electrical problem urgent!

[cooltom31]

just been getting my car ready for it mot on thurs, and i started it up, it ran for about 30secs then when i went to turn the lights on it died, one of the indicator lights on the dash stayed on. the indicator stalk seems to be doing random things and if i put the hazard switch on everything else is flashing with the relay, all the lights on the dash etc. the engine also wont start, its turning over but not firing up. any ideas?

cheers

tom

[cooltom31]

also even when the ignition is off if you move the indator stalk the whole dash lights up.

[djbrowney]

i would check all your earths mate !

[freeman88]

check your earth straps around engine

[Edwin]

What kind of dash do you have? The late model dash can have a lot of strange problems due to a faulty hazard switch.

[draper]

as said check the earths, have you had anything out from the dash/steering shroud area ??

also try taking the clocks out (but leving them plugged in) and seeing if the fault still happens - that would indicate a trapped wire

then id trace every cable back and see if theres and short circuits

hope you get it sorted and MOT'd

[meritlover]

sounds like the battery/charging system. you had just enough juice to start it. then when you put the lights on the voltage drop caused the engine to die.

[craig green]

Once again. I reckon its Earthing problems. Renew the earth strap on the gearbox/chassis.

Renew the earth strap for the battery & run an earth lead from battery-ve to the alternator tension adjuster arm.

The strap terminals must all touch down on good bare metal of the cars body.

[Lee-170]

mine had exactly the same problem it was the little earth in the boot mate :thumb:

[cooltom31]

its a mk2 dash with a digidash which i fitted. i have took the digidash out and checked for trapped wires etc and everything is fine. the wiring on the whole car is a mess really and was like that when i got the car. its a gte engine on carbs but all the injection wiring etc is still there. didnt realise there was an earth in the boot ill go and have a look. blowing a gail outside aswell!

[cooltom31]

where is the earth in the boot? do you have to take the panels off the sides?

[draper]

its on the rear panel iirc

whre the boot lock is

[Lee-170]

its on the back panel mate by the boot lock post :thumb:

[cooltom31]

looks like im gonna have to cancel the mot anyway as the bonnet still needs painted and this would have been done by now if it wernt for this problem.

[draper]

the car wont fail th MOT on an unpainted bonnt :confused:

[stevenf]

you had any luck yet mate?

[cooltom31]

well last night we tried running a temporary earth from the battery and from the strut top to the engine block and it fired straight up, then when we were checking everything worked as soon as i turned the lights on the engine cut out, and will not start again, so back to square 1.

[cooltom31]

mot is now cancelled.

[robertdevlin69]

see if your altenator is charging,only happened in me van last week feckin lights,dash,evrything went banannas on me turned out to be a shot altenator,good luck anyway

[meritlover]

sounds like an alternator charging fault still. i stand by it. check it with a voltmeter

[cooltom31]

surely if the altonator wasnt charging the battery then the battery would just be dead, and that wouldnt explain all the lights and dash playing up?

[meritlover]

you tell me. use a meter.

[draper]

the alternator will be charging but when the ignition is turned off the battery light will be draining the charge

[meritlover]

if that is the case then the switched feed to the alternator is not switching off.

[cooltom31]

surely if this was the problem then the engine would still start with jump leads? which it doesnt. dont matter now anyway the car is doing my head in im going to sell it i think.

[meritlover]

why sell a faulty car? no one will offer you anything near the money that it would fetch when its fixed.

have you checked the starter motor connections?

[cooltom31]

the starter motor is working fine. im no mechanic and i dont know anyone who can fix it for me, so the only thing left to do really is sell the car. as i need the money to buy a car that is drivable so i can get to work.

[General Baxter]

did you fit the digi dash?
was it working fine with std clocks?

have you even checked the earths yet?
have you disconnected the alternator yet?

[stevenf]

he had the digi fitted when it was on the road previosly and it was working fine. all the earths have been checked by about three of us. not sure if he has had the alternator disconnected yet. will give him a text now and ask

[cooltom31]

yeah the car has been runing fine with the digidash for six months before i took it off the road, and yes i fitted it. i do not have a meter and dont know anyone that has, i cant take the car to a garage because it doesnt start, so i cant check the alternator allthough it was working fine the other day. we have checked all the earths, and tried puting a temporary earth from the battery to the firewall, and one from the strut top the the engine block, and it fired straight up and the dash etc was working fine, but when i turned the lights on the car cut out, and would not start again and the dash was playing up once again.

[cooltom31]

going to try and call the RAC and see if they can help. is this a good idea?