[Mk2] [Turbo] Turbo cutting out

[bigal]

As I have been storing my rev2 turbo for a few years now I periodically start it up and run it for a bit however it has lately started to cut out after a few minutes. I've put in new petrol and what happens is it will start ok ( just fitted a new battery so no problems there) then just cut out. I checked the filler cap and the pinhole was blocked so I've cleaned that up and I thought that would solve it but it happened again after I left the cap off.
I'm thinking the Toad alarm may be playing up as it makes all sorts of noises when armed and disarmed. Is it much of a job to get rid of the Toad and reinstate as it was pre-Toad?

[Peter Gidden]

Instead of guessing and randomly ripping parts of your pride and joy to pieces, a process of diagnosis might serve you better.

Get yourself a voltmeter, and establish if the two circuits protected by the Toad alarm (which have a good reputation for reliability) are still live after it has cut out.

You can normally find the wire points you're looking for a few inches from the ignition switch.

[bigal]

Cheers Peter, yes you're right I need to chill out. I tend to get a bit overwhelmed by all the possibilities of all the things that can go wrong.
Anyway I'll go and get a voltmeter tomorrow. Which two circuits do you think the Toad will protect?
By checking the wiring near the ignition switch will it be obvious to the untrained eye, you'll have to bear with me I'm a bit of a belt and braces mechanic, i.e. I can change an engine over but when it becomes high tech I'm a bit lost.
By the way I asked for a quote for my Tubby today at the classic car show at the N.E.C. (Adrian Flux) so I'm hoping to get it back on the road and use it a bit.

[bigal]

Anybody want to buy a Turbo with starting problems?

[Peter Gidden]

Anybody want to buy a Turbo with starting problems?

Glad to see you persevered with the problem.

PM'ed.

[bigal]

Right, 1. I've ordered an ammeter, should arrive Tuesday.
2. Car will still not start.
3. Alarm/ immobiliser makes all sorts of noises.
4. I've disarmed the alarm using the pin code and car will still not start.
5. When I turn on the ignition there is a whirring motor sound coming I believe from the frunk which slowly stops after about 10-20 seconds.
6. I've taken the driver's side dash covers off and the wiring is a bit of a mess.........I did wire an aftermarket blue/green light kit for the clocks but it ran perfectly with that in before I put it away in the garage.
7. I don't think theres petrol getting to the engine.

[bigal]

Car started today for about five minutes ticking over and stopping intermittently, then stopped and won't start again.

[bigal]

No errors.
Can someone tell me where the idle speed control valve is and can I clean it out, would a clogged/dirty idle speed control valve cause engine to cut out?

[bigal]

Squirted a load of carb cleaner into the air filter today and the engine seems to be running and idling and starting perfectly now. It's frustrating as I can't take it for a test drive as I'm not insured and the car isn't taxed and mot'd.

I'll see what happens tomorrow.

[bigal]

Car started yesterday and cut out after about 20 minutes of ticking over.
What is happening is.......When I turn on the ignition if the engine fault code light is lit then the car will start, but if it flickers and dims a little or is not lit then the car will not start. If I keep switching on and off the ignition until the light comes on then the car will start.
Anybody?
I now have an ammeter and am learning how to use it.