John Vine Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Is this a convenient hook for ceiiinosssttuv?Surely that would be stretching it a bit?JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revilla Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Steady on, it's still only January! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thompster Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Not sure if anyones mentioned it yet or even if you're still trying to work out if you have a spark but if you are, the cheapskate test is to rest a neon screwdriver on the insulated lead - believe it or not there's enough leakage to light the neon on each spark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Reeves Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 CB not been heard of since the 1st ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb4798 Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Hi All,Apologies for the lack of response - all work and no play at the moment. Thank you all for your input, but, no joy so far. Not much more to add really.I spent a couple of hours yesterday going over all the connections again and pulled out all the sensors again, and checked no connections on the starter motor are touching any of the surrounding metal.I was convienced that it's an earthing issue but adding another earth from the battery to the bulk head didn't make a difference. So, basically, i'm back to square one, although I don't actually think I got very far away from square one in the first place.Not sure what's next on the list and i'm hitting my technical limit. Anyone know a local witch doctor?ChrisC - I have sent you a PMBob L - Sorry to have caused you and your family so much distress. Is neighbours still ok TV?Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin J Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 If yours is the same as my sigma you will have a number of earth wires that all terminate next to the ECU. This was the problem with mine & it just would not start. Fuel pump primed ok, it would turn over & oil pressure showed but nothing else.Where have you earthed those wires? I initially used one of the screws that holds the ECU in place & this proved not good enough. It proved necessary to drill another hole alongside the ECU scrape away the powder coating & bolt the earths down securley.Also check all the fuses are sound & the relays mounted on top of the fuse box are all pushed fully home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb4798 Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Thanks Martin, I will check them out. All the earth wires were pre attached to the bulkhead by caterham but I'll double check them. Last night I took the inertia switch apart and tested that; it all appears to be working. Someone has also suggested a couple of tests on the crank position sensor. First, to check the resistance which is ok, and second, to check the voltage when the engine is cranking. I attached the multimeter to the sensor pins and cranked the engine but nothing registered. Is this a valid test? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin J Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 At the end of the day this a brand new car. If you cannot get to the bottom of the problem, caterham will have to send someone out to you or more likely collect the car from you & fix it back at the factory & at the same time carry out the post build check.All this should be at their expense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Was the sensor unplugged when you measured ? It is a switch ... not a generator. I think you have done more than enough. Time for CC to sort it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted January 14, 2015 Member Share Posted January 14, 2015 Someone has also suggested a couple of tests on the crank position sensor. First, to check the resistance which is ok, and second, to check the voltage when the engine is cranking. I attached the multimeter to the sensor pins and cranked the engine but nothing registered. Is this a valid test?What's the voltage between the battery terminals at rest and during cranking?(If you didn't have a multimeter I'd recommend (along with Garry7) trying to start with an external battery (in or out of another vehicle).)Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickh7 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I had one wire in the wrong place on a prewired multi-plug and mine wouldnt start (k series) . It took the agaent two days to find it glad I wasnt paying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnockoff Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Ultimately it's a new build. Finish the car off and send it back to Caterham for them to sort out at the PBC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb4798 Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 The car is finally went back to Caterham last week. They came back to me with a couple of point today. One of which is that the fuel tank earth wire isn't connected. I assume this is a very likely candidate for the starting issues. Can anyone tell me where this wire is located? I can't find any reference to it and not having the car obviously means I can't take a look. They are telling me that I should have applied heat shrink to the engine/engine bay wiring. I have asked for clarification, but has anyone got any thoughts on what this might be? From the manual, the only reference I can find is for the repeater wiring, which I applied Also, for one reason or another I didn't get the seats bolted in before it was picked up. They have quoted an hour to do the bolts up. Seems a bit excessive to me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted February 17, 2015 Member Share Posted February 17, 2015 Also, for one reason or another I didn't get the seats bolted in before it was picked up. They have quoted an hour to do the bolts up. Seems a bit excessive to me?Tell them that you won't charge them for your wasted time as it doesn't work and they didn't connect the tank earth if they don't charge you for bolting the seats in?Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted February 17, 2015 Member Share Posted February 17, 2015 How is the tank earthed? 1, 2.Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnockoff Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Hmm, don't Caterham fit the fuel tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikecocker Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I think the wire has to be connected via the wing fixing bolt when the wings are attached as JK #1. It does not affect the running of the car as the pump etc are earthed through the loom, but rather an IVA requirement as this snippet from manual . "All metal fuel tanks must have an earth path to prevent the build up of static electricity. (this may be a separate bonding or the mounting arrangement where it does not isolate the tank)" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb4798 Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 Thanks for the links, Jonathan. Caterham want to charge me for the pleasure of attaching the earth. I waiting for them to come back to me regarding a few other points before we get into the cost conversation. I can't wait for that ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grubbster Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 As mike says the fuel tank is just earth bonded to one of the rear wing bolts. The only heatshrink I can think of is the dreaded headlamp wiring that has to be sleeved and threaded through the mounting bracket and 2 grommets each side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Deslandes Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I doubt the lack of an earth to the fuel tank is going to stop the engine starting given that the pump's running according to your first post. Don't let them fob you off, they have form for that!You haven't said whether they have got it started yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Glad its sorted :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb4798 Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 They haven't started it yet. I'm still waiting for them to come back to me on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted February 17, 2015 Member Share Posted February 17, 2015 Don't let them fob you offRuled out in the 7th post on the 1st page.Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olly_h Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I spent hours and hours - too embarrassed to admit how many - trying to diagnose a non starting new build last year thinking it must be something I'd done wrong. Caterham then spent hours (supposedly) themselves trying to find a fault . Conclusion was that there was a pin missing from the ECU!!Re the extra work they've doing and time quoted - go in hard or expect a ridiculous bill. Take the approach of if its not in the manual its not your fault. I also missed the fuel tank earth due to it not being in the manual (aug '14) and didn't pay a penny for them to do it for me.Olly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb4798 Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 Ha ha, that took a while Jonathan. Thanks Olly, good to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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