Car dead :-(

[CazzaVR 0]

Just changed the coolant and fan switch. Went to start the car- absolutely nothing :( All the lights come on as normal and the fuel pump primes, but that's it. It doesn't even turn over. Never had a prob starting it before.

 

I'm guessing that I maybe splashed something electrical e.g. alternator, so I've got a hairdryer going under the bonnet.

 

Any ideas?

 

Cheers

[CazzaVR 0]

WD40 and hairdryer for an hour, and still nothing :(

[White2505 0]

are you getting any clicking noise or similar under the bonnet?

 

Have you checked the battery is still charged?

are all the connections to the starter motor okay?

are the connections to the battery okay?

have you fiddled with any other parts of the car?

look around where you were working on the fan switch, have you dislodged any other connectors whilst working there?

[Jim 2]

Could be the ignition switch gone mate just through sheer stupid timing.. sounds just like what happened with Erics.

 

Just as a test, try to start it, push the key in a little harder and wiggle it a bit as you try and start it and see if it goes...

[bcstudent 0]

Try putting a live straight from the battery to the starter solenoid. If it turns over then start looking at the ignition switch, if not then change the starter and solenoid.

[CazzaVR 0]

White2505, no clicking and everything else seems in order :?

 

Jim, thanks mate. Didn't work, unfortunately :(

 

bcstudent, how do I do that? Where's the starter solenoid?

 

Thanks!

[Jim 2]

OT but.. gawd you must be glad to be back mate!! :|

 

Hopefully it turns out to be something silly / easy to sort mate :)

[White2505 0]

on the back of the starter motor you should have a really thick cable straight to the battery and a thiner one (which goes to the ignition switch)

 

take a cable of similar diameter direct from the battery positive to the place the thiner cable is connected and you should hear the starter turn over.

 

make sure the cars in nuetral before you do this or you could run yourself over!!

[CazzaVR 0]

Hmmm, this is precisely the sort of thing that has made me sell before...

 

Rocker cover gasket (x2), dodgy rear callipers, oil leak, engine mount, suspension and now this, all in the first few weeks of ownership. The only thing I'd budgeted for was the suspension. I can't enjoy the car at the mo' :cry:

 

The car seemed so good when I looked at it.

[CazzaVR 0]

White2505, will this work with a jump lead?

[White2505 0]

Ho hum, been there done that, within three months I was onto a full on, unbudgeted, bottom end rebuild.

 

HOWEVER

 

now I'm out the other side ( temporarily I'm sure!! ) she is a joy to drive and worth the effort and expense.

 

if you're in it for the short haul sell now! if you don't mind spending some time, effort and of course money then theres worse cars to be hooning around in ;)

[White2505 0]

jump lead should do it for testing purposes

[mtc R32 0]

Does the Car jump start???

[CazzaVR 0]

Right, hooked up a jump lead from the battery to the starter motor, and all I get is a little wirring/click from the left hand side, the same as with the key in the ignition. Think it's the fuel pump?

 

Haven't tried jumping it yet. Will try tomorrow in the light!

[andyVR6 0]

sounds like a dead battery if the clicking is coming from the starter.

[Supercharged 2]

Andy - sounds like you disturbed something while changing the coolant, maybe the plug to the starter solenoeid (fairly big red and black wire)

 

Check the above first then battery voltage is at least 12, if ok then also try a jump lead from the neg terminal to the alt bracket incase the main engine earth was corroded and made worse by the coolant change...

 

Next you need to check for 12V at the starter solenoid plug when trying to start, if nothing then imobiliser or ignition switch are likely...

[CoxyLaad 0]

dead battery for me - definately.

[CazzaVR 0]

Thanks for all your suggestions, guys. Appreciate it. Got a few things to try tonight then (before the footy of course!).

 

Thought the battery was OK, as all the electrics are working fine, and it's one of those batteries with an indicator window, which says it's good (green). I will try charging it up later though, just in case.

 

Steve, in your second suggestion with the jump lead, what will happen when I do this? Do I need to try and start the engine with the jump lead connected?

 

Cheers

[PhillT 0]

get yourself a voltmeter, can pick them up cheap (around £10-20) and always come in handy solving electrical issues

 

check the battery voltage (usually 12.5v) and earths before splashing out on the new one

 

sounds like either bad wiring or dodgy solanoid to me if the battery is good, well, they're the cheap possibilites

[CazzaVR 0]

Think I've got one in my car toolkit. Never used, still in it's plastic wrapper. Looks like a pen with a bit of wire? How do I use it then? :oops:

[16vradge 0]

Steve, in your second suggestion with the jump lead, what will happen when I do this? Do I need to try and start the engine with the jump lead connected?

 

It just bypasses the ignition switch so the engine should try to fire as soon as you connect the lead, so be sure it's out of gear before trying it. Have you actually tried the jump leads to jump start the car?, if you haven't got another car to connect to just stick the charger on it for a couple of hours to top up the charge. Are all the connections still on the coil - you could have knocked the wiring? Also is the engine earth strap in good nick and clean where it connects to the block and body? Plenty petrol?

 

Good luck, I hope you get it sorted mate.

[PhillT 0]

that'll tell you it's live but not very acurate

 

better to have some like this Maplin example

 

that way you will get an exact (well pretty exact on the cheaper ones) voltage reading

[Supercharged 2]

Yep, maplins do Multimeters for a fiver...

 

What I meant with the jump lead was to create an engine earth incase it had broken down - yes try to start with the lead in place

 

Andy - you really need to check the basics first, either get a meter or just take the battery to a shop with a tester - halfords/gsf etc...

[CazzaVR 0]

I feel like such a novice! Anyone got any pics of the engine bay with the earth, coil etc labelled? Dunno where everything is :oops:

[CazzaVR 0]

Feel a bit of a numpty! :oops: Had another good check, and tested the earth and still nothing. Then noticed a small red/black wire near the fan/gearbox had come unplugged! Panic over!

 

I hadn't noticed a) because I'm an idiot, and b) because the connection is under several other wires, so not very visible at all.

Anyways, car fired up first time, so I took it for a little spin :twisted:

 

Thanks to you all for offering some excellent advice- this thread should come in useful in the future.