Is this an imoboliser problem or electrical gremlins ?

[Hoover.]

Car = Griff 1992 Precat c/w factory imob

Car wouldn't start at weekend, as battery didn't have enough juice in it. Tried jumping ofa battery booster pack but still no joy.

So new battery then.

Couldn't disarm the car, lock doors after old battery had lost more juice trying to start car so had to remove battery whilst deafening alarm going off....

new battery all seemed ok until trying to start..... all turning over but not catching.... checked all leads, dizzy, etc are firmly fixed.

What next.... not sure how to check for spark with out giving myself a jolt at the same time.....

Is there a procedure for resetting imobilisor......?????

[3024E]

If the immobiliser is random ecripted, then they can get out of ecription within themselves, the solution is to hold the keyfob button for around 10-15 seconds until it resets.....try that first.

PS what caused the battery to go flat anyway, and did you have any starting problems before??????

Have you goy a stupid enough mate to hold the spark plug as you turn it over????

Edited by 3024E on Wednesday 3rd December 20:02

[Hoover.]

3024E said:

If the immobiliser is random ecripted, then they can get out of ecription within themselves, the solution is to hold the keyfob button for around 10-15 seconds until it resets.....try that first.

PS what caused the battery to go flat anyway, and did you have any starting problems before??????

I'll imobilisor a play tomorrow...

I've had some major battery issues over the last year, which I thought were cured as I've not had a problem for the last 6 months....

Previous battery issue was traced to the light delay relay staying on and drawing double the standbye current of what the car should have been, even though all the interior lights were switched to off..... battery would only last 3 weeks (dead un rechargable) if car not used.

Last time I used the car, the battery seemed to struggle to crank over on first start (damp and wet from pervious weekend still).. all ok after that. Until a week latter when the above happened.........

Starting to lose the fun factor when every time it won't start when you just want to go and play

[Superali]

I had a similar problem with my beloved Griff not starting due to the alarm sucking on the battery over long periods of time. Although the bible does suggest using a boost starter, I tried 2 different types and found them to be useless. If you have resolved the loss of power due to the light delay relay, the best option I feel would be to invest in a trickle charger (around £9 on e-bay item no 200276923352) which will condition the battery and keep it topped up over the winter when you wont be using the car much. I have done that and waved all of my “car not starting” problems goodbye.

[Hoover.]

Superali said:

I had a similar problem with my beloved Griff not starting due to the alarm sucking on the battery over long periods of time. Although the bible does suggest using a boost starter, I tried 2 different types and found them to be useless. If you have resolved the loss of power due to the light delay relay, the best option I feel would be to invest in a trickle charger (around £9 on e-bay item no 200276923352) which will condition the battery and keep it topped up over the winter when you wont be using the car much. I have done that and waved all of my “car not starting” problems goodbye.

garage is en-bloc with no power so conditioners etc are a no go

[Aussie John]

I fitted a battery isol switch after mine would be flat in 10 days,now it still starts after 6 months. cheers, John.

[griffdude]

Hoover. said:

garage is en-bloc with no power so conditioners etc are a no go

Hey Hoover

What about one of these
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=98358
only £9.99!
Put it on the roof of your garage, put wires thru small hole (silicon sealed) then plug into fag lighter.

HTH

[spend]

You can get spark testers for @£1, just pop between plug & lead and they flash. Well worth getting a couple & a noid light, saves loads of time in diagnosis just knowing if you have spark & injection.

An isolator is not wasted if you eventually find the drain and should keep you running. Only downside is car is not alarmed or locked. Must admit I use mine if the locking v immob gets out of sync. Its also saves loads of time when doing any work on electrics / near starter Someone flogs the 'discarnect' type ones cheap on fleabay, that just clip in between the battery negative terminal and lead.

IIRC someone in the past installed a 'leisure' battery as the main battery (one that doesn't object to running flat) and plugged a normal battery in to start up via anderson leads..

Its all a lot easier if your battery is on the floor, hope you haven't got the early 'up in the air' version (pre-cat style IIRC).

I'd start looking for the drain by disconnecting the alt, radio and pulling the main relay + courtesy light timer. Rule em out or narrow it down Cruddy main earthing will also cause similar problems (under centre console).

Immob should only cut Fuel, starter and poss ECU IIRC. If you hear the pump running, the starter fires & you can see injection events its pretty sure that the immob is not stopping the car from running.

[griffdude]

spend said:

Immob should only cut Fuel, starter and poss ECU IIRC. If you hear the pump running, the starter fires & you can see injection events its pretty sure that the immob is not stopping the car from running.

+1

Having a similar Griff to you, after you disarm the alarm/immobilser & turn the ignition on you should hear the fuel pump whirr for 2-3 seconds before you engage the starter motor. The pump will not run without disarming the immobiliser in my experience.

[V8 GRF]

When resetting the immobiliser you need to remove the live cable the battery for about 10-15 seconds then as you reattach the cable press the alarm 'plipper' and that should reset the system.

[stain]

Fuel pump relays failing can make you think it is the immobiliser. Turn on the ignition and press the fob to disarm the immobiliser. You should hear 2 clicks down in the passenger footwell and then the whirring of the pump. Mine failed so I replaced with new relays but one new one was duff too. If relays are ok and no pump then check the wiring and plugs in the well on the left hand side behind the passenger seat. Then pump obviously.

[Hoover.]

Had enough..... still no life out of the fkin thing.

Relays...... check
Fuses....... check
Pump........checked connections...

no life from the pump at all....

Given up... calling garage on Monday to collect car, before I do something thats cost more to fix, like I did last time I played with electrics

[spend]

Steve, until the engine is running the ecu turns off the fuel pump after initial prime, this makes testing a bit of a black art. The best way IMHO is to put a jumper across the 2 opposing relay socket terminals that are perpendicular to each other. Your pump should run continuously when the jumper is applied - which makes tracing 12v down the wiring circuit possible

[Hoover.]

Just as well I threw the towel in (short attention span when things don't fix easily).....

it's been confirmed that it's an imobiliser issue, which can be fixed in one of two ways

1. Wire up the pump so it by-passes the imobilser, but still need imobilisor to be activated to fire up engine, or

2. New imobilsor

apparently the imobilsor on the car is not original (albeit as fitted to latter TVR models), and has been installed in a non conventinal way so diagnosing, and tracing wires is a right pain the ass, aswell as relays being found in the wing rather then the board above the battery