Electrical problems

[thegordyz]

Hi to all. I recently purchased a Transit MK6 with MK7 conversion. I took it to work, halfway through the day the clutch went. OK, so you can't tell when a clutch is going to go so you know its just bad luck. So, new master cylinder, clutch, etc, etc and a new left leg as the mechanic spotted a snapped spring and back to work we go. My second day at work with my new van, the only one i've ever owned as I usually hire, and it decides to not start at a drop. I mean nothing at all. No starter noise, no nothing. I was on a bit of a hill so I tried to bump it to no avail. Turned it off and then miraculously it started off the key again. I thought maybe it was an immobiliser fault as I have had stuff like this before when i've locked other cars improperly and they wont start. Usually locking all the doors, waiting 30 seconds then unlocking again sorted the problem. I tried this and nothing. So I got recovered by a guy who also happens to have a garage. It was after 6pm so we came to an arrangement for him to keep the vehicle at his premises and look at it over the next few days. I had taken it to Transit centre Dudley for the clutch and suspension leg but they were closed so I thought I may as well let this guy take a look. A wek down the line and I am still no further along and need to get back to work. He is saying that the whole of my electrical system is live. He is adamant that a live wire is touching the body somewhere or an earth and live have burned through the plastic coverings and are touching. Does anyone know anything about this and is it a common fault? I once had a transit connect which needed part of the loom replacing due to it rubbing on another part of the van and breaking the wires. Is there place on 2002 Transits that this regularly happens? Any help would be greatly appreciated as I think its taken too long to fix it although I am aware that tracing looms and faults is time consuming work. He has also said that when he finds the fault, he will have to see what other damage it has caused. What sort of damage could this have done to my van? Thanks in advance to anyone replying. Kind regards, Sam.

[knobby1]

Easiest and cheapest thing to look at is the ignition switch....very common for them to give up and cause all sorts of electrical gremlins...I believe less than 15 sheckles from Ford.

Yes, there are also plenty of wiring issues with these things...there's also 17miles of wiring in the van...will take a good auto electrician to trace & find any shorts etc..

Lord Knobrot

[thegordyz]

Thanks for the reply. I suggested this (ignition switch) to the garage today but they already had news for me. The mechanic has assured me today that he has found where the short is and going to make attempts to repair the loom as opposed to putting in a new/salvaged loom. He then went on to say that it might not do any good anyway. He said he has to repair the loom, see if it will start and then if not, start looking at ECU. He said that it might not be economical to repair! I am wounded. Is this right or am I having my pants pulled down? What's the worst a short like this can do? What parts are more likely to be affected by a short? An would be greatly appreciated. Kind regards, Sam.

[andz327]

Common for wiring loom problems around the starter motor area, this would coincide with the clutch just being done, and as his lordship said the ignition switch can cause problems

andZ3 Sony Z3

[thegordyz]

Thank you mate. That's interesting, it does correspond with the clutch being done. Its got to be worth mentioning to the guy at the garage. It has been nearly two weeks now and I am no closer to getting back to work.

[zippy370]

out of intrest i would check earths to motor as if no earth or high risistence in earth this will stop it starting to as you said clutch was done recently defo check that as some techs can be under presure in work an forget to put on or do up bolts hehe good luck fella

[APH]

check Earth strap to battery, it has a fusible link that can cause issues if not making properly. (put a jump lead from battery earth to chassis and see if it starts, if so the main earth link is the problem.) also check main earth from engine to chasis, as said, it would have been removed during clutch replacement, and if not making correctly will cause no start, and a lot of electrical gremlins to show up.

Andy

[thegordyz]

Thank you for all of your suggestions and help. It turns out that it was the wiring from starter motor but it was where it went through the bulkhead into the engine bay. There were two or three issues with wiring that had been chopped and cut to suit the conversion from mk6 to mk7. As it stands the van is now repaired and I picked it up from the garage yesterday. Fingers crossed it seems to be running very well. I had an early Christmas yesterday and I can finally go back to work. Not something I'd generally be too happy about, but after 5 weeks of not getting paid you won't find a happier worker in the world! Also, the battery got fried by the short but I dropped lucky and nothing else got destroyed. At one point it looked like nothing on it would ever work again as the lights were intermittent, flashers were random and the dash was lit up like a Xmas tree. The bill was not too unreasonable either. I was more than happy to hand over the £350 for a van I thought would never drive again! Kind regards to all, Sam.