starting problem (again)

starting problem (again)

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Discussion

Cathelijne

Original Poster:

170 posts

269 months

Saturday 29th December 2001
quotequote all
Because we wanted the engine free of wiring, we lengthened almost all of the wires. But now it won't start!
When I turn the key, nothing happens. When I turn it back the car seems to start.
Any ideas?

rev-erend

21,421 posts

285 months

Monday 31st December 2001
quotequote all
Catherine,

The first rule of modifying car wiring is :

Make one change and test it (start engine !!)

I dont mean to be smug ... now to resolve you problem you will need to use a wiring diagram to find out if the cables start and end in the correct places and you will also need to check the continueity (the connection works !) of each cable.

Do bear in mind my rule no 1 if you do this again though !

Hope you get it fixed.

350matt

3,740 posts

280 months

Tuesday 1st January 2002
quotequote all
It sounds like that in lengthening your wires you've created a bad joint somewhere, probably on the low current side as these are more sensitive to poor earthing etc. You can still get the Factory to send you a wiring diagram if you ask them nicely.Also I'cd check that the coil wires are connected teh right way round as I've noticed on mine that teh wire markings are easily removed once a bit oily etc.

Matt

Cathelijne

Original Poster:

170 posts

269 months

Tuesday 1st January 2002
quotequote all
We are very sure that there are not wrong connections: We lengthened them one by one. And after it's failing we checked all wires but everything seems to be ok.
It's possible that the earthing is poor, I believe it's original so I think we have to work on it.
Thank you for the tip for a wiring diagram. I've seen a few on the internet, but they are not so good.
This week I ordered a Wedge handbook. I hoop to get it within e few weeks.

HarryW

15,151 posts

270 months

Tuesday 1st January 2002
quotequote all
quote:

We are very sure that there are not wrong connections: We lengthened them one by one. And after it's failing we checked all wires but everything seems to be ok.



Rule Number one when fault finding anything electrical or mechanical for that matter. If it was working before the chances are it is something you've done. Don't believe in coincidence, the earth may have gone bad in the mean time, unlikely (unless you disconnected it to carryout the work, then it would be a valid path to follow). As laborious as it sounds go over again what you've done.
If that seems too large a job at least look at the symptoms of the current fault and try to relate it to a specific area/function of the re-wire and chase it from there.

Good Luck

Cathelijne

Original Poster:

170 posts

269 months

Tuesday 1st January 2002
quotequote all
The problem with the car is that quite all the electric stuff is original and we have are doubts that it's all working well.
In some way I believe in coincidence: my father once had a car which headlights where broken at exactly the same time. Chance: zero, but it happend.

HarryW

15,151 posts

270 months

Tuesday 1st January 2002
quotequote all
OK then treat the symptoms, but bare in mind that it has been rewired.

Silly question was it working properly before?

From your original post you said that it seem to start when the key was turned back, When you say 'seem to start' do you mean 'turn over' as opposed to start?

If so then a possible area to begin would be to look at the ignition switch area as turning the key back should stop it from turning over?

Cathelijne

Original Poster:

170 posts

269 months

Tuesday 1st January 2002
quotequote all
Oops, I wrote it in the wrong topic first...

Well, we have some more problems with the electrics:
The leftwindow fails once in a while and I had a starting problem some time ago (topic: www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=4682&f=12&h=0).

Yes, when the cars seems to start it turns over a few times and then stops.

Tomorrow we visit a friend of us who knows a bit more about cars. We give all the tips to him.

HarryW

15,151 posts

270 months

Tuesday 1st January 2002
quotequote all
Difficult to tell at this distance but a first stab if it were mine would be:-

1. Your original problem sounds very much like
a. A sticking solenoid on the starter motor or
b. An overheated motor that needs to cool (and possibly be removed and checked out/renewed).

2. The current problem could be that either
a. The ignition switch (key barrel) is spinning freely inside the steering column and making intermittently?
b. The original starter motor problems have reappeared.
c. More likely the rewiring from the switch to the starter motor solenoid is wrong?

I hope this helps, it is not definitive but any decent car electrician should be able to work out a simple starter motor circuit. I don't wish to sound too pessimistic but once you've got it to turn over properly on the switch I suspect that getting it to fire up and run may be a whole new problem!

Happy fault finding

Cathelijne

Original Poster:

170 posts

269 months

Wednesday 2nd January 2002
quotequote all
Problem is solved:
On of the plugs wasn't making any contact: The centre of the wire was broken while the outsite still looked normal. By the way, this was a plug we didn't touch before.

HarryW

15,151 posts

270 months

Wednesday 2nd January 2002
quotequote all
quote:

Problem is solved:
On of the plugs wasn't making any contact: The centre of the wire was broken while the outsite still looked normal. By the way, this was a plug we didn't touch before.



Well done

However I take it you are talking about spark plugs here? What plugs have to do with acar not turning over defeats me though

Cathelijne

Original Poster:

170 posts

269 months

Wednesday 2nd January 2002
quotequote all
I know what is done, but it is a bit hard for me to tell in English. I know it in Dutch but I don't think you'll understand it. I try it anyway: It was a plug which connected the wires between the "bobbine" en the "stroomverdeler".

martvr

480 posts

272 months

Wednesday 2nd January 2002
quotequote all
I'm gonna guess that means between the "HT coil" and the "distributor".

Not sure about the 'not turning over' unless it should be 'not firing'. I guess it could have fired for a short while and then failed due to the broken core in the HT lead, caused by getting hot in the vicinity of the break.

Cathelijne

Original Poster:

170 posts

269 months

Wednesday 2nd January 2002
quotequote all
Whatever you call it: She is ROARING again!

JSG

2,238 posts

284 months

Wednesday 2nd January 2002
quotequote all
This would be the LT lead lead between coil and distributer. Sounds like the core of the cable had a break in it but the outer (sheath) was ok. As the cable flexed the wire would make or break contact - with contact it would turn the engine over and fire, but the vibration from this broke the connection and engine cuts out.

If you know what to look for and use a multimeter you can find it - I solved a similar problem on my brother-in-law's car many years ago after a local mechanic had fitted a new coil, battery and starter motor.

In this case I would guess that renewing / extending other wiring caused the problem to become worse.

Glad its fixed.

Cheers,
JSG.

HarryW

15,151 posts

270 months

Thursday 3rd January 2002
quotequote all
quote:

This would be the LT lead lead between coil and distributer......

Glad its fixed.

Cheers,
JSG.



Sounds about right, just a language thing, good to see Pistonheads crosses all borders