Wont Start

[fudgemuffin]

Hello. my N reg 2.0L Galaxy Wont start.When you turn the ignition on the dash back lights start flashing.When you try and start it everything dims and the abs warning light comes on.(hasn't even got abs).I also get a buzzing noise (sounds like an electrical short) from the ignition switch.Also the radio comes on full blast.Any ideas any one?Thinking it might be a problem with the starter.I haven't had time to fiddle with it yet but would appreciate any pointers in the right direction.Thanks

[fudgemuffin]

Went and had another look.Tried to start, same weird goings on but I could hear the starter spinning.Normally I would assume that there was something wrong with the starter ie solenoid not engaging or the battery is flat -would explain dimming lights but with the other stuff going on it doesn't seem as simple as that.It seems as if there is some electrical short going on some where.Could it be the ignition switch-might explain the dash back lights flashing-seems to be in time with the red door led and the abs light coming on,the radio and buzzing noise from ignition switch or is there a short in the solenoid that could cause this.I am afraid I am no electrical engineer and so I am fishing in the dark.I will go out tomorrow if I get back from work in time and it is still light and check for obvious signs of electrical malfunction.In the meantime hopefully someone will take pity on me and offer some advice.Cheerio

[fudgemuffin]

Well it was a flat battery.I remember the days when a flat battery meant the car just groaned as you tried to turn it over and the lights went out.Oh how I remember points and distributor caps......drone drone.

[asp383]

i agree, i'm old school ... brought up on carb, points & dizzy for petrol & nice simple basic diesel engines ... much better. had a few snotty kids come along fresh out of college thinking they know it all & when you ask them to go tune "that car over there" ... 2 hrs later, they come over after finally plucking up the courage to ask the question ... "where do i plug the computer in?" my reply "that's a proper car, you've got to be a proper mechanic to diagnose, tune & fix it". go over to it with them, set timing & carb by ear & they don't believe it can be done without putting on a gas analyzer & using a timing light, so you put it on & prove it's spot on ... they don't question you again ... that's when you take advantage with them by sending them off for a long wait, left handed tools etc.

 

i've built plenty of drag cars & none have had fuel injection etc ... all just on carbs & either a dual point or basic electronic dizzy ... competed quite well & into the 9s brackets

[a18nkd]

that is why all the car company's make it more complicated so you have to take it back to them to get it fixed, Like changing a bulb old school easy peasy pop rubber off unclip clip replace bulb plug back in rubber back on . The lad who i work with just changed his took back to the garage and £130 later bulb changed you have to take front bumper, grill and head light out just to get to the bulb what a f**k on old schooll all the way fav car mk2 escort or fiesta

[asp383]

i've had someone with a disco 3 call breakdown out at 10am on a sunday morning in the summer to change his headlight bulb, because the high beam had blown, he had already driven up to the garage to get the new bulb & gone back to his friends house where he'd spent a few days & then tried for about a hour to change it, before calling breakdown.

 

what really got me was, he'd noticed it was blown on his way down, but left it until he was ready to go home i faffed around for a while to change it & then he said his day has been messed up, because he wanted to be home by 11am (only had to go about 50 miles), so i had to explain that a blown main beam during the day in summer isn't exactly a breakdown that we should have come out to, so our office then sent him an invoice for the call out & labour.

 

1st car i looked at (diesel series 2 landy), had a push buttton to engage the starter & a pull knob (like choke cable) connected to the diesel pump, had to pull it out to pull the fuel rack across & shut the diesel off, i would have had it if a friend hadn't offered me his petrol 2a for a lot less