If you solve this one, you're a scooby genius - Bugeye Gremlins
25 October 2018, 11:54 PM
#1
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If you solve this one, you're a scooby genius - Bugeye Gremlins
Evening
Got the 2001 bugeye out of storage, been driving it around fine for 2 weeks all fine and then today, Gremlins.
5 minutes into a drive, ABS light comes on, 30 seconds later all the dash dies, so no RPM or MPH. 30 seconds later the alarm comes on (cars still driving ) and then 30 seconds later the car is juddering badly when i put the accelerator on.
Pull over and park up, try to crank the engine and it doesnt turn over, try again and nothing like the battery is dead and doesn't have the power to turn the engine over.
Leave it 5 minutes and it fires up like normal. Drive for 5 minutes and the previous sequence starts over again in the exact order. I pull over and wait 5 minutes, it start fine.
I'm close to home as this all started quite early on into the journey so make my way back. Happens again in the exact same sequence, pull over.
Wait 5 minutes, start it up and make it back to the yard as i'm only 500 meters away at this point and park it up.
Suggestions? The battery is brand new, 2 weeks old.
Cheers
Got the 2001 bugeye out of storage, been driving it around fine for 2 weeks all fine and then today, Gremlins.
5 minutes into a drive, ABS light comes on, 30 seconds later all the dash dies, so no RPM or MPH. 30 seconds later the alarm comes on (cars still driving ) and then 30 seconds later the car is juddering badly when i put the accelerator on.
Pull over and park up, try to crank the engine and it doesnt turn over, try again and nothing like the battery is dead and doesn't have the power to turn the engine over.
Leave it 5 minutes and it fires up like normal. Drive for 5 minutes and the previous sequence starts over again in the exact order. I pull over and wait 5 minutes, it start fine.
I'm close to home as this all started quite early on into the journey so make my way back. Happens again in the exact same sequence, pull over.
Wait 5 minutes, start it up and make it back to the yard as i'm only 500 meters away at this point and park it up.
Suggestions? The battery is brand new, 2 weeks old.
Cheers
Last edited by DAXX; 25 October 2018 at 11:56 PM.
26 October 2018, 08:15 AM
#4
Scooby Regular
It would seem something is warming up and then disrupting the power distribution.
I'd start with checking all the main SBF fuses in the enginebay fusebox.
I'd start with checking all the main SBF fuses in the enginebay fusebox.
26 October 2018, 08:39 AM
#5
Scooby Regular
Pull the fuses out to check for corrosion and cracks.
I once had an intermittent fault that turned out to be a cracked fuse that would expand as it warmed up.
I once had an intermittent fault that turned out to be a cracked fuse that would expand as it warmed up.
26 October 2018, 11:39 AM
#6
My main fuse had cracked, when walm driving one day it cut the dash lights then the engine they put the alarm on, felt like flat batt and running out of fuel. I bought a second hand fuse and all was fine
26 October 2018, 11:56 AM
#7
Scooby Regular
I had a similar problem on my other car (Peugeot) and it turned out to be an earth cable coming loose. Fortunately it was clearly visible when I checked under the bonnet and managed to fix it easily. A bit of corrosion could make it harder to spot, so maybe worth cleaning up any earth connections.
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26 October 2018, 07:44 PM
#8
I had a car that had a blockage in a fuel line. It would allow the pipe to gravity feed if left and then would start and tick over. It would allow slow driving but as soon as you needed more the supply couldn’t meet demand and it would starve itself. Be a bugger to start until the pipe gravity fed and would start again.
took a big strip down for a mechanic to find the build up of scale
took a big strip down for a mechanic to find the build up of scale
28 October 2018, 04:44 PM
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Thanks for the replies
So i'm going through the fuses and i'm thinking to myself "I'm making an assumption about the battery here". I put the meter on it and its 11.9volts, so way down. Start the car up and put the meter back on the battery expecting to see 13+ volts from the alternator but it doesn't rise from the 11.9.
The alternator is not charging and because the battery is brand new the car was working fine when the battery was fully charged but as the voltage started to drop from use the electrics started to go funny understandably.
I'll take the alternator off and open it up and see if the brushes are worn.
So i'm going through the fuses and i'm thinking to myself "I'm making an assumption about the battery here". I put the meter on it and its 11.9volts, so way down. Start the car up and put the meter back on the battery expecting to see 13+ volts from the alternator but it doesn't rise from the 11.9.
The alternator is not charging and because the battery is brand new the car was working fine when the battery was fully charged but as the voltage started to drop from use the electrics started to go funny understandably.
I'll take the alternator off and open it up and see if the brushes are worn.
Last edited by DAXX; 28 October 2018 at 04:46 PM.
28 October 2018, 07:39 PM
#11
Don't be so sure about the alternator. At one point they had "smart" alternators which wouldn't generate power unless there was a draw. I found this out when I used to have a turbo timer (yes I know 
) - I used to check the voltage and it would only show 14v when the lights were on.
) - I used to check the voltage and it would only show 14v when the lights were on.
31 October 2018, 10:08 AM
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So i've charged the Battery back up and put it back in the car and no problems apart from my central locking doesn't work. I pulled the fuses inside the car and they are all fine?
22 November 2018, 10:24 PM
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So to wrap this one up.
The Alarm, central locking, interior light issue was fuse 2 from Don Clark's picture on post #4. Funny enough this showed me the immobiliser isn't worth it's salt as if you take this out, the engine will still crank over without bleeping the alarm fob and start if you keep the ignition turned. Nothing will happen for a few seconds but it will start.
Original symptoms posted above was the alternator. It was showing 3 amps under load so the battery warning light on the dash would go out as it was "technically" producing power.
Swapped the alternator over and the battery is happily charging at 14+ volts
So after 7 years in storage it's happily running around now, thanks for all the input guys.
Tom
The Alarm, central locking, interior light issue was fuse 2 from Don Clark's picture on post #4. Funny enough this showed me the immobiliser isn't worth it's salt as if you take this out, the engine will still crank over without bleeping the alarm fob and start if you keep the ignition turned. Nothing will happen for a few seconds but it will start.
Original symptoms posted above was the alternator. It was showing 3 amps under load so the battery warning light on the dash would go out as it was "technically" producing power.
Swapped the alternator over and the battery is happily charging at 14+ volts
So after 7 years in storage it's happily running around now, thanks for all the input guys.
Tom
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