Discussion
Drove my '98 4.5 50 miles yesterday without any problem apart from rapidly generating an empty fuel tank; so today I thought I'd donate £40 to Mr Brown and buy some optimax with the £10 left in my wallet.
Car fired up 1st time as usual, so I drove gently the 5 miles to the local shell station, and got into the long queue for fuel - stopped the engine to avoid generating masses of heat, and from that moment on the engine wouldn't fire up. Immobilizer seems OK locks / unlocks the car / enables disables the fuel pumps etc etc, but when I press the start button there isn't so much as a solenoid click a clunk or whir from the starter motor. I left the car for 10 then 15 then 60 minutes and retried but always the same thing - even disconnected the battery and reconnected it - no change.
Any Clues what I need to do to get her up and running?
((
Car fired up 1st time as usual, so I drove gently the 5 miles to the local shell station, and got into the long queue for fuel - stopped the engine to avoid generating masses of heat, and from that moment on the engine wouldn't fire up. Immobilizer seems OK locks / unlocks the car / enables disables the fuel pumps etc etc, but when I press the start button there isn't so much as a solenoid click a clunk or whir from the starter motor. I left the car for 10 then 15 then 60 minutes and retried but always the same thing - even disconnected the battery and reconnected it - no change.
Any Clues what I need to do to get her up and running?
((If the fuel pump is priming, then it is unlikley that the immobiliser is at fault.
May sound obvious, but check that all your wiring is properly connected. Had a similar fault a while ago, where the thin guage wire to the starter solenoid had become disconnected, which will cause exactly the syptoms you describe.
May sound obvious, but check that all your wiring is properly connected. Had a similar fault a while ago, where the thin guage wire to the starter solenoid had become disconnected, which will cause exactly the syptoms you describe.
jensena said:
Make sure the little silver key thing hasnt been turned off accidentally (the one in the transmission tunnel near the ashtray) no one ever uses it, but turning this will completely immobolise the car, it may have just loosened itelf and gone into the off osition..
Good shout, but as far as I'm aware, the silver key is a battery isolate, so you wouldn't get anything.....no ign, lights....nuffink !
Just an update on the lack of motion of the car. Had to call the AA this morning as the car still wouldn't move. After the very nice man tapped on the power steering pump for a while (don't ask!) the car still didn't start, so it was low loadered over to Austec in Gatwick. They spotted that there was a small click from the back of the car when the start button was pressed (the starter relay) and therefor are going to take a closer look at the starter motor itself.
McBob said:
Another update on the starter issue, The starter solenoid / switch components are drawing way more amps than the fuse can take. So it looks like I need a new starter motor. Anyone know of a brand of starter that will last or are these things really that consumable??
Dunno, but Austec have just changed my starter motor today. Hope I didnt pinch the last one
NJW 77 - definately not taken the last one ... as you just told me where to find a new starter 
I was checking out your wheels while I was waiting - as in 6 months or so I will have a similar sized rear seat passenger! Was that a reccaro start on the back seat??
All - any opinions on the consumable starter motor issue? I know the location is pretty hellish for an electric motor / solenoid, but is there anything that can be done to mitigate the issue? Heat shields? Is there any space - would it make any difference?
I was checking out your wheels while I was waiting - as in 6 months or so I will have a similar sized rear seat passenger! Was that a reccaro start on the back seat?? All - any opinions on the consumable starter motor issue? I know the location is pretty hellish for an electric motor / solenoid, but is there anything that can be done to mitigate the issue? Heat shields? Is there any space - would it make any difference?
McBob said:
NJW 77 - definately not taken the last one ... as you just told me where to find a new starter
All - any opinions on the consumable starter motor issue? I know the location is pretty hellish for an electric motor / solenoid, but is there anything that can be done to mitigate the issue? Heat shields? Is there any space - would it make any difference?
All part of the PH service
Yes mate, its an early Recarro (newer ones have speakers in the headrest AFAIK) which I bought 2nd hand off a PHer, but its perfik as an occasional seat for my 2 yr old, although his legs will soon be too long for the seat and not long enough to hang over the edge, if you get my drift?
And for the record, Im now on my second starter motor in the 2 years Ive had the car and I believe the previous owner had one put on, so seem to be going through one every 12 months
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