My new S4s has let me down!

[Sparky]

The car didn't once misbehave on starting - watched pot, and all that.  The 'bypassed' item is the throttle jack, in that it's been isolated from vacuum.  Normal practice is to remove the unit and secure the lever - people often use a cable tie.  The unit was still in place, and a cable tie had been placed around the pipe between plenum and chargecooler and was snagging the throttle cable.  Also, MAP pipe elbows were both split and badly repaired with insulating tape.  There's another minor vacuum leak, seemingly from the heater area but not yet investigated.  Chargecooler inop, suspect failed impeller.

[ramjet]

The car didn't once misbehave on starting - watched pot, and all that.

 

Don't you just hate that?

[Vanya]

If it's just cutting out and the engine not even cranking on the occassions where it fails to start, doesn't this point to an electrical issue? Like if the ignition is cut off momentarily.

 

What's the state of the wiring under the dash drivers side? Is there any evidence of a botched install of something whereby a cable keeps breaking contact if wiggled? You could also remove the steering column trim and see if you can find anything dodgy. It's but 4 screws.

 

I'm guessing the hardware is healthy at this point considering the car drives fine on the occassions it does.

 

Shame I just sent my passport to get renewed - I'd consider flying over and helping you interrogate the ECU until the error showed up on site...

 

On a related(?) note: 

My car has this Clifford Concept 60 POS car alarm (seriously want to strangle whichever idiot INSTALLED it and then the idiot who  DESIGNED IT) - discounting the the fact the unit was mounted above the exhaust manifold (where the housing promptly melted over time) the quality of the wiring shoehorned under the dash is piss poor - I'm half expecting I'll be seeing issues like the above in the near future. 

 

What happens if one disconnects the ignition mid drive? I'm guessing the same effect as described in this thread... 

[mdw]

I would get as much access to the electrics as you can see whats been done. I had a huge amount of unused wiring where radios, amps and imobilizers had been added.  Look for small nicks where scotch locks have been used and may have almost severed the cable then  repair properly. 

Maybe if you can get it running then spend an hour wiggling any wire you can see to try and get it to fail.  

If you can remove the imobilizer ( if retro fit) or loop it out of the system it would remove one possible cause.  If its an add on like mine it  cuts the starter and fuel pump circuits so if you can find it  you may be able to loop it out of the circuits with a couple of short links.

 

I think  I would start by following all the wiring for the imobillizer and isolating it.

[jimblob]

.  Chargecooler inop, suspect failed impeller.

This is standard practice when buying a esprit no? 

[Bibs]

The impeller is a service item, should have been replaced but you're right, it rarely is.

[sailorbob]

Ah, the throttle jack, an actuator rather than sensor

 

Whilst you have the no start condition hook up Espritmon and check that the ecu is receiving sync pulses.

[Peteric]

Seems to be standard that the chargecool pump needs an overhaul everytime an esprit is bought........mine did and to add to that my chargecooler was leaking! Easy way to get water injection I guess

 

Stimpy.......being involved in  the motor trade myself you do know that according to the sales of goods act the dealer is responsible by law for this issue? If you take it back them, they cannot refuse to repair it unless he can "prove" that the fault was not apparent at the time of sale. This applies to the first six months of ownership.

[Vanya]

This is standard practice when buying a esprit no? 

It's actually a pretty fantastic way to knock the price down when buying any Esprit. The next Esprit seller I buy from won't know what hit him when I start finding things to nitpick about.... (if the price ain't right already)

[Stimpy]

If it's just cutting out and the engine not even cranking on the occassions where it fails to start, doesn't this point to an electrical issue? Like if the ignition is cut off momentarily.

 

What's the state of the wiring under the dash drivers side? Is there any evidence of a botched install of something whereby a cable keeps breaking contact if wiggled? You could also remove the steering column trim and see if you can find anything dodgy. It's but 4 screws.

 

I'm guessing the hardware is healthy at this point considering the car drives fine on the occassions it does.

 

Shame I just sent my passport to get renewed - I'd consider flying over and helping you interrogate the ECU until the error showed up on site...

 

On a related(?) note: 

My car has this Clifford Concept 60 POS car alarm (seriously want to strangle whichever idiot INSTALLED it and then the idiot who  DESIGNED IT) - discounting the the fact the unit was mounted above the exhaust manifold (where the housing promptly melted over time) the quality of the wiring shoehorned under the dash is piss poor - I'm half expecting I'll be seeing issues like the above in the near future. 

 

What happens if one disconnects the ignition mid drive? I'm guessing the same effect as described in this thread... 

The wiring 'up front' is all ok.  In fact the people who fitted the stereo investigated that area and said the immobiliser had been professionally bypassed.  The fact that the indicators flash when trying to start or 'giving up' tells me that maybe that was only one part of the immobiliser.  To be a thatcham grade-1 immobiliser, for example, means that various bits are turned off/immobilised and some use black cabling only so even after an install an installer won't know what each lead does - if that makes any sense.

 

You're talking about 'melting'?  I think sparky and Chris were -ahem- 'impressed' by where the alarm-horn was positioned !! 

[Vanya]

Did they weld it to the catalyst?

[Stimpy]

Ok - here's the latest crap news (hope I'm not boring anyone)

 

Last night - chucked more petrol in.

No start.

This morning..

No start.

Now.

No start

 

So here is the (suggested by dealer) plan.

Upgraded the AA to 'relay'

 

Ok - background info.... I live at the top of a hill.  I managed to get the car onto the road/kerb facing downward

 

Tomorrow (Saturday) I have to:

1) Roll down the hill until I am over one quarter of a mile (440 yds) away from my house

2) Phone the AA

3) Ask the AA to take car to dealer in Southampton.

 

Great eh?

