnt been fitted back properly.
Theres a wiring harness that runs at the back of the plastic guard that controls the "ignitor", which is basically Toyotas fancy name for an ignition amplifier that fires the coil.
The alternator belt cuts into the wire and becuase its got a percentage of carbon in it, it earths the wire onto the pulleys as it rotates, and confuses the ignitor, which overloads and cuts the ignition.
Had it happen half a dozen times on me, didnt change anything but spotted that guard incorrectly fitted, insulated the half severed wire and fitted it all back together.
had no problems with it since.
Hope this helps.

[moleamol]

Umar B said:

moleamol said: I'd say alternator. When the alternator is not too healthy the battery doesn't get charged and just dies, along with everything else.

But the car just dies while i am still driving, could a badly squealing drive belt damage the alternater? i don't think it could but i am probably wrong

Thanks moleamol

The alternator constantly charges the battery as you drive along. It is from this all your electrics run. When the alternator stops working you have no electrics, no sparks, no lights, nothing, it just dies. I'm looking for the good one for you mate, I'd be hoping it was the alternator if I was you

Not sure about the belt damaging it but sometimes, like all things automotive, they just die.

[dave_s13]

Umar B said:

dave_s13 said:By the way, have you registered with mr2dc or Imoc, if you have whats your screen name?

Yes but I don't really go there much, so much so that I've forgotten my screen name.

Good luck with the car, good advice in the previous post. One thing to bear in mind, IIRC the GT4 has the same engine but its mounted the otherway round so you need to do the above whilst looking in a mirror

[Umar B]

Ahh the joys of a 'productive' sales meeting......

Anyway back to the car....

Delta F - I don't think it could be what you said as i had a good look at all the wiring i could see but will keep all that info in mind next time i do a once over on the car. Thanks for you help though

Moleamol - going to get the alternator checked out. thanks a lot to you to


PDV6 / Plipton - immobiliser sound about right but will check all wires. Thanks guys

Umar B

[P*Ting]

I don't buy the alternator idea at all. If the battery is so dead how come the car re-starts? Four or five times on a dead battery? My Escort or my mates' rover couldn't manage the first time. Why doesn't the warning light come on?

I'm much more inclined to agree with Deltaf as my cavalier had similar problems, partly due to a wire being stripped and earthing.

[moleamol]

P*Ting said: I don't buy the alternator idea at all. If the battery is so dead how come the car re-starts? Four or five times on a dead battery? My Escort or my mates' rover couldn't manage the first time. Why doesn't the warning light come on?

I'm much more inclined to agree with Deltaf as my cavalier had similar problems, partly due to a wire being stripped and earthing.

I agree that it could definitely be a wire earthing, I had this happening on my integrale when I was changing gear, turned out to be the rod on the clutch master cylinder pushing an exposed wire onto the bonnet release cable.

Don't forget though, the alternator could be faulty and not dead altogether.