vauxhall combo not starting

dave-w-

its still in the garage now so he surely would have checked that?

mikey72

mikey72 wrote: »

Any warning lights on?
I'd have said immobiliser at a guess.

Any warning lights on then on now?

Wig

Re, the key.... did you try the spare key? That's an even easier solution from going to a key cutter. but the key thing is only valid if the key fob fell apart recently.

Needs an experienced auto electrician.

BTW the test for an alternator is to use a voltmeter,
measure Volts engine switched off, 12 - 13V
meausure volts with engine running 14V
measure volts with engine running and re demister on and full headlamps and air-con on and anything else you want to switch on should stay at 14V

If steps 2 or 3 don't show an increased Volt from step 1 you know the alternator is not working. or if it drops on step 3.

When I scrapped a Skoda recently I wanted to keep the battery, but I wanted to drive it to the scrap yard, drove 3/4 of the way there, and then removed the battery (with the engine running) before the final leg to the scrappy
worked a like a dream! Not recommended on a car you want to keep though.

dave-w-

the mechanic said he had it running last nite so i went to pick it up this morning

guess what?- as he drove it round it started chugging and wouldnt restart:(

RegWorts

Wig wrote: »

Re, the key.... did you try the spare key? That's an even easier solution from going to a key cutter. but the key thing is only valid if the key fob fell apart recently.

Needs an experienced auto electrician.

BTW the test for an alternator is to use a voltmeter,
measure Volts engine switched off, 12 - 13V
meausure volts with engine running 14V
measure volts with engine running and re demister on and full headlamps and air-con on and anything else you want to switch on should stay at 14V

If steps 2 or 3 don't show an increased Volt from step 1 you know the alternator is not working. or if it drops on step 3.

An easier test for those that don`t have a voltmeter/multimeter is to start the car , switch the headlights on and leave on tickover.

Monitor the brightness of the headlights

Get a colleague to press the accelerator to increase the revs in the engine (or do it yourself under the bonnet)

If the alternator is working then there should be an increase in brightness of the headlights.

I proved a faulty alternator in a colleague`s van (at the roadside) last weekend using this method

dave-w-

its just had an ECU fitted and the key fob doesnt work and hasnt got a battery in it

will that stop it from starting?

chris1973

guess what?- as he drove it round it started chugging and wouldnt restart

Sounds like an Intermittant stop / start solenoid on the injection pump. It could also be the wiring / relay feeding the circuit which controls it. The solenoid cuts off the flow of fuel on the DI and IDI engines and often fails or sticks.

The solenoid clicking on the starter motor indicates that its probably also got a starter motor issue. The starter motor draws around 200 Amps when cold cranking and is unlikely to be controlled by the Immobiliser. Usually an immobiliser will control the power to the lower current solenoid side of the starter motor and not the main high current side, which is normally connected directly to the + battery terminal using a very thick red cable.

ponsaloti

Chris1973 your right. The starter motor is divorced from the immobalizer on vauxhalls.

On Vauxhalls, if the key isnt recognised, the starter will try and start the car. It will usually run for half a second, burning off the fuel on the down side of the pump.
On fords, the starter wont spin.