Bad earth and Starting Problems
Discussion
Well I finally got everything back together this weekend after a mammoth amount of work cleaning and painting the chassis, renewing heat mats, overhauling the coolant pipes and hoses, welding manifolds and coating them etc.
I was worried about starting up because I had been having more and more problems before I took it off the road - slow starter, not engaging and making the grating noise etc (despite a new starter only a few months old)
I also had the mil light coming back on as the starter was cranking which was apparently low voltage to the ECU as the starter was drawing current.
But it started first push of the button
I believe the reason its so much better is the replacement of the earth lead that runs by the nearside top rail of the chassis and fastens onto the near side earth point by the oil filter (along with the main earth from the battery and the engine strap).
When I took the heat mat off and moved the wire its insulation fractured and fell to pieces. The copper itself had that salmon colour that heated copper gets. A real mess.
So I cut out the duff cable - took it back to just behind the handbrake where it disappears up into the tunnel - and spliced in a new piece.
So if you are having electrical problems that seem to be related to a poor earth then it is a major PITA to replace but is well worth the effort.
I was worried about starting up because I had been having more and more problems before I took it off the road - slow starter, not engaging and making the grating noise etc (despite a new starter only a few months old)
I also had the mil light coming back on as the starter was cranking which was apparently low voltage to the ECU as the starter was drawing current.
But it started first push of the button
I believe the reason its so much better is the replacement of the earth lead that runs by the nearside top rail of the chassis and fastens onto the near side earth point by the oil filter (along with the main earth from the battery and the engine strap).
When I took the heat mat off and moved the wire its insulation fractured and fell to pieces. The copper itself had that salmon colour that heated copper gets. A real mess.
So I cut out the duff cable - took it back to just behind the handbrake where it disappears up into the tunnel - and spliced in a new piece.
So if you are having electrical problems that seem to be related to a poor earth then it is a major PITA to replace but is well worth the effort.
Mine occassionaly opts not to start, but after a brief delay will then turn over ok. Quite frankly I am now completely confused by the range of potential fixes out there. That said what you say does make sense, though no doubt a beach to do without ramps. My earth wires are just like you describe, and I may replace them one day.
Others reckon its the immoboliser, which I have been tempted to remove altogether (if that's possible).
I still dread switching her off at petrol stations
Others reckon its the immoboliser, which I have been tempted to remove altogether (if that's possible).
I still dread switching her off at petrol stations
Running a completely independent extra earth wire direct from the battery to the casing of the starter motor is a pretty good idea IMO. Costs next to nothing, and the way I see it, the starter is the biggest single current draw the battery ever has to face, so why make the leccy travel a ridiculously convoluted path around and across the block, gearbox etc...
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