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[JamesV6CDX]

Ok guys, I've managed to blag Friday off this week, and I'm going to use the whole day in a last ditch attempt to resolve the electrical problems with my project car before scrapping it.

Please can anyone knowledgeable (or not) do me a huge favour, and offer any advice they possibly can on how I can get this sorted. I'll provide as much information as possible:

1) Initially, after engine was installed in car, there was an engine management light when the ignition was turned on, and the engine would attempt to fire on 2 cylinders.

2) After a fiddle in the DIS area ONCE, the car ran, smoothly on all 4, for a good time until turned off. I can't get a repeat of this however hard I try.

2) After investigating mark's suggestions re. buzzing through from the ECU commector to the DIS connector, I am now NOT getting an engine management light, and no cyls are trying to fire.

3) At this stage I replaced ECU, transponder and immobiliser unit from a known working car. No difference.

4) I fitted the loom off the donor car, which made no difference.

5) Now I have re-fitted the original loom, I am not getting ANY dash lights at all, even though the starter still turns the engine fast when the key goes in the start position.

6) Even though there are no Dash lights, when the ignition is in the "on" position, I can hear the 2 big relays in the ECU box making a noticable clicking noise.

7) I have pulled and tested every single fuse in the car.

First job on Friday, is to make sure all the Earths and poisitive connections are totally secure, including the ones on the fuel injection rail, for which I may now need a new ring connector. I'm going to go to Halfrauds, and get some new earth straps and renew the engine/body to battery earths.

Also as suggested by a member on here, I will attempt earthing the ECU casing to the battery negative.

Points to note:

I have tried a new DIS and new Crank sensor and new plug leads to eliminate the obvious.

Dis connector to ECU buzzes through fine and doesn't go to earth, suggesting good wiring there.

When the ECU touched the battery (mistake) the EML came on. (but no other dash lights).  One of the guys has suggested this may indicate a bad earthing issue. Any further thoughts on this?

I have got the whole day, dawn till dusk, to work on this, and I'll do anything it takes in this day to get it running. So would really appreciate as much info as possible, because if I don't get any significant progress - it's going.

Cheers once again
James

[Marks DTM Calib]

Not going o be a popular sudgestion but, I would fit the original ECU, immolbilsier and loom.

That way you have a known good starting point.

Will post more when I have time

[tunnie]

hummm, some of this is above me James. However it does seam odd that you can't repeat your earlier sucess with it running. Just daft questions really i take it you get some dash lights on? brake light ect.... and when u try and start u get nothing?

Does it even try to crank?

[The Barge Captain]

Good question Tunnie.  James - do you get any dash lights at all?  Do they go out in sequence - i.e. abs light? not expecting to see management light go out and you don't have traction on there.  Does the tacho twitch when cranking over?
However trivial, is there anything else daft not working such as radio, interior lights windows/mirrors?
I'm thinking is there a plug that is seemingly  irrelevent that has come loose and not feeding your dash - eml?

[rpont]

Those three plugs near the battery. There seems to be two stages to doing them up. I put mine in yesterday and I put the plug in and turned the collar then had to pull the plugs up and turn the collar again for them to fully lock down.

[JamesV6CDX]

I WAS getting all the right dash lights, which were going off in the right sequence, but now nothing, so there's clearly a bigger wiring problem or something loose.

Mark - original loom is fitted, just need to put the old ECU back on.

I'll post up my findings, I've got a couple of hours to spend on it tomorrow too...

I too am suspicious of those three round connectors by the battery tray.....

Because now you mention, one time before, I didn't have an EML light. I fiddled with those, and then I got one. I forgot about that, so it may be relevent.

Interestingly upon a quick look, the blue one, middle one, although pushes in alright, the collar doesn't seem to do up properly - would this have an impact? Would this stop it from making a decent connection?

Cheers

[rpont]

I too am suspicious of those three round connectors by the battery tray.....

Because now you mention, one time before, I didn't have an EML light. I fiddled with those, and then I got one. I forgot about that, so it may be relevent.

Interestingly upon a quick look, the blue one, middle one, although pushes in alright, the collar doesn't seem to do up properly - would this have an impact? Would this stop it from making a decent connection?

Ah the blue one, that connects things to the dash  

No I mustn't be cruel. I don't know which one does what but they obviously connect engine things to the bodywork things so maybe.

It was the blue one I noticed the problem with it not locking so pulled it up again, about 1/8 inch and the collar then turned fully home and clicked. I rememberd the same sort of thing when taking them out. I then went to the white one and it wasn't locked either so I did the same. There is some sort of double lock on it.

I think to take them out turn collar to stop, this lifts the plug, push plug down and turn collar again, it then comes out.
To fit push plug in, turn collar to first stop, pull plug up and turn collar fully home. Plug will go down and collar click.

If I hadn't just plugged mine in I wouldn't have thought of it, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.

[JamesV6CDX]

You cruel bugger,.,, my eyes lit up when you said the blue one goes to the dash!!!! hehe

But seriously, thanks, they will definately be well inspected.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow.....

[Auto Addict]

Best of luck James

[nixoro]

Any joy James :question

[JamesV6CDX]

Been playing with it all afternoon.

Have checked all connections are secure. New engine earth, new body earth. I'm now 100% certain the three round plugs are connected securely.

Checked every single fuse in the car.

No progress though.

No lights at all on the dash, eg oil light, abs light etc... but the engine does crank at a good speed. The headlights are bright, but the backlight on the dials is extremely dim.

Can't work out whether it's a short or a bad earth somewhere, but I'm out of places to look

[nixoro]

Have you had the dash panel out at any point, only surely if its been removed and not fitted back securely this would cause a power outage. Being that it sits on a centre prong with all the wiring joins

Hope that makes sense.

[JamesV6CDX]

Nope. never had the dash out. It can't be a bad connection at the Dash, because when the ECU shorted the EML came on brightly...

[nixoro]

Nope. never had the dash out. It can't be a bad connection at the Dash, because when the ECU shorted the EML came on brightly...

Ok, just an Idea

[JamesV6CDX]

I've had an idea too. Take it to a remote location and set a match to it