Dr W Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 Hi guys Hope someone can give me some advice on the electrical starting fault my 92 3.9 Classic has developed since driving home through the floods. Car was working fine, drove 70 miles home through the rain and maybe went a bit too quick through some floods (alternator light came on for a bit but then went out). Got home parked up and then went to start it again and no dashboard lights except indicators. Have left it for a few days to see if it would dry out but still none. Now the wierd bit, when I turn the key to start there is a point where the car will start and the red dash lights come on but as soon as I let go of the key then it stops. If I turn the key the full way as starting normally then nothing happens no lights etc it's only if I turn the key about half way and hold it there that it fires up but just dies (battery light comes on briefly) and then nothing. I thought it might be something to do with the cobra alarm/immobiliser getting wet but it all seems to work ok and surely the car wouldn't start at all. Could it be something to do with the ECU, is that under the bonnet so might have got wet? Could it be something to do with the starter motor but then why no dashboard lights and why would it start at all? I'm completely confused by it and would be grateful for any suggestions you might have to check first before I have to start looking at getting it towed to a garage and the scary prices. Cheers Dr W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleBlue88 Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 Has the battery got low since that night? Might be a short in the starter solonoid as something similar happened to my 3.5 v8. the ecu should be positioned under the driver's seat,just so you know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveSIIA Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Worn / faulty ignition switch? Had exectly the same symptoms with my Defender 110. Changing the switch is easy once the shroud around the steering column is removed. IIRC, one screw holds in the back end of the key barrel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr W Posted November 13, 2008 Author Share Posted November 13, 2008 Battery is fine I think the idea with the switch is the good one, it would explain a few things, I'll check it out tonight. Can I change the switch without changing the ignition lock? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEANO3528 Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 The switch base is held in by a tiny phillips screw which once removed allows the base to come away from the barrel. Make sure you get the switch base with the correct amount of wires as I think there are variations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramon alban Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Hello Doc, It certainly sounds like an ign switch problem already mentioned, which sorta makes the flooded drive home a coincidence - weird. Flood the ign switch with WD40 to see if it improves the internal contacts, if so inject it with vaseline for a longer term cure. If not, what could the H2O have affected that also extinguishes the dashboard lights? Well, possibly the alternator regulator or rectifier electronic bits inside the unit itself got damaged - hence the temporary charging/battery light coming on during the monsoon. Then why did it go out? - well tha bulb might have failed and as the lamp is also part of the alternator excitation circuit you may have a complete charging circuit failure.. That drags the battery down and inhibits reliable starting. There is no logic to this guess - just an association of symptoms. An auto electrician called in to test for the above, may be a lot cheaper than a service agent, what, what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobtail84 Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Down by the O/S front wheel is the earth point for starter motor and battery undo the bolt and clean the chassis and the ends of the wire also wire brush the bolt and replace. Jeff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveRK Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Thats a weird one alright. Dare I say have you checked ALL of the fuses? It might just be that the way the ignition switch is wired that some contacts either 'overlap' or don't break before make as the switch is rotated. Yes, I'm plucking at straws here but it may be that the switch is normal but behaving strange due to a blown fuse or some other electrical malady Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr W Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 Thanks for all the advice guys. Turns out it was the ignition switch as when I tested the old one the dash lights would come on when I wiggled it. Should have been a nice easy job however didn't factor in the alarm system which was wired into the ignition switch so spent the afternoon taking the wires off one at a time and resoldering them on, once done it started first time, sweet. Only problem was snapping one of the metal bars on the steering column shroud which is now being clued in the kitchen ready to be fitted in the morning. Cheers Dr W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveRK Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Good result then - cheers for updating thread that all is well - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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