1.9 Mi16 Wiring Issues After Gearbox Change

[welshpug 1,626]

posting on behalf of a friend who it out in the cold and can't get a 205 started after changing the gearbox, it won't turn over.

 

it has a 1.9 Mi16 engine, with all the Mi16 wiring used, and this is where I'm stuck as I've never looked over a 1.9, only a 2.0 or an 8 valver!

 

the starter works off the car, and does have 12v to it, and apparently does have 12v to the solenoid (this bit i'm unsure of)

 

what he did say was that they have a spare red wire with 5v to it that they don't know where it should go!

 

gearbox earth has been checked.

 

 

any pointers welcome! I appreciate its very difficult explaining what's wrong and what needs looking at when you've never seen the car!

[philfingers 5]

ECT plug worth a check. You say it won't turn over, but to clarify it won't fire or it won't spin on the starter. If the latter is the case then runa seperates wire to the solenoid to touch to the battery to spin it over

[welshpug 1,626]

doesn't turn on the starter I'm told.

 

have suggested as you said when my friend called earlier, he's going to call me back shortly I believe!

[Guest jim01uk]

Thanks for posting for me mei!

 

Right, the starter works fine when it is not connected to the car - it spins up.

 

When it is connected to the car, it doesn't.

 

There is 12V at the starter motor

 

when the ignition is turned to "start" there is 12V at the solenoid wire.

 

There is sparking around the drivers side strut turret, between the metal and the chassis plate.

 

The engine is not seized - it turns with a breaker bar, even when in gear so the box and the engine turn fine.

 

Only thing we haven't done is try running a wire from the battery to the solenoid tab to see if it turns over. its dark and below 0 so we have stopped for today.

 

Ideas please, this was supposed to be a 4 hour clutch change, not a two day nightmare!

 

thanks, Jim

[Mikey S 29 1 Cars]

Thanks for posting for me mei!

 

Right, the starter works fine when it is not connected to the car - it spins up.

 

When it is connected to the car, it doesn't.

 

There is 12V at the starter motor

 

when the ignition is turned to "start" there is 12V at the solenoid wire.

 

There is sparking around the drivers side strut turret, between the metal and the chassis plate.

 

The engine is not seized - it turns with a breaker bar, even when in gear so the box and the engine turn fine.

 

Only thing we haven't done is try running a wire from the battery to the solenoid tab to see if it turns over. its dark and below 0 so we have stopped for today.

 

Ideas please, this was supposed to be a 4 hour clutch change, not a two day nightmare!

 

thanks, Jim

 

if theres 12 volts at the starter and theres sparking at the strut top, it points to a bad earth. try using a jump lead between the earth on the battery and the gearbox it self then try starting it then.

 

if it starts then the earths need to be checked and cleaned if there at fault.

 

hth

 

mike

[Richie-Van-GTi 70 2 Cars]

sounds possible like theres no chassis to negative terminal wire. Has it been pulled by accident?

[Guest jim01uk]

will update this when I have had chance to look at the car again - which wont be until the weekend.

 

but keep the ideas coming if you can!

 

cheers!

[Anthony 1,000]

There is sparking around the drivers side strut turret, between the metal and the chassis plate.

Something amiss with the main gearbox earth (thick cable from the gearbox to the negative battery terminal) - when that happens, typically the starter will try and earth through the brake pad wear sensor wire on the strut top - hence the sparks (and usually smoke).

[Saveit 0]

As stupid as this sounds my friend had the EXACT same problem with his mi16 engined 205. At last we found out than when he put it on reverse the starter would turn over. And it had nothing to do with the gearbox not working or anything. It was an electrical problem (believe it was a problem with earth). But when he put it in reverse, it somehow made a connection through the gearbox and the starter would turn over. He refused to change it since he found it to be perfect security wise. Someone tried to steal his car but for some reason the thief couldn start it and therefore he still have his car

 

So just for fun try to put it in reverse and try starting it - you might be surprised

Edited January 14, 2009 by Saveit

[Guest jim01uk]

Dirty earth on the replacement box - sanded down, cleaned up and now it starts and runs nicely!

 

thanks guys!