280GE - intermittent starting mystery
A few weeks ago I started to get an intermiitent starting problem. Every so often, after an uneventful run, I would come back to the car and try to start it. Nothing would happen apart from hearing the fuel pump relay go in and the swoosh of the initial burst of fuel pumping.
I would be unable to start for anything up to several days and then, without me doing anything everything would, apparently, return to normal.
I took it to a garage which pronounced the starter motor dead and had it rebuilt. For a rebuilt starter motor, fitting (but not supplying) a new speedo cable and an MoT, I paid £425.
I drove it away from the garage and the next day the problem was back.
I took a cable from the battery and touched it to the starter solenoid terminal and the starter motor sprang to life but there was no sign of ignition (the ignition key was on and turned to the starting position). I therefore concluded that whatever was preventing current getting to the solenoid was also preventing it getting to the ignition.
I therefore connected the coil to the battery and was about to try touching the cable to the solenoid terminal again when I discovered that just feeding the coil made the starter solenoid operable by the key. However, again, although the starter motor turned, there was no sign of any ignition.
Could it be a faulty inhibitor switch on the automatic gear box. Any ideas? This is starting to do my head in.
try rocking the gear lever in the park position next time you have the problem...with the key turned to the start position...if you have any water leaking in from worn wiper spindles or windscreen rubber surround then it can drip onto the relays. fuse carrier and ignition switch creating spurious electrical circuits and of cause corrosion..you can drop the fuse carrier ( remove the cover under the dash on the drivers side) and get to the relays behind...do the panel lights dim if you turn the key to start and the starter motor does not turn? Note: if the wiper spindles slop about in the housings or are loose in the metal surround then you have water leaking in ...another check for water is under the carpets in the front footwells....passenger side more likely.....
Hi I would look at all the earth bonding leads between the engine and chassis including the ones between the bonnet and the front bulkhead.....
Earth leads - I'd already checked that. Current suspect is the actual ignition switch.
Sounds like a problem with the electronic CPU. (Square alumium box on left side with two cables) Try to swap it with a 280E's and see if it cures it. I had a similar problem and now it is gone for good after this transplant.
Thanks, Leonidas. In fact, it did turn out to be the igniion switch but I'll remember your suggestion for future problems.
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Thanks for the advice. No obvious water getting in but I will take a closer look. I had already tried the rocking of the gear selector to no avail as I was suspicious of the inhibitor switch.
Yes, the panel lights dim andthe fuel pump relay clicks. Sometimes the starter solenoid does nothing and sometimes it clicks.
BTW, on the subject of leaking windscreen wiper spindles and corrosion round them, I had a similar problem on a 307D van (stolen from me 2 weeks ago). The 307 D spindles are similar the G-wagen ones. I made square washers out of lead sheet (Code 4 or 5) and bedded the spindle nuts on them. It sealed the hole very well and stopped further corrosion and they stayed tight.