St.Jude

My '88 820e definitely didn't have an immobiliser. The 1990 brochure (which yours is in) mentions infra-red remote central locking with a clever 'triple code' system, but there's no mention of an immobiliser anywhere.

Had an hour to look at this today. 
Thanks to @Marina door handles I had a better idea (and head) to get the the centre console out. 

All of this shit had to come out to get this far.

Yeah I broke some veneer, it’s wood. It’ll be easy to fix.
I couldn’t really get to the bit I was looking for as the Haynes BOL says you need to go under it etc and I’ve no Jack or stands here so I can’t take that out.
I did ask my sister though to start it, as I could hear clicking. There is clicking from the engine bay, I think it’s the ABS pump being primed.
Forgot though I bought crocodile clips for my multimeter, so I hooked it up. 


Zero volts at every point. So there is no power going to the starter.
Should also say that when I put it in reverse the reverse lights come on aswell.

Scoured the papers I have for it and I didn't come across any 4 digit codes.
Think tomorrow evening I'll have a bit of time after work to look through the papers again and the diagram to see if an immobiliser exists in it.
One thing I've seen Project Nigel do is once the EKA is put in he just disconnects the door lock and something else under the steering column which stops the EKA code from having to be entered. No idea though if this works without a code being entered or if one must be entered before the plugs are removed.

Scoured the papers I have for it and I didn't come across any 4 digit codes.
Think tomorrow evening I'll have a bit of time after work to look through the papers again and the diagram to see if an immobiliser exists in it.
One thing I've seen Project Nigel do is once the EKA is put in he just disconnects the door lock and something else under the steering column which stops the EKA code from having to be entered. No idea though if this works without a code being entered or if one must be entered before the plugs are removed.

The only time I have come across the pure unadulterated evil that is an EKA code was with my P38 Range Rovers. If its got one, (which I doubt) its often hand written as a 4 digit code in the front page of the owners manual or service book. 

TL:DR; - It is, but not quite either.
With setting up the Lada I thought it would be beneficial to me to at least try and plan what I need to do and what I can do with it, along with trying to plan ahead for any parts I would need to buy. From that, and looking at the calendar, there will be weekends where I can't work on the Lada as I'll be waiting for something to move on. I then have this car in my head and the help shown here to get it running. So I want to get this working, and at least get it to an MOT. With the plans I have for the Lada I could do with an investment, and I think I could do with that investment coming from the Rover.
But then I just need one bad day and I'm on Car Take Back again.

Sorry, haven’t had time to check on this till now. I’ll try to upload the schematics for you of the entire starter circuits tomorrow evening. Maybe that can help you further. And yes as already stated: If trying to measure if volts come across, you usually need to have the black probe on an earth or negative battery terminal and the red positive probe on the positive (switched) terminal of the item to test 🙂 Not the negative, otherwise you’ll measure 0 across as well 😅
I’m sure you’ll get there eventually. The solenoid normally clicks and if you put your finger on it you can usually feel the click as well as it’s quite a powerful action to prevent arcing on the internal solenoid contacts. What I mean is that those contacts need to be closed really quick, which results in an audible click as well as (often) a physically detectable vibration when holding your finger on the solenoid housing.
You may also try to bridge the solenoid and see if the starter motor turns, but be sure that you know what you’re doing when trying that!

Keith Duckworth (the Worth in Cosworth) talking about how he was designing a turbo engine for Ford for the Beatrice F1 team, driven by Alan Jones.
 

Keith Duckworth (the Worth in Cosworth) talking about how he was designing a turbo engine for Ford for the Beatrice F1 team, driven by Alan Jones.
 

PEUGEOT 406 Super Touring Car. Getting to drive a legend.
I remember watching these at racedays
 
 
 

Had an hour to look at this today. 
Thanks to @Marina door handles I had a better idea (and head) to get the the centre console out. 

All of this shit had to come out to get this far.

Yeah I broke some veneer, it’s wood. It’ll be easy to fix.
I couldn’t really get to the bit I was looking for as the Haynes BOL says you need to go under it etc and I’ve no Jack or stands here so I can’t take that out.
I did ask my sister though to start it, as I could hear clicking. There is clicking from the engine bay, I think it’s the ABS pump being primed.
Forgot though I bought crocodile clips for my multimeter, so I hooked it up. 


Zero volts at every point. So there is no power going to the starter.
Should also say that when I put it in reverse the reverse lights come on aswell.

Got some 50s cars to look after and running out of garage space?
Simply build yourself a 1950s filling station / workshop next to your house.
 

Tbh I don't recall if the 820 had any immobiliser lights or LEDs - just that the maintenance guys (fleet car) never trusted the plip on the remote and said to always just use the key.

I have the folder of the proper diagrams, apparently. I'll scan these this week, but I'll check the link that was shared here to see if it's the same as what I have.

Not had half the opportunity to do anything like I thought I would today as my mom had a list of pressing issues. I didn’t have the jump leads with me though, forgot those.
I threw the battery back on it as I thought maybe a wiggle of the gear stick would result in life. It didn’t.
But…

The light for saying what gear it’s in is temperamental. I had put it in park but there was no light. Wiggled it and the light came on, then off etc. I think I am going to take this out and clean it properly.
I did also hear a click from the engine bay. 

You were actually trying to do a volt drop test there instead so all was not lost, only executed incorrectly

Ok check again for voltage at the starter solenoid terminal.
If all Ok, next thing, go to the other wire on the solenoid - probably brown/purple.  You should get a voltage between this wire and earth when the key is turned to start.
If you do get a voltage, the next thing is with ignition off and gear in neutral, carefully touch a wire between the large terminal and the small terminal and see if the solenoid operates.

It's not quite clear what you are doing with the multimeter.  The battery terminal you show has a red i.e. positive cover on it.  Is it the positive or negative terminal? 
Main positive (probably brown) battery lead to solenoid should be live at all times, it does not go via a relay.
 

Thought so.   As said  - red of multimeter to starter, black of multimeter to negative of battery, or engine/body earth
 

If you want to measure voltage there you need the black on the negative of the battery, or a suitable earth, and the red on the point you're testing.

Michael Winner would regularly drive in bus lanes and park outside the place he was going to on double yellows. The money he'd get in a fine was offset for getting to where he needed to get to on time and less of a walk for him.
People say when they win the lottery they wouldn't tell anyone but there would be noticeable changes. For me, if I won the lottery or a load of money, I would do exactly what Winner did.

Sorry... Not sorry! 

Show off.

Show off.

Really clever work - most ingenious