mil light on with ignition off???

[andy-w]

Hi all,

I have got the car more or less back together with a few bits and pieces to do but have a slight problem.

The mil light is on with the ignition off but is very dim...turn the ignition on and it becomes bright.
There is no click of the relays. No fuel pump whirr but the engine turns over although the spark plugs are not in....i was just turning it over to make sure everything is connected.

Any good pointers would be much appreciated...

[Cider Andy]

This does not sound good, I'm afraid. The MIL light is driven by the fuel injection ECU if it detects a problem. First place to check would be the connector to the ECU, beyond that the connections to each of its ancillaries in the engine bay (eg. lambda sensors, fuel and coolant temperature sensors, throttle position sensor, stepper motor, injectors etc.).

I don't know how much you've had disconnected/stripped from the car, but it sounds like something isn't connected.

[andy-w]

i have been right thru every sensor and damned if i can find out what it is!!!

and EVRYTHING was disconnected during the strip down!!!

Guess it is time to disconnect everything and start again

[mdotrutherford]

I appreciate its been a whole body off project Andy but could it be an earthing problem?

[andy-w]

that is what i am thinking

trying at the moment running direct earths to the battery from all earthing points...

once i have got this done i can see about trying to start it

[spend]

Just unplug the ecu, and see if it stops ~ might be the safe thing to do first anyway

Dave

[GreenV8S]

I don't have a MIL light on mine (although I seem to remember the oil pressure warning light is labelled MIL).

Sure you aren't confusing it with a no-charge warning light? That would have very different implications, most likely that the connections to the alternator were wrong.

[andy-w]

on the pre facelift dash there is an mil light next to the handbreak light???
or at least there is on mine...

[spend]

... and they even have letters / symbols so you dont have to refer to the handbook (which you hope is accurate) whilst plummeting down the autobahn Yet another sensible feature that bit the dust in 'updated' models

Dave

[andy-w]

well it has got me beat!!!!

all the sensors are connected and it is screaming earth problem to me...

i disconnected the earth lead from the engine to the chassis with the ignition on and expected some kind spark but nothing...same with the earth on the main block....

[GreenV8S]

andy-w said:

on the pre facelift dash there is an mil light next to the handbreak light???
or at least there is on mine...

I'm not familiar with that dash. You're saying you have all of the following?

• low oil pressure warning light
• no charge warning light
• handbrake on / low brake fluid level combined warning light
• MIL warning light

The top three would routinely come on with the ignition before you start the engine, I don't know whether the MIL light would come on then too. Assuming you do indeed have a separate MIL light I assume it would have to be driven from the ECU. Disconnecting the ECU would presumably disable it. Disconnecting the ECU wouldn't have any effect on the other warning lights. Perhaps you could try this to confirm that the light you're seeing is what you think it is?

[andy-w]

it says MIL on it...

[spend]

I have a hazy memory that it may light up if the inertia switch is tripped in some models, not sure if that helps or is even accurate....

But you do have to be sure that the bulbs have been put back in the correct places behind the panel

Dave

[andy-w]

Who is the thick tw*t...???

spend said:

But you do have to be sure that the bulbs have been put back in the correct places behind the panel

Dave

It was worse than that...so bad i hide my head in shame and will not be returning to pistonheads....ever!!!!

[GreenV8S]

andy-w said:

it says MIL on it...

So does my oil pressure warning light, doesn't necessarily mean that's what it is.

[GreenV8S]

andy-w said:

Who is the thick tw*t...???

Never mind about that, is it running now?

[andy-w]

GreenV8S said:

andy-w said:

Who is the thick tw*t...???

Never mind about that, is it running now?

I hope you didnt think i was refering to you pete?!?!?
I was talking about myself...!

no - not yet...i need to get some other bits before i start it up but it is nearly there...i havent put the rad in yet!

[GreenV8S]

andy-w said:

I was talking about myself...!

I thought you had just smacked yourself on the forehead because you realized the problem was something obvious. Aren't they always, afterwards?

[andy-w]

There are two wires that are earthed onto the fuel rail.
This morning on mine there wasnt.....?

Thick numpty here had them tucked behind the heater hose where i couldnt see them....came across them when i started tracing wires around....

Think it will be a while before anyone does anything as daft as that...good thing is though i found a couple of lose wires in the loom that are now fixed!!!

Cheers for your help guys...dissapointed that none of you thought of that though...!!! :tongueincheeksmilieneeded: