Car wont re-start after- help needed

[Steve-w5bag]

Hi All,

I hope someone will be able to help me fix this problem, i have a 1996 Griffith 500.

I always keep the car on a trickle charger when garaged, it has always started ok even after a few months of no use eg standing over the winter, but this year there is a fault, the car starts and runs, i went out on a drive, all ok until i stopped to get fuel, the car would not start.

I just got the red battery light, an nothing on the key at all, not even a click, nothing. I went an bought a new battery as the one I had must have been ten years old, but the new battery has not fixed the problem.

I've sat with the car on the drive, started it, run the engine for 5 mins, switched off, then when re-starting, nothing again, leave the car and come back to it and it starts ok ?

could it be the immobliser playing up?
any help would be appreciated

thanks

[Darkslider]

Immobiliser, starter motor or ignition barrel are the most likely culprits. Have you tried the simple things like checking battery terminals and earths are all clean and tight?

[Belle427]

Sounds very much like the famous hot start problem which is related to the immobiliser.

[Steve-w5bag]

Thanks for your reply darksider.

First thing I did was remove the battery terminals and clean them both and the old battery, this didn't fix it so I bought a new battery, but still the same.

If anyone has any suggestions on how to test and what to test, i'll have a go with my multimeter before contacting an auto electrician, but I recon, I should be able to sort this with a bit of guidance.

Thanks

[glow worm]

Try swapping the two black relays on your fuse box.

[Belle427]

Steve-w5bag said:

Thanks for your reply darksider.

First thing I did was remove the battery terminals and clean them both and the old battery, this didn't fix it so I bought a new battery, but still the same.

If anyone has any suggestions on how to test and what to test, i'll have a go with my multimeter before contacting an auto electrician, but I recon, I should be able to sort this with a bit of guidance.

Thanks

with a no crank condition it's a case of checking for 12 volts at the starter solenoid terminal whilst operating the ignition which can be tricky on your own.
A test lamp with longer wires is helpful with an old halogen headlight bulb or similar which will put a load on the circuit.
A multimeter will work though to do a basic test to confirm voltage.
If no 12 volts then it's a case of working backwards,make sure you check your grounds too.

[geordiepingu]

I know where you can stick a single piece of wire that you can use to bypass the starter circuit on the immobiliser, useful for diagnostic purposes. If you send me a message with proof of ownership of the car (not just a Bird's Custard pic), I'll be happy to divulge.

[Polly Grigora]

Steve-w5bag said:

I just got the red battery light, an nothing on the key at all, not even a click, nothing

Take a close look at the battery light to see if it dims a little when turning the key from the ignition position to crank position

You will at least know that the crank circuit is functioning even though it may not be at 100% If you can see a slight dimming of the battery light

[QBee]

Heat creates resistance in electrical circuits. I suspect this is what you are seeing. You have wisely eliminated a failing battery from the equation.

So there are a few options:

1. The well-known hot start issue, which is due to the immoboliser wiring done by TVR. Your symptoms match this perfectly.
2. The cable from battery to starter was always rated too low and may also have gone crispy with age - you can test this one when hot by running the acr, getting home with it hot, checking you have the non-start fault and then quickly connecting a long and decent quality jump lead from the positive terminal of the battery to the starter. If it immediately starts there's your fault.
3. The starter solenoid has seen better days and won't function when hot.

Speaking for my car:
I had 1. in my first months of ownership ten years ago. Put up with it briefly, but when I also started getting wierd alam faujlts I booked the car in and had the whole alarm/immobiliser replaced with the latest Meta system by Carl Baker (other alarm gurus are available). Never had the problem since.
On 2., I moved my battery to the boot about 5 years ago for unconnected reasons, and then had a new cable run directly from the boot to the starter. It nowturns over far faster. I left the crusty old fuse box to starter cable in place to work the other way and deliver electrons back to the fuse board etc, but at far lower loads than the starter demands, which it does fine.
I have never had 3. in 47,000 miles of Chimaera running.