Ghostly Goings On - over the moon

[SiC]

What state are the fuses in? Corroded terminals?

[2MB]

Could there be air getting in? Does it turn over and not fire?

[andy18s]

2 hours ago, Ghosty said:

Speaking of, I've no idea what's wrong with it. I replaced an earth strap that had disintegrated, and the central locking fixed itself, the passenger window started clicking a relay (but not opening), and the car started reliably... for about an hour. Took it out for a drive stopping and starting it a few times, and got home. Started the car and it worked fine. Locked and unlocked it a couple of times, then suddenly the central locking slowed down stopped working again, and the car then wouldn't start. 

Confused isn't the word...

 

 

 

Definitely sounds like an earthing issue

I'd be adding a good few extra earth cables from both the engine block and gearbox,preferably as close to the starter as possible

 

[andy18s]

2 hours ago, Ghosty said:

Speaking of, I've no idea what's wrong with it. I replaced an earth strap that had disintegrated, and the central locking fixed itself, the passenger window started clicking a relay (but not opening), and the car started reliably... for about an hour. Took it out for a drive stopping and starting it a few times, and got home. Started the car and it worked fine. Locked and unlocked it a couple of times, then suddenly the central locking slowed down stopped working again, and the car then wouldn't start. 

Confused isn't the word...

 

 

 

Definitely sounds like an earthing issue

Have you tried using some jump leads as temporary extra cables? Just 1 from the battery neg to a nice clean engine part will do

I'd be adding a good few extra earth cables from both the engine block and gearbox,preferably as close to the starter as possible

 

 

[Ghosty]

More things to try - there are some jump leads in the boot so shall have a go. 

More earths never a bad thing ?

[Mrcento]

It'll be an earth. Fiats would do stupid things like that too, was usually either the earth strap onto the gearbox or the little earth lead on the back of their coil packs.

[Ghosty]

16 hours ago, SiC said:

What state are the fuses in? Corroded terminals?

Fuses seem ok, the fusebox is in the glovebox. 

 

15 hours ago, 2MB said:

Could there be air getting in? Does it turn over and not fire?

Doesn't turn over. 

Had to get some stuff out of it this morning to take to work and the central locking worked, which was odd. I'm going to add some more earths/investigate the condition of the other ones, and take it from there. 

I need to do the glowplugs, cambelt, water pump, and camshaft oil seals but the insurance is up at the end of the month, and I need to sell the Mini to get my money for that, which relies on the retention certificate coming through for it. I have the cambelt, the rest is cheap enough but I'm off work while the shop's closed so I'm loathe to buy parts for a car I can't use, when the money might be needed for other things (even if it does keep me busy). 
I'm gonna use the Volvo for the time being as it's working, but once the 205 is sorted then the C30 can be sold and replaced with something a bit more practical perhaps. If the 205 is running I don't use the C30, and I'm not paying £1k/year insurance for a driveway ornament. I don't need two diesel hatchbacks. 

[Ghosty]

Ok, more investigation suggests that earths are mostly OK, they have continuity etc. 

Replacing the wire from the ignition switch to the starter seems to let the car start - I'm going to rewire that.
What's the relay that clicks when you engage the starter on the key, and can it safely be bypassed or do I have to fuck about with the loom and do a proper job?

[Supernaut]

7 minutes ago, Ghosty said:

Ok, more investigation suggests that earths are mostly OK, they have continuity etc. 

Replacing the wire from the ignition switch to the starter seems to let the car start - I'm going to rewire that.
What's the relay that clicks when you engage the starter on the key, and can it safely be bypassed or do I have to fuck about with the loom and do a proper job?

I don't know exactly what it is, but if it has a relay... don't fucking bypass it. It'll have the relay because it needs it and bypassing it would potentially result in fire.

[Anthony]

23 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

I don't know exactly what it is, but if it has a relay... don't fucking bypass it. It'll have the relay because it needs it and bypassing it would potentially result in fire.

I don't believe that there is a relay in the starter circuit - there certainly isn't on GTI models, which is why voltage drop is such an issue once you factor in a few degraded connections.

[bigfella2]

Have you had a load test on the battery, is the battery healthy?

[paulplom]

Deffo could be the battery. Mx5 was working itself a couple of weeks back. 

A smart charger sorted it's shit out.

[Arthur Foxhake]

The relay click could be the glow plugs.

I've had issues with the trigger wire before on the same engine in the same car, in my case just tightening it worked.

[Ghosty]

Battery seems healthy, gives the right voltage etc. 

