Won't start and running out of ideas

[Jamie-mkii]

Hi guys having an issue at the moment.
Car wouldn't start today in Bristol after no issues before.

All the lights came on the dash as usual but when engaging the key there was nothing. All the usual fuel pumps primed up etc but nothing, I have had alternator issues in the past where this happens but there's s loud clicking from the relay and I am not getting that this time around, but instead a very faint click just the once coming from a relay or 2. This I presume is the relay engaging but the starter motor won't turn.

OK so I had an issue with the alarm (that I never use) it randomly set itself off and the only way I could turn it off was to turn the ignition on as the buttons where not playing ball on the fob. This happened literally just before I went to start it and found there was nothing so could this be an immobiliser issue?

Cheers[/i]

Ps I was able to bump/push start it in the end but we had tried jump starting it to no avail

[Pauln]

Well if you could bump/push start it, but not jump start it I can't see how it can be an immobilizer issue and assuming the battery is fully charged everything seems to point to the starter motor or starter motor circuit/relay. If you have a multimeter you could start by checking if the starter relay is operating correctly to eliminate that.

Paul

[abovetherim]

Don't rule out the immobiliser yet. I had a car before that had problems with the alarm but you could push start it still!!! That was a clifford

It all depends on what the immob disables. Ideally it should disable the starter circuit and the fuel system but..... some don't

But you could also check to see if you get power to the starter on key turn.
Check battery voltage

[Pauln]

Don't rule out the immobiliser yet. I had a car before that had problems with the alarm but you could push start it still!!! That was a clifford

It all depends on what the immob disables. Ideally it should disable the starter circuit and the fuel system but..... some don't

Out of interest, did the engine management light came on when you turned the ignition on whilst immobilized with the clifford?

Paul

[Jamie-mkii]

This is what someone told me perhaps it's been wired in a stupid way it is a laserline alarm
I'm waiting to get a multimeter dropped off by a mate and see from there.

On my car the engine management light did come on when ignition was on.

Hopefully it's just a relay

[Pauln]

Yes I was surprised to hear that someone had an immobilizer fitted that only disabled the starter motor as I wouldn't have thought that would be acceptable as a Cat1 or Cat2 alarm/immobilizer, from an insurance point of view, because it's still possible to start the car with a bump start. I was under the impression that to qualify as a Cat1 or Cat2 system it had to disable two circuits, rather than 1.

On both of the MR2 I've owned with cat 1 alarms fitted that was certainly the case.

When the immobilizer on my current car cuts in the engine management light does not come on when you turn the key to ignition.

Because the alarm immobilizes my car after a short period with the alarm off and the engine not running, this has caught me out a few times when I've tried to check for error codes and found the engine management light would not come on at all, presumably because the ecu had detected that two systems had been immobilized to stop the car being started.

According to the Laserline website they only offer Cat1 or Cat2-1 alarms, both of which feature automatic dual system immobilization, so as you say unless this has been badly fitted you shouldn't be able to bump start the car if the immobilizer has clicked in.

Is the battery fully charged, as I know my alarm can start going off randomly if the battery charge is low even though there may be enough charge to start the car?

When you get hold of the multimeter it might also be worth checking the battery voltage.

Paul

[mr2magic]

I would also suspect the battery. Put a new one in or try yours on another vehicle. There can be a short across the plates which will kill the amps completely.

[abovetherim]

That car that I could bump start was an old x1/9 and the alarm was faulty and not making the starter circuit when disarmed.
Further to the op situation, laser line alarms suffer with poor connections at the plug at the control box/siren. I had a Saab with one fitted but not used and that disabled the fuel pump but allowed everything else to work. Had the aa stumped and thought it was the pump itself. I did my own investigation and found the burnt out connector in the alarm.

[Jamie-mkii]

Well should find out in the morning what the issue is. Checked battery when we first broke down and all checked out OK just couldn't get the clip off the starter motor to check the current going to that.

Let you all know tomorrow pretty much ruled out the alarm now although it will be getting removed asap

[Jamie-mkii]

Was a dodgy earth from the starter relay so made a new one up on the bracket holding the relay in place

[Pauln]

Bit of good news then