HELP! car wont start.

[The Hood]

Sorry to have to start another one of these threads but i have a problem with my Chim and have done a search and cannot find another thread that helps me.............anyway here goes........

The last time i drove my car was a couple of weeks ago and was on a long run and she was going fine........no warning of anything about to go wrong.

Last weekend i was due to go out in the car and when i went in the garage to start it ............. no joy.

I have had the car connected to my accumate trickle charger all week thinking it could be my battery on it's way out.

went into garage today to try it again and the accumate is showning fully charged.

Press immobiliser on key fob and alarm lights go out, turn key and can hear fuel pump priming, turn key fully and nothing...........no clicking or anything.

lights come on okay any advice would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

Glyn.

[mdotrutherford]

Glyn, try giving the starter solenoid a tap with a hammer even better with someone turning the key at the same time.

[TVR-Boy]

It's not the MIL is it?

Just a suggestion.

[The Hood]

mdotrutherford said:

Glyn, try giving the starter solenoid a tap with a hammer even better with someone turning the key at the same time.

Thanks for the suggestion.
Have tried this now to no effect.
Glyn.

[The Hood]

TVR-Boy said:

It's not the MIL is it?

Just a suggestion.

Did not notice any warning lights on last trip and it's not coming on when turning the ignition on now either.
Also the handbook says it's for fuel injection or emmission system fault.

Glyn.

[Cider Andy]

The most likely is a starter motor / solenoid fault or immobiliser. It's worthwhile disconnecting the battery for a few minutes to reset it. Beyond that, it's time to check for 12V at the solenoid, working backwards towards the ignition switch.

[siwebster]

I think I've had almost exactly the same problem a couple of times with mine before, completely out of the blue with no apparent reason. It's giving almost the same symptoms as the 'hot start', but it's obviously not as the car is cold.

I've managed to isolate it to a broken/bad lead or connection near the fuse box - there's a cable from the battery that has a separate large fuse in it's own little box before it disappears into the loom again. Simply by moving this to another position my car would then start. I narrowed it to this by testing quite a few things - the ignition switch, all of the fuses in the fuse box, I passed twelve volts directly through to the starter and solenoid - all worked fine until i messed with this particular wire. Since I've found this particular wire I've had no trouble and the car has started first time every time, but it is on my 'to do' list to replace at some point.

Give it a go it's worth a try - the wire on mine runs straight from the positive terminal on the battery - move it about and try and start it.

Cheers

Simon

[GreenV8S]

Either the solenoid has jammed, or the wiring/supply to it is faulty, or perhaps a combination. It could also be a fault in the immobiliser, so go through the full arm/disarm cycle a couple of times to see if you can clear it.

If it's a solenoid problem then you may find if you hold the key in the 'cranking' position it will eventually kick into life. If you don't get any joy after a minute or so get somebody to stick a broom handle down beside the exhaust and gently tap the top of the solenoid while you hold the key in the cranking position.

If still no joy you need somebody to get underneath and see whether any voltage is getting to the solenoid.

[The Hood]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I have had a check of the cables on the battery and wobbled them about to no joy.

I have armed and dis-armed the alarm several times still no joy.

I will look to disconnect the battery in the morning and leave for a few minutes and reconnect as suggested.

As for checking supply to starter solenoid and working backwards etc i have to say i'm a complete mechanical numpty so any fool proof advice/explanation would be greatly appreciated.

Glyn.

[GreenV8S]

The Hood said:

As for checking supply to starter solenoid and working backwards etc i have to say i'm a complete mechanical numpty so any fool proof advice/explanation would be greatly appreciated.

It involves grovelling about in the filth under the car, connecting a wire to the right terminal on the stater motor solenoid without shorting anything out, then measuring the voltage on that wire while you try to start the engine. If you're unclear what any of that means then this is something that you probably shouldn't be trying to do for yourself.

[Del 203]

GreenV8S said:

It could also be a fault in the immobiliser, so go through the full arm/disarm cycle a couple of times to see if you can clear it.

My money is on the immobiliser as Pete suggests, can get a sticky/fried solenoid in them as well

It is possible to get the starter to work though & you say you have fuel pump but explaining it is beyond my knowledge but someone who understands these things might mail you

[chelseawiggie11]

had similar probs with mine......changed both relays in the footwell above battery and all is now fine...

[The Hood]

Right an update .....................

I have disconnected the battery ( bl**dy awkward job that is) left for a couple of minutes then reconnected, put back in place and tried to start the car ........... no luck.

one thing that i have noticed this morning is that when i turn the key either side of the fuel pump priming i can hear a relay picking (which i presume is for the fuel pump) but i also can hear a relay picking about 10 seconds after removing the key and not noticed it before.

Glyn.

[TVR-Boy]

Where abouts in the country are you Glyn?

If someone nearby can come over to you and swap relays etc, that might help?

[The Hood]

TVR-Boy said:

Where abouts in the country are you Glyn?

If someone nearby can come over to you and swap relays etc, that might help?

Croydon, Surrey....................any offers

Glyn.

[Del 203]

Glyn, yhm

But i'm not that good with sparkey bits so usual get out clauses apply

[The Hood]

Del 203 said:

Glyn, yhm

But i'm not that good with sparkey bits so usual get out clauses apply

The problem being i don't have access to my e-mail at the moment so can't retrieve it, any chance of sending me a PM instead.

Thanks

Glyn.

[The Hood]

The Hood said:

Del 203 said:

Glyn, yhm

But i'm not that good with sparkey bits so usual get out clauses apply

The problem being i don't have access to my e-mail at the moment so can't retrieve it, any chance of sending me a PM instead.

Thanks

Glyn.

Just noticed there's not a PM facility on here (confusing with TVRCC site)

[Del 203]

The Hood said:

The Hood said:

Del 203 said:

Glyn, yhm

But i'm not that good with sparkey bits so usual get out clauses apply

The problem being i don't have access to my e-mail at the moment so can't retrieve it, any chance of sending me a PM instead.

Thanks

Glyn.

Just noticed there's not a PM facility on here (confusing with TVRCC site)

call me (will edit my number out as soon as you have )

Ooops... correct number now

Edited by Del 203 on Monday 25th August 12:47

[GreenV8S]

The Hood said:

i also can hear a relay picking about 10 seconds after removing the key and not noticed it before.

That's normal. The problem you have here is nothing to do with the ECU. It is either the starter motor, or the electrical supply to it. The supply goes through the ignition switch and usually through the alarm too. I suggest the first step should be to find whether the problem is within the starter motor, or electrical.