C4 GP 1.8 Petrol non-start. Help Please!

[Michel]

Well, it had to happen sooner rather than later didn't it?

I put in 60 quids worth of fuel this morning, then drove 190 miles to Huntingdon and back, the return journey at 80+. Car performed wonderfully.

Got in it an hour later to take the ladies out, simply refused to start. There's a relay clicks and the fuel pump whirrs but that's it. Mr Hellrazor kindly dashed down with his Lexia and Diagbox gives a fault about Injection ECU incoherence.. and a BSI reinitiliasation error - pic attached.

Fuses checked etc.

Help Please or I'll go and buy a Ford.

Special thanks to Mr. H. Razor for waiting around in the cold!

Could it be something as simple as starter connections? I have it in my head that it's heat or vibration related as I caned it back from Huntingdon. If anyone has a diagram of the starter or a route to access it, I would greatly appreciate it.

VIN ends 45356393

[RichardW]

Starter on the front of the engine under the air filter, 0.9 hours book time, it can't be that hard! There's a 20A fuse on the underbonnet fuse box for the starter circuit that 1.6 HDis like to pop when they get a bit older...

BSI fault is normal - it happens every time the battery is taken off.

[Michel]

Thanks Richard! I'll go and have a poke around after my day of motorcycle training..

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

does the old fashioned 'stick it in 5th and rock it' to release a potentially stuck starter motor still work?

Only takes a few seconds so probably worth a shot

[RichardW]

I think that's unlikely, but giving the starter a whack with a hammer may shock the brushes free if they are a bit sticky. It could just be heat soak - that's what my 307 was doing when it was hot - although you could hear the solenoid engaging there was no crank.

[Hell Razor5543]

When we turned the key there was a quiet click as of a small relay (but even with the bonnet open we could not hear anything from the starter motor area).

Something else was that DiagBox reported a coherence fault with the Injection ECU, but when we went into that item and tried to read the fault it said something like no fault found. The Engine Management fuse (20A) was sound.

[Michel]

It's stopped even clicking now and is insisting it's in Economy mode, which prevents me from doing a BSI reset as I can't put the windows down. I haven't hit the starter with a hammer yet but I'm beginning to think it's something more serious and potentially expensive

[RichardW]

Eco mode won't stop it starting, it just cuts non essential functions to prevent the battery draining.

I don't understand all the interactions, but it seems reasonably straightforward....

Live to the ign switch is provided from F11 on the BSI, via pin 5 of a 10 position black connector. At crank position, this should supply live to pin 9 on the grey 28 position connector on the underbonnet fuse box (BSM) . This should pull in relay 8, which is fed off fuse 8 on the on the BSM, and the BSM should then put live on pin 2 on the 5 position yellow connector on the BSM which is connected direct to the starter. It's possible there are some BSI / BSM interactions, as the BSI also receives a 12V crank signal from the ign switch on pin 6 of a 10 position on the BSI (not sure on the colour, what French colour is BA an abbreviation for - white possibly, being blanc?). There's also a 12V feed back from the BSI to the BSM from pin 16 on a 16 way green connector (BSI) to pin 23 on the 28 way grey BSM.

I'd still go old school and give the starter a whack!

[myglaren]

It's stopped even clicking now and is insisting it's in Economy mode, which prevents me from doing a BSI reset as I can't put the windows down. I haven't hit the starter with a hammer yet but I'm beginning to think it's something more serious and potentially expensive

I've had to do a BSI reset with no working windows - had to leave the car at work overnight when starter failed and killed the battery.
Charged the battery - car was locked with the key overnight.
Opened it and left the door open, refitted battery with usual procedure and reached in through the open door to turn on the lights then operate the ignition key.
Perhaps I was lucky but it worked -IIRC that was the last time it needed it, a couple of years ago.

[wheeler]

You can do a BSI reset absolutely fine without putting the windows down.
Ive done more BSI resets than I could even remember & have never done the switching the lights on bit, i have never had any issues doing it like that. If you really want to do that bit just leave the drivers door open. The BSI will still go to sleep with the door open, it wakes up when a door is opened OR closed.
Have you checked for a feed at the starter solenoid yet ? Have you checked ALL the fuses ?

[wheeler]

Yes BA = white

[Michel]

You can do a BSI reset absolutely fine without putting the windows down.
Ive done more BSI resets than I could even remember & have never done the switching the lights on bit, i have never had any issues doing it like that. If you really want to do that bit just leave the drivers door open. The BSI will still go to sleep with the door open, it wakes up when a door is opened OR closed.
Have you checked for a feed at the starter solenoid yet ? Have you checked ALL the fuses ?

Thanks Wheeler (and Steve, and RichardW). I have checked all the fuses, including the ones on top of the battery. It went dark then, and I got bored so I shall investigate further tomorrow. I haven't yet whacked the starter or checked for 12v at the starter as it meant getting under the car, and it's not in a good place for that. I can roll it to one tomorrow.

[Michel]

Well, having not used it for ages, I remembered this morning that I had AA Homestart. The guy arrived at 9.10 and was on his way by 9.35.

Seems whoever did the clutch before I got it put the earth strap on the gearbox in the wrong place and a bit loose. Now cleaned up, refitted correctly, battery and alternator all tested good too .

Thanks for all the help and suggestions everyone. Much appreciated.

[Hell Razor5543]

Great news!

[daviemck2006]

And I was going to offer to put it beside my 407 when I use the petrol and match you suggested!