serious starting problem complete mystery! HELP!!

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hi people,
I have a J reg sportrack and it wont start ive checked everything I can think of and nothing! I cant find a manual for it in the shops and its getting desprate as this is now my only form of transport!

There dosnt appear to be any power to the ignition I have certain lights working but thats about it please someone help me!!

More ..................

Insufficient information!

Do the lights dim when you turn the ignition?
Do you get a 'click' when turning the ignition?

Is the battery fully charged and outputting correct ampers?
Remove and clean the battery earth where it is bolted to the bodywork.
Is the battery knackerd ... frosty nights kill batteries.

Hove you removed then cleaned the battery terminals?
Have you removed then cleaned the leads connected to the starter?
Engine block earth could be corroded ... fit a temp earth from the battery to the engine block [thick cable / use a jump lead] and try the ignition.

Have you checked if the large fuses on the terminal lead of the +battery terminal are blown?

PS .. w/s manuals are not on sale in shops. I have the full w/s manual, includes servicing details, wiring diagrams, on CD. I am willing to negotiate/postage a copy if you message me.

AILING SPORTRAK

Have a look back through the forum and you will find my bit on the DIAGNOSTIC test, it may be some way back. This will show or rather tell you how to identify some problems.

Check the coil as these often fail for no reason, if there is no ignition power then this would be the first place to look. Are the 2 LT leads at the bottom connected, try WD40 on these at the plug often suffers from dampness. You can replace with a normal style coil or these days OLD FASHIONED coil, if you have one, as a temp test but it means cutting the LT's so leave enough to re attach/join at some point later. Check any of these crimped connectors or even worse "Scotch connectors" Under normal circumstances there should be none but a previous owner(s) may have used these "things" to wire in items and these are really bad news and should be removed and replaced by proper connectors as they are total crap!! I have restored cars where some one obviously got a box of these for a present and spent Christmas day, perhaps, cutting off all the manufacturers joints and replacing them with these coloured crimped items or worse Scotch cips. Some time in the future others have spent hours trying to find a fault which lay in one of these things and then days replacing them all. They are real rubbish!!! MOAN OVER.

I assume you have no immobilisor that has been switched to the on position?
Is there a spark at the pligs?
Is there fuel in the tank?

I know, silly questions but so often time is spent tracing a non existant fault and these overlooked.

The diagnostic check will help you provided the J reg is an EFI model which I am assuming it is.

If not then its a case of ellimination of both fuel and ignition systems. Have the leads been changed recently as these fail over a period of time and are not, as some think, for life. In the current damp weather condition, dampness gets thrugh deterioated silicone and prevent the HT current from getting to the plug and firing. IF the spark at the plug is weak then these should be replaced along with the plugs if they are "iffy". Have a look at the DISI cap and the rota, although these are on late models electronic they still rely on the rota and ditributor cap to ditribute the HT power to the plugs. Any cracks or dampness in this area will cause starting problems. The EMU will cause you problems if you flood the engine and sensors will then prevent the car starting due to too much fuel being in the chamber and often if left the car will fire up as if it has never had a problem.

So a number of faults could be your problem. Check the obvious first and then elliminate the rest and do the diagnostic test as well. In the current weather a failing battery may well turn the engine but fail to provide enough power to start it, so make sure that is also fully charged or try jumping from another car to add power . Try ebay for a CD on the manual, paper copies are hard to find and expensive. I have both and the CD is a cpy of the Manual and a hell of a lot cheaper.

Good luck

Oldminiman

M J Young