Cerbie wont start?

[gadget9]

I tried to start my 4.5cerb today as a day round the lanes in the sunshine was the order of the day but to my surprise when i deactivated the alarm and pressed the starter all i could hear was the fuel pump/s running up but not even a blip from the starter motor? any ideas,? i have tried to check the starter fuse looked in my handbook its a 2002 november build 4.5LW but the book shows a completely different fuse box to the one i have in my car the book shows fuse number 5 as being the starter fuse but in my car number 5 is surplus no fuse at all i decided to call the AA as the car comes with AA cover and the mechanic that arrived checked all the fuses in the fuse box and disconnected the ignition box for two minutes as his computer listed this as a remedy for similar fault but all to no avail even the battery checks out ok when i try to start the car I.E. press the start button all i get is the fuel pump/s running up a continuous beep from the dash and the MIL light stays on i even checked the cut off switch in boot that supposedly trips on impact and this was not the problem? please help if you can Thanks

[gazzab]

have you tried bumping it?
How about the key = turn it off for a few minutes?

[yellow peril]

Now...I know you're going to at this suggestion, but I have good reason to suggest that you check the immobiliser key/switch under the dash.

Sometimes the whole switch can turn round and screw up the wiring at the back........

and ...............sometimes................epecially if plugging in a mobile phone charger....you can accidently switch the immobiliser on!!!!!!

Don't ask me how I know this.........

It would be tooooooo embarrassing

...//P//

[gadget9]

Thanks for that but i have tried the key switch out of desperation but it is not that because when it is turned off the fuel pumps dont activate and as for bumping it i didnt want to try it when the MIL light is staying illuminated as i think i have an electrical fault as there is not any starter motor activity or solonoid noise when you try to start it but whats puzzling me is it was fine on friday 13th the last time i used it as i stopped three times and started again without any incidents?

[gazzab]

but your mil light comes on when you start the car and so if it isnt completing the start up process then it would be on. the mil light isnt such a big deal UNLESS you have CATS.

[yellow peril]

Okay...could be a dead starter motor then......
They tend to fry in a Cerb.... they get so hot because of where they are positioned.

We had one play up for a while and was reconned.....then two months later it just died...no warning at all (in Tesco's car park ).

Mind you...the up side was that we were rescued by 8 knights in shining TVR armour....who created bedlam in Tesco's by just leaping out of the cars, bringing everyone else to a standstill, to give us a bump start!!!!!

...//Pauline//

[gadget9]

Thanks again,
The car has got cats fitted :-( and the car had a brand new starter when it had only done less than a thousand miles it hasnt seen 3000 miles yet but before the old starter failed due to being cooked it used to try and start the car it would struggle and fail but now i dont even get a solonoid click not any noise or sighn of power drain?

[gixxer1000]

I wouldn't bother trying to bump it as it will not work. The AJP8 is a bugger to turn over and bumping it just aint enough.

You'll get fit pushing it up and down the road trying though

[beemer]

had a similar thing on my Cerbera this weekend in Le Mans, turned out to be the 100amp alternator protection fuse had fractured, causing the battery to drain and ending up with no starter motor after only about 10 minutes of driving.

...you can bump start them reasonably easily with a couple of mates to assist. We did this and got about another 500yards down the road before it died (not enough juice from the battery alone to power the ECU and therefore the fuel injection).

The fuse on mine ('99 4.5) is at the back of the engine in the vee, on a small bracket next to the coil packs. Easy-ish to replace with an 8mm socket on a long extension, as long as you have small, asbestos coated hands!!!

good luck - mine ran perfectly all the way home once we had jump started it from bother's T350

cheers
sean

[gadget9]

Thanks for all your help,
I have fixed the problem now with the help of Castle service manager he told me on the phone to check if the small spade connector which connects to a grey connector block, cable tied to the starter motor cables was firmly in place, well when i removed the cowling cover and took a torch to the hole at the back of the engine where the starter motor lives sure enough the little f....r had fallen off replaced it cable tied it so it cant fall off again (hopefully) and hey presto the cerbie lives again! :-) how happy am i that it doesnt have to be loaded on a lorry back to castle, how sad am i coz i spent the next 2o mins cleaning all the area under the cowling that had not met the polishing cloth before............sorry.

[yellow peril]

.....excellent.

Darren at Castle's is always helpful....but I know we can't endorse so...nuff said.

Thanks for your mail.....no excuse now not to get to the mext meet!!!!!!

.....//P//