OK - So what have I done.???

[Little Nicky]

Just got back from 2 weeks away to find that the battery on my 1999 Chim 4 is dead.!!

I plugged in my accumate (left it for a few hours) to get enough charge to turn the engine over. Just managed to turn the engine over (very weak battery) but started the engine. Took her out to charge the battery but while I was out I noticed that the revs were not settling down. After the engine had warmed up, I could be driving at 30mph in 5th - put my foot on the clutch and the revs would be around the 2000rpm mark.!! It was like driving an automatic, as when I took my foot off the accelerator at low speeds (below 2000rpm) I could feel the car accellerate. I drove for around half an hour and the problem didn't go away. (Stop at lights and the car would be revving itself from 1000 - 2000rpm). Re-plugged in my accumate 2 days ago - Just went out to the car and the accumate indicated a fully conditioned battery. Got in the car, disabled the alarm / immobiliser and turned the key in the ignition.

NOTHING.!!! The fuel pump primes, but nothing at all from the starter.

I've tried a couple of things mentioned in the Bible - ie, turn on the lights and check whether they dim when the ignition key is turned - which they do a little. Also I've tried rocking the car in 3rd gear in case the motor is jammed - but this didn't seem to do anything. I'm guessing I need a new starter motor, but I've had no problems with it before I went away. No hot start problems or anything.

Am I missing anything or do you think my starter is screwed.??

[.Mark]

Certainly sounds starter motor-ish but usually they give up progressively.

Your revs problem sounds like the stepper motor not settling properly, it'll just need a clean I expect.

[Little Nicky]

Just a thought - as you mention that the starter usually fails progressively - could it be the immobiliser.?? (could the battery drain effect this).??

If so, how do I re-set this to make sure the immobiliser is not causing my non-start problem.??

I can't remember whether the fuel pump primes when the immobiliser is still on. (As mine is currently priming).

Regards,

[tahiti450]

Little Nicky said:

I noticed that the revs were not settling down. After the engine had warmed up, I could be driving at 30mph in 5th - put my foot on the clutch and the revs would be around the 2000rpm mark.!! It was like driving an automatic, as when I took my foot off the accelerator at low speeds (below 2000rpm) I could feel the car accellerate. I drove for around half an hour and the problem didn't go away. (Stop at lights and the car would be revving itself from 1000 - 2000rpm). I'm guessing I need a new starter motor, but I've had no problems with it before I went away. No hot start problems or anything. Am I missing anything or do you think my starter is screwed.??

I wouldnt jump to the conclusion that the starter is at fault, they tend to get blamed for a lot (its well known that the wiring to the statrter on the chim / grif is less than perfect for instance). Are you sure that you haven't got an issue with the immobiliser, as a result of the battery going flat, does it need re- setting ( I know mine (meta 99 system) has a special reset key which i presume is for this purpose)and I've heard people on here having problems with blippers etc.
Also as regards the strange idle problem, this sounds like the stepper motor being out of sync with engine temp and road speed etc. Not sure if this applies to the 14CUX ECU but I just wonder if your ECU has gone back to default settings since the flat battery and has yet to "re-learn" the optimal set up for your engine? Equally mine sometimes does something similar , but only if I move off whilst the engine is still cold and the idle hasnt settled, then it tends to stall at the first junction and / or sometimes keeps the engine at 2000ish rpm so long as there is a motion signal. Turning the ignition of for a couple of seconds and restarting always sorts this out.

[Little Nicky]

I'm just going out to try and use the cycling the alarm on / off 8 times re-set method to see if this sorts the immobiliser out.

I've not heard of a re-set key before - what's all that about.??

[tahiti450]

Little Nicky said:

could it be the immobiliser.?? (could the battery drain effect this).?? If so, how do I re-set this to make sure the immobiliser is not causing my non-start problem.?? I can't remember whether the fuel pump primes when the immobiliser is still on. (As mine is currently priming). Regards,

Looks like we're both thinking the same thing! I cant remember whether the pump runs when the immobiliser is engaged either, i'll check when i get home about 2.30.I definately think that a flat battery could affect the imobiliser. As far as re-setting the immobiliser, I would have to refer to the owners manual.

[tahiti450]

Little Nicky said:

I've not heard of a re-set key before - what's all that about.??

I see yours is a 1999 like mine so should have the Meta 99 system (unless its been changed). On my key fobs I have a rectangular black plastic device with what looks like a bit of circuit board sticking out of one end. This engages in the port that's on the steering column cowl just behind the ignition switch. Im not sure what the procedure is as I havent had to use it but IIRC it is covered in the manual.

