Non start

[clarkmagpie]

Hi guys,
Just after a quick helping hand/advice/diagnosis...

Car hasn't been used for a while, went to start it today and nothing, flat as a pancake.
Got the jump leads out and tried a jump start.
It turns over but won't fire up.

Ended up calling green flag out, he couldn't get it going either.
Said there was no spark from coil to distributor.
I'm not technically minded at all so what does that really mean?
What sort of cost am I looking at to fix this?!
It will be getting low loaded to my local garage this week, just after rough ideas of what this is going to cost me.

Lotus is already at garage getting a load of work done so this is the last thing I need!

[jimed]

If the car has been left so long that the battery is flat it is possible that you may need to reset the immobiliser - I'm not an expert but that sort of thing has been previously reported. The battery may recover but may be useless if it had been allowed to completely discharge so you may need a new battery and then I think when it is put on the car the immobiliser would reset and maybe it would start?? If the old battery can be recharged you would need to disconnect it and leave for a short while(a minute? - not sure here but a search of similar posts will tell you) and then reconnect it at which point the immobiliser should reset.
Just a thought - no doubt someone else with more expertise will be along soon - good luck sorting it.
Jim

[V8 GRF]

As Jim says once the battery is recharged take the +ive lead off the battery for about 10 seconds and then as you re-attach the lead press the button on the fob and that should reset the immobiliser.

[clarkmagpie]

I've had the alarm and immobiliser disconnect a few years ago after problems.
New battery fitted at start ofmsummer and hasn't been used since then.

[mcosh]

Checked 100 amp fuses?

[clarkmagpie]

Where is that located?

[jimed]

The 100A fuse is the one for the alternator and is located (usually) on the chassis rail at the drivers side around the rear end of the engine area. The fuse is a stamped aluminium one and they can crack/break which can effectively prevent charging or reduce the voltage. There is also a similar 80a one on later Griffs and that is located in the passenger footwell - that fuse is on the main battery feed to the fusebox and can also crack/break. A useful reliability thing to do is to replace these with better quality 100A (for both) fuses - you can get one that fits.
If you had a new battery in the early summer but the car hasn't been run since it will be well and truly dead by now - as to whether it would charge only giving it a try would tell you and then the immobiliser reset. From your earlier post you know about that but don't say if you've tried it - good luck with it.
Jim