Think I'm going to SCREAM!

[ade]

My SR is taking serious vengence on me at the moment



1st engine blows up - me and Ian fit a new one - then it wont run - HT lead to blame for that - then it wont idle - managed to sort that by fixing the choke cable but in the process of setting up the choke something has happened to the electrics!

Basically - choke is under dash - single cable (theres no electrics attached to the choke as prev carb was auto choke so no dash light) through bulkhead to carb. Set it up - turned car over - started fine and ran fine - pushed choke in and revs dropped (as they do) - so pulled it out a bit and in doing so the car died.

So - figuring it had stalled turned key and the wipers activated!
Engine didnt turn.

Figured I must have knocked the wiper stalk. Tried again - wipers came on again. Also battery needle plunged right down and oil pressure went off the scale (needlt flew right round!). Engine still didnt start

The car is fitted with an immobaliser (TOAD A101) - so figure3d might have tripped this. Checked fuses - all fine - armed and disarmed alarm - beeped as it does normally - still no joy.

Disconnected battery - tried again - no joy

Phoned Lee - who laughed - and said trace started moror wire (red/black) for shorts. Did this - no joy. Although it seems to disappear into what I think is the central locking relay under passenger front parcel shelf in footwell - now central locking has never worked on the car but its never been a problem in the past and the choke certainly wouldnt have knocked it.

So - I pulled the dash apart and lookied for nicks and scrapes and loose wires but still cant see anything.

Anyone any ideas? Sick of getting the bus! Its smelly and full of weird people!

[Ben]

Check the earths in the engine bay considering just changed the engine, a bad earth can lead to all types of random issues.

Also had similar issue on a previous car i swapped engine as there was a thin wire from the immobiliser that we never spotted and never reconnected as was nbot a "usual" nova wire, went towards the coil.

If you have a Toad Ai606 then it will have minnimum 2 immobilised parts usually the starter and the coil check both of these and if you can find the toad box (usually behind glovebox on novas) trace the wires and make sure the circuit is complete.

[mowgli]

I agree with ben, it sounds like classis earth strap trouble

[MattBrown]

Extreme, but im sure I have a full loom here mate, could re-loom the car?

[Guderian]

Agree that it's one or more bad earths. Manic needles on the instruments are a classic sign.

[brucer]

Gearbox to chassis earth id try first. :-)

[ade]

will take a look - its running now but wipers come on when car started, oil pressure gauge off the planet and then I flash main beams with lights off wipers come on!

I'll redo gearbox earth as a precaution and check the coil.