There's definitely a relay in the line to the starter, when you turn the key it closes and gives the starter 12v. I've had another look and found that there's a mod you can do to change the setup to work more consistently. Apparently the petrols have something called a SAD/Supplementary Air Device (no idea if mine has that) that's basically a cold start valve, and it has an earth that can go funny, and Because French this is integrated into the starter wiring. Apparently you can bypass it and move the relays around for more consistent starting. I have plenty of spare relays so I'll look into it. 

[Rod/b]

Just seeing the right voltage at the battery doesn’t mean it’s good. A load test will show if it’s able to supply the voltage required at the rate required to spin the starter up. Any car spares place will have a load tester and be happy to test the battery. If you’re lucky they’ll have the oldskool type that looks like some sort of wooden-handled torture device. 

As well as earths I’d also suspect the ignition switch if it’s doing things intermittently and randomly. 

[Ghosty]

Oh, also, there was a mystery bodgey bit of wiring spliced into the ignition loom with scotchlocks and hanging out of the dash,  with a 10a fuse on two right angle spade connectors hanging in the air exposed. The fuse also appeared to have melted its casing a bit without failing (?). 
Turns out it's a 12v permanent live that operates the electric windows. 

Yeesh! That's getting a proper inline fuse for now, in time I'll wire it properly. 

Can't wait for it to be back on the road, I love how it drives. I have a fair old to do list for it though. 


Cambelt/water pump/cam seals
Glow plugs 
Rear tyres 
Passenger electric window
Find missing trim from driver's door; new parcel shelf
Gearknob
Exhaust blowing 
address rust on driver's door 

It should keep me busy... 

[Ghosty]

Not a lot to report due to lack of funds. 

Mini is sitting doing nothing as my insurance on it has expired, and I'm waiting on the V5 to sell it. 

Volvo is working fine, mum is using it as her Mini is blocked in by it. When I'm confident in the 205 I'll sell it (probably after I do the 205's cambelt). 

205 now starts reliably. It turns out that the glow plug relay is the same box as the starter relay. It's hidden under the battery, terminals facing downwards and exposed to the road as there's no undertray. 
Needless to say the contacts on the relay and its associated multiplugs were corroded to fuck, cleaning them up has let the car start reliably now (fingers crossed). The central locking is still intermittent. 
Also, it turns out the glowplugs haven't been doing anything the whole time I've had the car as cleaning up the relay has caused the glow plug light to start working - it never has until now, I must have been starting the car on compression... this does confirm that I need new glow plugs though, as they do fuck all. 
When I changed the starter I took a hose off the radiator, it turns out it was full of water, so I've put actual coolant in it. 


Cambelt will be done in a couple of weeks when I have a bit more money to order a water pump and such. 

The thing is, there are about four different water pumps listed for the car, pre and post 1994, and sometimes different amounts of teeth and impeller sizes... how do I know which I need? |
Also, I need a seal for the camshaft on the opposite end to the cambelt as it's badly leaking - some websites call it a 60mm seal and some call it closer to 90-110mm... confusing. ECP have nothing listed for XUDs so I'm going to have to get it all from Autodoc or Mister Auto (preference for the latter). 

[Ghosty]

Bueller? 


I'm viewing a car in the morning. 

You should be able to reliably guess what it is.

[paulplom]

Mx5?

[loserone]

It's a Volkswagen

[paulplom]

He must like pain

[loserone]

2 minutes ago, paulplom said:

He must like pain

A breadvan? 

[paulplom]

Touche

[Ghosty]

I hate VWs. 
Not an MX-5. I've had something with the same engine before, but not quite where it was supposed to be.

A previous enthusiast owner of the 205 that I'm in contact with has asked me if I'll drive her to her wedding in it! 

[BorniteIdentity]

MGF!

[Ghosty]

VTEC YO

[loserone]

Rover 400 tourer ?

[Ghosty]

Rover 400 tourer ?

What could have been, yes. Civic Aerodeck.

[Ghosty]

In the most boring collection caper ever, I went to a place, poked around a car, made a lowball and it was accepted. Test driveage occurred, and the lowball was lowered still. 

£900. 

It's on 114k and in remarkable condition - someone has taken really good care of it, the oil is clean, the spark plugs are clean, new looking NGKs, the air filter is a clean Mann Filter, the speakers have been upgraded, the interior lights are LEDs as are the reverse lights, there's two USB sockets neatly installed in a blank in the dash for phone charging... it's an absolute bargain. Of course there are jobs that need doing - the ABS light is on, a wheel bearing needs attention etc, but overall it's a really good buy. 

 

 

[Ghosty]

Pool ball knob came with the car for added win.