Tricky electrical problem, car won't start.
Tricky electrical problem, car won't start.
Author
Discussion

tvrslag

Original Poster:

1,198 posts

277 months

Friday 26th March 2004
quotequote all
ANother one of those electrical gremlin style threads that follows on from my previous thread of the dodgy battery.

Replaced old knackered battery with a brand new spanking new one today. No go.........
Checked the big fuse ....again, much closer this time and yes it was broken, probably accounts for the battery not charging.
Replaced the fuse, reset alarm and immobiliser, and still no dice........FFS!!!

Checked all the fuses and they are OK. Unplugged and replugged the ignitiion and alarm black box as advised, and then again re sync'd the alarm and immobiliser, but still no dice.
After having ripped out most of the hair on my head and chest. An my poor BIL ripping his hands to shreads fart arsing around with the Big Fuse, I and my accomplice are completely stumped, rain and poor light finally stopped play.

Symtoms are. After disarming the car and turning the key, pressing the black button produces NO fuel pump whirrs, no starter motor or solenoid click noises, and certainly no engine action. Some of the electrical functions do work lights and the horn for example, but others like no wipers, and none of the warning lights on the dash work.

Any help and suggestions greatfully received, is there anything we've missed, any hidden fuses, ECU black box or something else that I can tamper with and break in a fit of unbridled fury!!??

Please help............

Jnr

483 posts

273 months

Friday 26th March 2004
quotequote all
I had a problem last year, the alarm would arm/disarm but would get nothing nada...

What had happened was one of the wires coming from the kill switch had broken...

Easily fixed but seeing as you're getting lights and stuff working I guess that thats not your answer...


Jnr

GCerbera

5,161 posts

273 months

Friday 26th March 2004
quotequote all
Sorry I wasn't much help earlier mate.

Had a nap after too many late nights this week and have done a few searches.
Does this one help at all?
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=79522&f=6&h=0&hw=ECU+connector

I'll give you a buzz in the morning - Is Nick staying over?

RUSSELLM

6,001 posts

269 months

Saturday 27th March 2004
quotequote all
Sounds like symptoms of the master key (dashboard) not engaging, mines off the road, but I'm sure someone will confirm if this is correct or not.

tvrslag

Original Poster:

1,198 posts

277 months

Saturday 27th March 2004
quotequote all
Gcerbera

Yes checked out holohans thread. And most of the others concerning car not starting. Difficulty is althought the problem is the same the symptoms are all different. In holohans case as least the engine turned over. In our case we get nothing.

Does anybody know what electrical circuits the kill switch turns on?
As some of the elctrics are working I'm inclined to think its not the kill switch, although checking this won't hurt, is it easy to remove from the dash?

Holohan

17 posts

264 months

Saturday 27th March 2004
quotequote all
Maybe the lighting circuits bypass the kill switch for safety reasons, if you breakdown (which never happens!) in an unsafe place or something and have to secure the car.......maybe?

My problem turned out to be a dodgy connection on the back of the ECU, found it by luck more than anything, following logical thought seems to be useless when trying to fix these things.





Good luck

tvrslag

Original Poster:

1,198 posts

277 months

Saturday 27th March 2004
quotequote all
so taking the illogical route I suspect it might be the colour, must spray it blue and then it might work.

Just tried unplugging the Ignition module again and left it for 10-20 minutes. Reset the alarm and immobiliser in that time, plugged the module back in and...............still nothing!!! AAAAaaarrrggggh

shirt rips from back, body turns green and muscles bulge from where muscles shouldn't bulge, hair gets darker as I turn into the hulk in a fit of rage.

>> Edited by tvrslag on Saturday 27th March 10:51

_DJ_

5,047 posts

276 months

Saturday 27th March 2004
quotequote all
Got a bloke outside at the moment sorting out my (blue) paintwork. Do you want me to send him round afterwards?

edited to add: On a serious note, how about getting a breakdown company (or a general auto-electrician) to help?

>> Edited by _DJ_ on Saturday 27th March 10:59

tvrslag

Original Poster:

1,198 posts

277 months

Saturday 27th March 2004
quotequote all
Was on the blower to the most local indie last night. and tried most of the things suggested. To no avail.
Whilst I have RAC home start, I doubt that getting an RAC man over will cure the problem although I suppose its worth a try.
Problem is the local Indie I use is not generally open on a Saturday, so I can't even get it towed by the RAC, the short distance to the garage.

TVR SLag's BiL

5,282 posts

268 months

Saturday 27th March 2004
quotequote all
Hiya people,

Great fun yesterday PM under a dark sky and rain, just trying to tease her into giving some sign of life!

I checked the crash switch, on top of the fuel tank, all was good. As has been said all the fuzzes and relays have been checked as far as is possible. I really need a Circuit Diagram to get into this. IMHO I think it’s a main relay or switching box which has got damp, something simple, but with out a circuit diagram I am stuck!

tvrjohn

1,068 posts

277 months

Sunday 28th March 2004
quotequote all
Was just about to suggest the inertia (crash switch)
but seems you have already tried that.
greatest sympathy m8
You could hot wire the fuel pump, but if it aint
turning the enjun over !

let us know the answer.

julian64

14,325 posts

276 months

Sunday 28th March 2004
quotequote all
TVR SLag's BiL said:
Hiya people,

Great fun yesterday PM under a dark sky and rain, just trying to tease her into giving some sign of life!

I checked the crash switch, on top of the fuel tank, all was good. As has been said all the fuzzes and relays have been checked as far as is possible. I really need a Circuit Diagram to get into this. IMHO I think it’s a main relay or switching box which has got damp, something simple, but with out a circuit diagram I am stuck!


Nice car colour combo on that there car . Speak to your essex boy friends. I know at least one of them with a circuit diagram I'm sure they could show you.

It'll be the man standing at the bar going on about the colour of his loverly blue car. Alternatively brave your way down to Kent.

shpub

8,507 posts

294 months

Monday 29th March 2004
quotequote all
Sounds like the immobiliser system is not playing and it is not energising the starter/fuel pump circuits. If this happens then the rest of the car will work as described but the engine is disabled.

Could require re-synchronisation of has simply died. The Meta alarm died in my Griff with similar symptoms.
Called in a Meta Alarm specilaist in the end. Ended up with a new alarm system (long long story).



Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk

>> Edited by shpub on Monday 29th March 11:02

TVR Slag's BiL

5,282 posts

268 months

Monday 29th March 2004
quotequote all
I thought the same thing.

when the immobiliser is not switched off you get the pump running and electric’s on the dash, we are not getting anything at all.

Having had a good think and with the BiL trying a few things its looking as if the Start Module, so out with the FLUKE and see what’s going on!