Charlie Brown the Xantia just loves cutting out!

[aerodynamica]

This time for a new reason.

Mk1 1.9 TD manual.

When I first got Charlie Brown last August I brought him to the CXM and xantia rally the very next day, it was noted that the diesel stop solenoid had been rewired outside the wiring harness with a feed from a relay above the battery. This relay is the ABS relay and it was joked at the time that if the relay switches off so does the engine.

I was hoofing it down the M80 just before 5pm this afternoon leaving the day job in cumbernauld to reach the evening job in East Kilbride (a hopelessly indirect route at best) and of a sudden it lost loads of GO at the exact time the ABS light came on. I hit the hard shoulder and it dies, ignition off I switched it back on to find the ABS light off now and it starts instantly, I chance it and pull back onto the rush hour M-way. I nurse it a few miles more and the problem repeats. Obviously I'm thinking the ABS fault is switching off the relay and hence, the stop solenoid.

I manage to get it all the way to EK and decide to have a go at rewiring it to something else. I couldn't find anything that is ignition switched that would do - so perhaps that's why the previous bodger chose the ABS relay.

I did find the switched 12v at the relay via my ever present multimeter from the boot. There is a second 12v feed to the relay but not certain if it would remain fed after the ABS cuts.

Anyway, I have no idea why the original feed to the stop solenoid was replaced and in any event, cannot find where it would have come from - could anyone tell me?

I wonder if there was a fault within the wiring and that was why it was bypassed. Think I'll avoid trying to rewire it with the original wire (wherever it is) in case I'm rewiring it to a circuit with another fault in it.

Where could I fit the external wire to a switched source apart from the ABS though?

I've temporarily wired it straight to the +ve of the battery with a splittable spade connection mid way so to stop the engine I have to open the bonnet and leave this disconnected while it is parked up. It'll have to do for now. The ABS light came up once on the way home and didn't return after a stop and restart 10 mins later, it'll have to wait though (probably the ecu) I suspect the fair step up in heat this afternoon compared to lately here has upset the aging electrics.

But where can I connect the stop solenoid to? Thought about the alternator exciter circuit but couldn't see it. Any ideas from the bodgers out there?

[Lighty]

Should be an ignition feed in the box where the Ecu is behind the drivers side headlamp.
Power loss is probably in the harness that runs below the radiator and front x member, the wiring tends to rot in the conduit

[aerodynamica]

Thank-you, ill have a look but thought the only écu mine had was the abs one. Mine's a 'clockwork' diesel you see - no lectronix!

[robert_e_smart]

What a car!!!

[aerodynamica]

Just checked quickly and I see no ecu behind the driver side light. It's just air there. This is a really early car and so tends to not have the ecu count of later versions. I'll find something switched in due course.

[Chris570]

if you can be bothered you could just use the radio switched live and run it through the bulkhead.

or if you fancy a slightly longer wire run come straight off the barrel

[aerodynamica]

Thought of the barrel but hoping to keep it short. Still, needs must.
Was thinking that there would be fair pickings for switched feeds under the fuse box but most/many will switch off when the starter operates.

[Chris570]

why not trace the original wire back to the multiplug on the inner wing and run it from there again, see how you get on. you'll find loads of switched lives there as it will also have the wiring for petrol models

[aerodynamica]

Ah! What side is this mystical multi plug? I'm keen on finding it.

[Chris570]

iirc it's on the o/s up near the front. i think there is one on the n/s as well near the fusebox

[aerodynamica]

Got it, found the 2 relays next to the fuse box are switched but poss have resisters

[aerodynamica]

Fixed.

[robert_e_smart]

What? The ABS or the Stop solenoid?