[the jiffle king]

I'm not expert, but I had a similiar thing and it was a relay which I got from a Bosch specialist.

Worth trying for £5.

T-J-K

[FunkyGibbon]

the poor (or lack of starting) could be a dead battery. I had this a while ago, enough juice in the battery to have the alarm on and the lights - but simply not enough to engage the starte motor.

New battery (and new alternator as that was the cause of the knckered battery) and all is well.

strange idle speed - dirty stepper motor or during the time with the dead battery the ECU has reset and is now trying to re-adapt its mapping?

FG

[.Mark]

Little Nicky said:

I can't remember whether the fuel pump primes when the immobiliser is still on. (As mine is currently priming).

On my 1996 model, the fuel pump doesn't prime when the immobiliser is active.

[IPAddis]

Little Nicky said:

Just got back from 2 weeks away to find that the battery on my 1999 Chim 4 is dead.!! I plugged in my accumate (left it for a few hours) to get enough charge to turn the engine over. Just managed to turn the engine over (very weak battery) but started the engine. Took her out to charge the battery but while I was out I noticed that the revs were not settling down. After the engine had warmed up, I could be driving at 30mph in 5th - put my foot on the clutch and the revs would be around the 2000rpm mark.!! It was like driving an automatic, as when I took my foot off the accelerator at low speeds (below 2000rpm) I could feel the car accellerate. I drove for around half an hour and the problem didn't go away. (Stop at lights and the car would be revving itself from 1000 - 2000rpm). Re-plugged in my accumate 2 days ago - Just went out to the car and the accumate indicated a fully conditioned battery. Got in the car, disabled the alarm / immobiliser and turned the key in the ignition. NOTHING.!!! The fuel pump primes, but nothing at all from the starter. I've tried a couple of things mentioned in the Bible - ie, turn on the lights and check whether they dim when the ignition key is turned - which they do a little. Also I've tried rocking the car in 3rd gear in case the motor is jammed - but this didn't seem to do anything. I'm guessing I need a new starter motor, but I've had no problems with it before I went away. No hot start problems or anything. Am I missing anything or do you think my starter is screwed.??

If you've deeply discharged a battery, it'll never be the same again. Regardless of an Optimate/Accumate, the batteries only last about 2-3 years anyway. If you take it to Halfords, they can check the CCA value (cold cranking amps). My last battery stated 570CCA but only managed 20CCA when it failed. It had been on an Optimate all night (and incidentally, the Optimate didn't indicate a duff battery).

The revs problem could well be the stepper motor or it could be that the car just needs to be driven a bit if you haven't used it for a while.

Does the ignition warning light stay lit when you are trying to crank the starter? On mine, the lights dimmed slightly but the ignition warning light went very dim. Of course on a Griff, you can also see the volt meter die but I don't think you've got one on a Chimaera.

I'd check the battery first and then the voltage at the starter solenoid. The starter is unlikely to have failed if you can't hear a click from the solenoid.

Ian A.

[ads]

tahiti450 said:

Looks like we're both thinking the same thing! I cant remember whether the pump runs when the immobiliser is engaged either, i'll check when i get home about 2.30.I definately think that a flat battery could affect the imobiliser. As far as re-setting the immobiliser, I would have to refer to the owners manual.

Mine is also a 99 car. When the immobiliser in active the fuel pump does not prime on mine. It is only when you press the key fob and the immobiliser dis-arms itself that the pump primes.

I would suggest you change the battery as I had the same happen in about febuary, changed the Battery and all was well.
Cannot blame the battery though it was the original and so was 5 years old!!

[hut49]

As ads said - my 99 Chim's battery gave up suddenly in Spring - similar circumstances - this year and I discovered it was the original one For the cost of a replacement changing them every 4 years makes sense considering the hassle they cause when they expire, usually at the most incovenient time.

To avoid any immobiliser problems when you've reconnected the new battery press the blipper button on the key fob for 6 secs within the first few seconds after reconnecting the battery. The indicators will flash confirmation.

[Little Nicky]

Thanks all for the usual calibre of advice....

I had a spare battery handy and after the usual headache of removing the battery and testing, etc, it turns out to be a severely knackered (technical term) battery.

I've just replaced it with a brand spanking new one (£79) and EVERYTHING is now perfect.

Amazing what a lack of juice can lead to..........

Thanks again.