15 replies to this topic

[xchickyx]

Okay so i link up my mates battery to mine to jump my car as my battery is flat, both lights come on on dash as soon as i link the battery but also can here a strange vibrating noise coming from somewhere on the engine (i think it was from the long roung tube which says ignition on ) This is before i have even put the keys in. I put the keys in, turn and nothing happens, still just a stange vibrating noise.

Any ideas?

[TOMMO0302]

I know you changed your exhaust/inlet manifold, but what else have you done? Did you disconnect any wiring to the starter/coil or anywhere else for that matter?

[xchickyx]

I havn't touched any wiring That's the confusing part.

[cardboard]

wiring is always a dangerous place to play! first things first check everywire from the permenant live and look for corrosion etc. if it is happeing before you put the key in it will ot be on the tmpory live wires

[Big_Adam]

Petrol, how old is it?

[ChrisSpencer]

It might be worth taking the live terminal of the battery before you start playing with wires too. Check the cables going onto the starter motor are connected properly if its not even turning over. It's easy to snag a wire off (speaking from experience ).

[xchickyx]

The peterol has been in there for about 4 weeks, maybe a little longer?

My friend thinks that one of the wires from the starter motor has broken where my engine was rocking (from when my steady died, possibly from bump starting the car) and has fallen down onto another terminal.

Think this could be it?

[xchickyx]

bump :/

[fikus01]

it coul be!! any chance of a piccy of the starter?? it could be a bad earth!! u did connect the earth strap up from the engine to the bodywork didnt you?? plus it has to mount to bare metal on both ends or chances are you'll not be getting a very good circuit! also check the battery earth where it meets the body, same goes, clean metal!

[dklawson]

I don't think this is a ground issue. At the start of this thread he's mentioning that the noise and dash lights are coming on as soon as the jumper cables are hooked up. This is before the key is even in the ignition.

I'm assuming the lights which are coming on are the oil pressure and ignition warning lights. The fact that these are coming on indicates that somehow power is passing through the ignition switch even without the key. Since with the key the starter won't turn over... I suspect the ignition switch itself.

Before hooking up the jumper cables again, turn off all the switches and accessories. When you hook up the cables listen for the noise and try to pin-point the origin. Use a screwdriver handle to your ear while holding the tip to various parts of the engine compartment if necessary. Pay particular attention to the alternator. Do you have a volt-meter? If so, connect it between the coil (+) terminal and chassis ground BEFORE you hook up the jumper cables. With the ignition switch off you should show no voltage. If you see any voltage without the key... you've got a switch problem (and at least a partial charge in the battery). If you hook up the jumper cables and see voltage on coil (+) (again... with the switch off) you've got a confirmed problem with the switch.

All of this assumes that you haven't repositioned the original wiring to some seriously wrong connection when you were working in the engine compartment.

[xchickyx]

Hello again, thanks for the awesome replies.

Well Dklawson your last reply was very informative but unfortunatly i do not have a volt meter so i cannot do this. If it helps i first noticed this problem when i put the keys in and turned them it started to turn over them completely cut out and the two lights on the dash went out. After this it would refuse to do anything when turning the keys, this almost clarifys that i did not put any wires in the wrong places as i had it started before (after i'd put the new manifold in).

So it seems something suddenly went when i turned the key (could this be a wire burning out?) maybe the engine rocked a little and pulled something out?

Ive looked over the engine bay a good few times and i cannot see any loose wires.

[taffy1967]

Are you getting a spark and is the motor turning over? If so then you could have a knackered coil perhaps?

[xchickyx]

No spark as far as i know, its just a noise that sounds a lot like a vibrator :S

[fikus01]

flat battery or a bad earth is all that springs to mind im afraid!! can we hear this noise!! im sure women would like minis more if its a good sound!!

[Elfman]

I have a similar problem on my mini.
The ignition barrel is so worn it can be turned with a hairclip. When I switch the iginition off I have to make sure that I have turned the key all the way to the left before I remove it otherwise I can leave the igintion on.
When I start the car I have to make sure that I turn the key all the way to the right otherwise the switch can end up somewhere in between and the starter motor begins to 'splutter'. A similar sympton to that described at the beginning of this thread.
If you have a loose ignition switch barrel or a well worn key, then I would start here.