 

If I'm *even more* unlucky they'll send an AA van to attempt to repair it first.  Even though they will know it's not a Ford Focus or VW Golf etc - then he calls for the relay lorry.

 

However - when it's on the back of the lorry I can at least put it out of my mind a little as it will now be in the hands of the dealership.

 

.....except.... I want to own and drive a Lotus Esprit!!!  FFS! 

Anyone fancy lending me their Esprit?    I'll treat it well!  

[DanR]

Don't know how your AA operates in UK but in oz it's ok to call them home if the car won't start.

[Bibs]

Be good to see it back at the dealership, it's their problem to deal with. 

[Advantage]

 

seriously want to strangle whichever idiot INSTALLED it and then the idiot who  DESIGNED IT

99.9999% of alarm issues are caused by a poor install. I was the Best Man at the wedding of the Clifford C60's designer, I'll pass on your regards.

[Vulcan Grey]

Here's the alarm that was installed by a P.O. 

 

 

Not a fire hazard at all!  Only found a few coins down near the contacts of those relays!

[Stimpy]

you only have to look at that to get it more tangled

[ramjet]

Why do you have to roll the car away from your house? Odd.

[Vanya]

99.9999% of alarm issues are caused by a poor install. I was the Best Man at the wedding of the Clifford C60's designer, I'll pass on your regards.

Ouch. Ok you don't have to do that, I didn't genuinely want to insult the designer. But I do have some qualms with the way in which it operates (unless the install is totally bodged and therefore not representative...). For instance:

 

Alternative 1: Turn off alarm, get in car....alarm reactivates after like 1 minute. Passenger gets in, loses hearing/has heart attack.

 

Alternative 2: Alarm off, get in car, start car. Alarm sensor activates upon cranking. Passenger gets in. Loses hearing in the process.

 

Alternative 3: Turn off alarm, get in car, realize you've forgotten something, get out of car, lose hearing.

 

Half the time I'm driving I have the hazard lights blinking (I've turned off the sound as I'm so fed up with it, but the lights flash when alarm is triggered anyway). It's a good alarm system if you're driving through the hardest of ghettos or maybe down a main street in Mogadishu and you don't wanna get jacked, but it's just way too invasive for day to day business. I've tried the different modes available but haven't found anything that works well. And I ain't touching the Valet function as I don't know the PO's code and don't wanna end up with an inoperative Esprit. The ideal alarm system in that case would anyway be a 9-mm Beretta or an UZI with a holster riveted to the transmission tunnel (like a US Elise owner has done... :S)

 

The install looks like Travis' picture above. I gotta take some snaps and show you guys. What's more, none of the modules are fixed to anything so occasionally fall out from behind the dash into the footwell.

 

 

However - when it's on the back of the lorry I can at least put it out of my mind a little as it will now be in the hands of the dealership.

 

.....except.... I want to own and drive a Lotus Esprit!!!  FFS! 

Anyone fancy lending me their Esprit?    I'll treat it well!  

 

At this point you've exhausted a list of common issues, and it makes little sense (unless you're a masochist) to keep struggling at this particular stage. If the dealer can't figure it out, there's a multitude of solutions. Get them to knock the price down on the black S4s with full history to match more closely what you paid for yours. In the worst case, we'll get to the bottom of this one way or another. When it's solved you'll be laughing because it's likely something very simple.

[rizla603104]

they can sort out the charge cooler at the same time too!!

 

Certainly sounds alarm-y to me.

[jimblob]

One of the first things I did when I got the GT3 home was remove all traces of aftermarket alarm/wiring it added up to two kilos of wires and boxes and fixed a battery drain issue. I say go through all of it and remove not just bypass. 

Edited April 26, 2014 by jimblob

[Stimpy]

Don't know how your AA operates in UK but in oz it's ok to call them home if the car won't start.

You have to 'add on' homestart to get that. I didn't realise I did not have 'relay'.

Without relay they will take your car to the nearest garage - not good since I need it to go to one 100 miles away.

All this has been added on (except the homestart - remember - my hill is over 1/4 mile long).

So today we tried to arrange pickup and...... they said they wouldn't do it because we had 'given away' that we were going to get the car away.  So they have asked for an extra 180 to cover us.

 

I've been with the AA since I was 17 (I'm now 46).

They would not help a member in distress.

Why do you have to roll the car away from your house? Odd.

 

TO get it 1/4 mile away from home!  Mad.

[Bibs]

Our Full Forum Members get 30% off AA membership.

 

Why isn't the dealership recovering the car to fix it?

[Stimpy]

Ok - here's an update.

 

Tried starting it  - nope.

 

Removed and inserted every fuse (it would be embarrassing if - on this occasion - the fuel pump fuse had blown).

Checked all fuses - all good

 

Tried starting it - no.

 

Wiggled EVERY BIT of cable I could find on the outside and in.  Pushed everything home etc.

 

No change

 

Disconnected battery - reconnected it (i.e. 'boot the server')

 

Nope.

 

Local pickup/lorry owners were asking for £300.

 

RAC wanted £100, but 24 h 'notice' before I could get it 1/4 of a mile away.

 

In the end the dealer came back to us with the possibility of a friend who 'might be back from Australia' who owns a lorry thing.  He would get back to us.

 

Gloom in the air until.... about 6.10pm ... the phone rang.

 

His friend was happy to move it - for £100 cash.

 

So - that's less than a full tank of petrol so that's what I am going to do.

 

Tomorrow morning the car goes back to Southampton

 

I would ask them to fix the charge cooler but I've ordered an electric kit, which is on it's way!

 

Although I could post the kit to them and ask them to fit it......

Our Full Forum Members get 30% off AA membership.

 

Why isn't the dealership recovering the car to fix it?

You posted while I was writing! 

[Bibs]

and?