Matthew Willoughby Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 My car seems to have lost all of its electrics ☹️ I have been having starting problems and have suffered the K-click on several occasions when both hot and cold. It got to the stage where it was blowing the ECU fuse (30amp). On the last occasion that it actually started I heard an electrical noise that sounded like a muted version of the biddy (sp?) printer that used to print the football scores on Grandstand. The next time I tried to start I didn’t even get the click (not for the first time) so I thought that it had blown the ECU fuse again. I had had enough so assuming that the starter was causing my issues I thought I’d try a different one. I swapped starters and put a new ECU fuse in but when I switch on the ignition I’m getting no electrics at all – no headlights or anything. I suspect that I had lost all electrics prior to changing starters but cannot be totally sure as I just assumed it was the fuse at that time so didn’t check lights etc. I have had a play with the master switch and can’t see any problems there but I will have another try this evening. I confess to being pretty useless when it comes to such things but is there anything obvious that a numpty like me can check before taking it to a garage to get fixed? And any ideas what the electrical biddy printer noise might have been? It sounded like it was coming from the ECU/fuse box area. The car is a 1998 1.6 K Series supersport (ex-roadsport A race car). Edited by - Matthew Willoughby on 30 Sep 2009 17:18:31 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Day Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 1st thing is check your earth connections to the engine & report back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnockoff Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 I had a similar experience recently with the dreaded click. Checked the battery, stuck it on a charger/conditioner, fully charged. Earth leads all ok. A recently retired garage owning pal came round with a box of tricks which showed that the battery had 12 volts with no load, but only 7 under load. One new battery later everything hunky dory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gridgway Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 If battery ok and earth ok, then try master switch, they can give problems. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Willoughby Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 The battery is ok (I tried jump leads last night and it made no difference) and as far as I can see the earths are fine but I will double check this evening. All the leads to the master switch are fine and as far as I can tell it is working - I sprayed some WD40 in to the hole just in case. What confuses me is that it started fine once but 5 minutes later it didn't. The car hadn't even moved so I can't imagine that anything would have come loose in that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Day Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 What confuses me is that it started fine once but 5 minutes later it didn't. The car hadn't even moved so I can't imagine that anything would have come loose in that time.This happened to me at the end of a Dijon track day during a Le-Sept many years ago. It was a hot day in summer & the car had been driven to the track. It taught me that an impaired earth will prevent ALL electrics. If you have one then put a multi-meter across the battery & measure the voltage. Next measure the voltage from the +ve terminal of the battery to bare metal on the engine. Finally measure the voltage from the +ve terminal of the battery to bare metal on the chassis. The voltages should be the same. If not you will have an earth problem. And perversly even with the voltages being the same you may still have poor engine/chassis earths................. .........So unbolt the engine earths & ensure there is bright metal contact from battery to engine & engine to chassis. 3 to check in total. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 The rattle you described suggests not enough current reaching the starter. Check all large cable connections to the engine ...... by removing the connector, checking the mating faces are bright and shiny (if not, clean with emery or something to reveal bright metal again) then re-bolt. Both ends of each cable ... red and black cables ..... i.e. at engine, and at battery, or connection to chassis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Willoughby Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 Thanks chaps. I've borrowed a multimeter from work and get readings of 12.6 volts at battery, engine and chassis. I've cleaned up the connections anyway as suggested but no joy ☹️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miltec Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I'll be home in the area later today, would be happy to come and give you a hand if you like, two brains are always better then one. VX 1600 Live Axle T440LKK rFactor: caterham.miltec.biz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Durrant Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Matthew Have you tested the voltage at the Master cut out switch to see that it is working correctly 🤔 Mark D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Willoughby Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 Mark, that is a cunning plan - I'll try it when I pop home at lunch time. Thanks. Miltec - thank you very much for the kind offer. I may well send you an email this afternoon if the master switch doesn't do the trick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gridgway Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Oi, that's my suggestion of two days ago Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Willoughby Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 I have been unable to find any volts at the master switch so it may have been at fault all along (or I may be testing it incorrectly). Anyway, a new switch should be winging its way to me from Caterham. If it turns out not to be the switch’s fault it’s probably a good idea to replace it anyway given that they are known to fail. Miltec – YHM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miltec Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 Matt email is down at the moment have blatmailed you my mobile number, Give me a shout if you need a hand. VX 1600 Live Axle T440LKK rFactor: caterham.miltec.biz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Willoughby Posted October 3, 2009 Author Share Posted October 3, 2009 MIltec, I left a voicemail on your mobile this morning, did you get it? Anyway, an update. After my rushed 5 minutes looking at the master switch yesterday lunch time I had a better check just now. Unfortunately, having now worked out how to check it properly, it seems to be working fine (0 volts when switched off and 12.6 with the key inserted). Damn. I give up now. It's booked in to McMillan Motorsport next week so they can have a go at it. They can fit my new 52mm throttle body at the same time I just hope it's running in time for Anglesey at the weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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