Help Broken Rado!

[holeinmk1 0]

Hi, went to fire up the corrado a couple of weeks back and she would'nt start, All lights came on and everything seemed 'normal' but when i actually turned the key it just clicked and died. i checked the battery with a meter which indicated it was low on charge so i removed the battery and stuck it on charge.

 

Came to it the other day thinking it would be a nice day for a drive out, put the battery back on. everything seemed ok, alarm registering, lights on the dash coming on, fuel pump buzzing, it seemed absolutley fine. went to turn the key and it clicked and died. literally everything dies, lights go off(even interior lights and dash digital clocks) you then jiggle the battery connection and it comes back on? i thought it was a loose connection when its back you can jiggle the connection as much as you like and it stays on?

 

It almost as if jiggling the connection resets the battery? i've tried the golf battery on it and vice versa tried the corrado battery on the golf and both are fine? as you can see from my signature its a 1993 VR6 converted to a 2.8 24v from a bora 4 motion. the battery has been relocated to the boot.

 

Any ideas/help would be good.

 

​Cheers. Tom.

[mic_VR 3]

Sounds like an immobiliser issue to be honest. If you're sure the battery is good, check your fuses etc?

[holeinmk1 0]

i thought it may have been the immobilser myself, have'nt checked the fuses yet.

[Sean_Jaymo 0]

X contact relay or bad earth between the engine and shell would be where I would start.

 

The bad earth could do what you describe exactly. Check the gearbox/engine earth strap for security of fitment and cleanliness.

 

Some immobilisers will let the car start and then cut out, others will cut the fuel pump and others cut out the starter circuit so it's almost impossible to blame that straight away.

[Portent 0]

I'm going for bad earth too. I had a problem with my negative battery clamp touching the bodywork and it gave exactly the same symptoms.

[holeinmk1 0]

ok, so just to update. spent some time on it this afternoon.

 

As recommended, cleaned up all the earthing points i could find. No difference.

 

decided to investigate the fusebox. checked all the fuses and checked the security of the relays(a few were a bit loose)

 

turned the ignition and she fired up. sounded sweet. realised the garage door was shut and garage was filling up with fumes(lol) so turned off engine and opened door.

 

went back to the car to start it up again and exactly the same fault? checked the fusebox again and this time took the relays out and cleaned the contacts.

 

still no difference. in my investigating i have noticed that the positive battery terminal has some charring to the plastic cover as if it has gotten hot at some point.

 

it was good to hear it running briefly and i'm sure its simple. i have some time off during the week and hopefully will get the car out of the garage(something may reveal itself in daylight). thanks for the suggestions and help so far everyone.

 

​Tom

[Sean_Jaymo 0]

Something sounds a bit suspect around the battery!

[holeinmk1 0]

yeah it is weird, i thought maybe the battery being so far from the engine and fusebox may cause some resisitance hence the heat build up, but then a lot of people re locate batteries to the boot, not every single one can get a hot positive contact?

 

I have just been in the garage to get my tools for work and noticed that the alarm was'n t on either, its supposed to automatically arm itself after a minute or so?

 

:scratch: Tom

[Jon_vr6 1]

yeah it is weird, i thought maybe the battery being so far from the engine and fusebox may cause some resisitance hence the heat build up, but then a lot of people re locate batteries to the boot, not every single one can get a hot positive contact?

 

I have just been in the garage to get my tools for work and noticed that the alarm was'n t on either, its supposed to automatically arm itself after a minute or so?

 

:scratch: Tom

 

Get a multimeter on it then you can at least rule out which wires are good/bad

[Timbo 0]

Ignition switch?

[holeinmk1 0]

I did try getting a meter on it but by the time i'm at the key starting the car i can't see what the meter is registering! I'm thinking my next attack will be on the positive wires from the battery, theres a bit of corrosion(not much but would like to rule it + 2 birds 1 stone etc) which i want to rule out.

 

Will report back tomorrow:salute:

[Jon_vr6 1]

I did try getting a meter on it but by the time i'm at the key starting the car i can't see what the meter is registering! I'm thinking my next attack will be on the positive wires from the battery, theres a bit of corrosion(not much but would like to rule it + 2 birds 1 stone etc) which i want to rule out.

 

Will report back tomorrow:salute:

 

When I had problems with my vr starting(got in one morning and just a click from starter) after replacing starter motor and ignition switch turned out to be corrosion on the positive wire to starter. Cleaned up and started first time.

[holeinmk1 0]

Well after ignoring the obvious and not listening to my wife, who said it was that last week! (i'm never gonna live this one down:p) it turned out to be the positive battery terminal, the main starter cable connection was corroded so current was only travelling down the auxillary cable hence the overload and shut down.

 

Replaced at a cost of £4.50.

 

​At least its sorted and had a nice drive out this afternoon. Thanks for all the help and advice.

[Jon_vr6 1]

Nice easy fix, corrosion is a right pain as said above same happened on mine