Locked out of the Monaro

Locked out of the Monaro

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Discussion

moylcgb

Original Poster:

78 posts

205 months

Wednesday 4th May 2022
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Well another nightmare, the starter motor eventually gave up while at a mates house and it was decided to leave it for a while on his drive as he had plenty of space, decided it was time to bring it home but when I tried to open it nothing. It doesn't work with the key fob or the key its self. Any ideas how to get in to it guys?

mfp4073

1,940 posts

173 months

Wednesday 4th May 2022
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If the remote isn’t working it’s probably a flat battery on the car, it maybe a drain from the faulty starter motor or even the key fob?
The key in the drivers door lock is usually very stiff and takes a bit of effort to turn, but be very careful you don’t snap the key in the lock.
Rotate the key slowly but firmly, I would spray the lock with WD40 first as it may be corroded inside.
Good luck

SturdyHSV

10,083 posts

166 months

Thursday 5th May 2022
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Also, the key blade is a T shape, and the metal part of it only goes in and out as far as the 2 screws on the back of the fob, so any pressure you're applying, focus it on the area where those screws are, the (enormous hehe) plastic body of the key won't be as strong.

99PBATR

486 posts

77 months

Thursday 5th May 2022
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You can defo get into the car with the ignition key in the lock. Did with mine when I took battery out to lock it. Like the previous poster said, it will be a tad stiff but WD40 first and go lightly with it and it will open.

moylcgb

Original Poster:

78 posts

205 months

Thursday 5th May 2022
quotequote all
Thanks guys will do it at the weekend with the greatest of care

MarvinTPA

226 posts

128 months

Friday 6th May 2022
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When I had to unlock mine, it did feel like it wasn't operating the mechanism despite the key turning, but if you look at the inner lock pop-up, it had already moved, and the door was in fact unlocked, no great pressue required.

moylcgb

Original Poster:

78 posts

205 months

Friday 6th May 2022
quotequote all
Thanks guys will do it at the weekend with the greatest of care

bigwheel

1,616 posts

213 months

Friday 6th May 2022
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You could carefully connect a positive jump lead to the main, large connector on the starter motor and the negative jump lead to chassis or engine block. Then the remote will work.

robbyd

595 posts

174 months

Saturday 7th May 2022
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bigwheel said:
You could carefully connect a positive jump lead to the main, large connector on the starter motor and the negative jump lead to chassis or engine block. Then the remote will work.
this is what I'd do

stevieturbo

17,229 posts

246 months

Saturday 7th May 2022
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bigwheel said:
You could carefully connect a positive jump lead to the main, large connector on the starter motor and the negative jump lead to chassis or engine block. Then the remote will work.
Or simply a small battery charger and let it sit for a while.

Using jump leads in confined spaces....isn't always great advice

bigwheel

1,616 posts

213 months

Saturday 7th May 2022
quotequote all
stevieturbo said:
Or simply a small battery charger and let it sit for a while.

Using jump leads in confined spaces....isn't always great advice
Good idea.

SturdyHSV

10,083 posts

166 months

Saturday 7th May 2022
quotequote all
Getting to the starter from underneath may be awkward, you could presumably also try the big positive connector on the back of the alternator too, feels like it'd be easier to get something to that scratchchin

hemidom

1,247 posts

145 months

Sunday 8th May 2022
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I had this when my battery died in the first lockdown. Try gently lifting the handle at the same time as you turn the key in the lock. Took several attempts but it eventually caught and opened for me.

moylcgb

Original Poster:

78 posts

205 months

Monday 23rd May 2022
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First all sorry for taking so long to reply, just the usual day to day stuff getting in the way.

So I did the WD40 soak and it did eventually let me in to the car so I could at least open the bonnet. The car is now on charge but not without a bit of hassle as it kept tripping the battery charger out, eventually managed to get it on charge tonight.

I'm at least hoping for a full charge just to see if it might turn over just to get it back on my drive, but I'm not hopeful.

I will get back on progress in the next couple of days.

I still need to source a starter motor and get someone to fit it, had a quick look online and 340 ( MW performance ) to buy it and then pay someone to fit it. Is this about right price wise? and how easy for local garage to fit it, I do know one who are Supra trained so hoping they can tae it on, just to save me having to transport it.

How easy is it to jump start an Monaro out of interest?

I have just found this on eBay, has anyone used these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403490164146?hash=item5...



Edited by moylcgb on Monday 23 May 21:07

SturdyHSV

10,083 posts

166 months

Monday 23rd May 2022
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Billys Speed Shop are a well known outfit and will be fine.

If you're on Facebook, message Zakeer Mohammed, he has refurbished starter motors, although you'd need to send him your old one. I got mine from him.

Starter motor is easy to replace (2 bolts and a couple of connectors), just can be fiddly to get to depending on what exhaust manifolds / headers you have really.

Jump start is easy enough in my experience, I managed it with a 1.2 Clio once, although the battery was very dead so it did take a while and a plank on the Clio's accelerator pedal hehe

moylcgb

Original Poster:

78 posts

205 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
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Another quick update

So eventually got the battery charged it didn't like the first charger kept tripping it out, put my old charger on and got it fully charged.

So here's the strange thing the car actually fired up without any problem after being sat idle for two months. The problem in the first place was every time we turned it over it only just started and then wouldn't start at all. I assume it will start to play up again and I'm still going to change the starter motor as soon as possible.


SturdyHSV

10,083 posts

166 months

Wednesday 25th May 2022
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Just sounds like the battery is / was dead, replacing the starter motor might be a bit keen (although will be needed eventually I imagine)

If the battery has been flat enough that a charger won't charge it, it'll need replacing anyway, so maybe start there? scratchchin

V88Dicky

7,302 posts

182 months

Wednesday 25th May 2022
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+1

A Monaro is perfectly capable of completely draining a healthy battery in a couple of weeks, iirc.

If the car isn’t a daily driver, it’s worth investing in a Ctek or similar.

vxr2010

2,554 posts

158 months

Wednesday 25th May 2022
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mine with a cat 2 to cat 1 alarm upgrade and a tracker , i doubt it would not flatten a battery in two weeks , it’s now more of a daily drive , sounds like your starter motor is not the issue , appears to be new battery time , worth fitting a larger heavier duty battery , and as above a trickle charger

moylcgb

Original Poster:

78 posts

205 months

Wednesday 25th May 2022
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When the car started to refuse to start on and off the battery was always ok it just wouldn't turn over until eventually it wouldn't start full stop. I tried it again today and it did start ok so will see how it goes, but just a bit wary of going somewhere and it just stops, although I'am in the AA.

Still think I will change the starter motor just to be safe