Keeping me EF-fing BUSY!

Danny · 10-05-2005, 06:48 PM

Oi Peepz,

In case you're wondering, I dont have another EF, and my old one hasn't miraculously re-appeared in my driveway with a severe case of the shits (YET!). This is a long story of todays events for your entertainment and perusal......

In keeping the old flame alive, My cousin surprised me last friday with the news that he was buying a 1995 EF GLi in place of his ole Mazzy 626 which farted and shit itself the week before...... After an RACV test on monday, he picked it up last night, however, its real test was to come.... The Danny test.....

Made the trip from Tempy to Werribee this morning in the mighty Fiesta to see the new Heritage green arrival (which looks like johns car when he first bought it). Checked out the kays. 130,000 hmm not bad! Look in glovebox, no books.... hmm, not so good. Pop of the bonnet, and the coolant looks like its come from a red mudflat near Uluru .... Ew. So: "Dave, lets flush this baby". Done

Anyways, On start up (cold morning 1st start for the day), Its started, but its struggling to keep its four litres alive, its idling on close to nothing, with more shake rattle and roll than Mr Buddy Holly himself, and revving like a pig. Turn the steering wheel and it wants to stall, headlights on, it wants to stall. I open the Bonnet (knowing more or less whats happening here), and my suspicions are confirmed. After disconnecting the ISC wiring, theres absolutely no change in idle characteristics, no raise of RPM when cold or when Air con is switched on, Quite positively the ISC is Faaarkydoodled. No dramas there, took the car back to the dealer, its all under 3 month warranty. Good.

So then its time for me and the Coz to put in his headunit. So ive ripped out all appropriate parts to be ripped out and cousins mate has got to the big job of using the amp-o-meter (or whatever its called) to work out what wire goes where. In that time i've had to go to uni, hoping that the rest of the day would be uneventful, and sucessful.....

:hihi: Well, it IS an EF isnt it?

On the way home I get a phone call: "Oi Daniel, the falcon wont start, its turning over but not startin' RACV is on their way now". So my cousin puts me onto the phone with Royal Auto Club himself when he arrives and I tell him what I think the problem is. He agrees that the ISC has breathed its last breath, however the not starting issue is attributed to a fuse (or something, thats what he said), all easy fixed. Thats not it though.

My cousin rang me again later on to tell me that the Speedo cluster is not working. Every guage, light, and digital display has failed. He doesnt know why (and neither do I!) but they're dead..... He can still drive though

I put it into speedo diagnostic mode this morning cuz he wanted to know how to do it, and he wanted the litres of fuel readout. However I doubt very much whether this has caused it, I mean I had it on 24-7 (and so do a lot of other EF EL owners!).

I'm thinking It may have something to do with wires that have been touched or fuses from the whole stereo change and the RACV fuse change. But I dont know, thats why im asking you guys! Im farrrrk-t on this one. Please help!

Another EF to keep me busy, jeeze I look forward to this..... :sm_headba

-Dan

EFFalcon · 10-05-2005, 07:04 PM

u can't escape ;)

Danny · 10-05-2005, 07:34 PM

Hhahaha I know its scarey. Well what about the rest of you? Dont i get replys anymore now that i dont drive an e-series!?? :P lol

dansedgli · 10-05-2005, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny

Hhahaha I know its scarey. Well what about the rest of you? Dont i get replys anymore now that i dont drive an e-series!?? :P lol

I forget, what did you own before?

:

Damo · 10-05-2005, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny

Hhahaha I know its scarey. Well what about the rest of you? Dont i get replys anymore now that i dont drive an e-series!?? :P lol

Nah we don't respect you anymore.

it: LOL jk mate. :sm_headba

Should have got the car all checked out before he bought it. Good luck sorting it's niggly problems.

:

SileNceR · 10-05-2005, 08:34 PM

isnt there a wiring near the stereo stuff that does smartlock or cluster power or something like that?

I wouldnt know for sure since the EA doesnt have smartlock... but it rings a bell...

Danny · 10-05-2005, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dansedgli

I forget, what did you own before?

:

Think more Post less Dan. hahahaha

EFFalcon · 10-05-2005, 08:45 PM

BEM is just to the right of the stereo stuff, but u'd have to be pretty stupid to go hackin that up.

EFFalcon · 10-05-2005, 08:45 PM

its only the cluster not working?
headunit lights up?
demister switch light up?

sphell · 10-05-2005, 08:50 PM

it would seem logical that your cuz has ****ed up the wiring somewhere....basically there's two wires behind there that he could have potentially shorted...the acc wire and the constant 12v wire. I'd be pulling out the stereo and checking it all.

The other possibility is that he's wired it so wrong that the stereo is causing feedback into a wire it shouldn't and causing wacky and weird things to happen. I've seen it in home jobs before, and I can't explain why it happens cause each case is different but people never cease to amaze me with their home brand talents ;)

Danny · 10-05-2005, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sphell

it would seem logical that your cuz has ****ed up the wiring somewhere....basically there's two wires behind there that he could have potentially shorted...the acc wire and the constant 12v wire. I'd be pulling out the stereo and checking it all.

The other possibility is that he's wired it so wrong that the stereo is causing feedback into a wire it shouldn't and causing wacky and weird things to happen. I've seen it in home jobs before, and I can't explain why it happens cause each case is different but people never cease to amaze me with their home brand talents ;)

Doug, That home brand talent was my cousins mates, NOT my cousins, and im pretty sure he knows what he's doing anyways, as he has his own MPFi EA that hes done an install on, among countless other cars.

What I wanted to know was what else could be causing this. It stopped working after RACV started the car again after their 'new fuse' remedy..... He (cousin) thinks I might have done it by turning on the speedo Diag, and i need someone to give me piece of mind that it bloody wasnt me!

See I warned him that the speedo would momentarily "Blank out" when it reset itself, and he rings me saying "How long does it take to blank out? Its been 20 mins and its still like that!"

TURBO_GHIA · 10-05-2005, 11:42 PM

i would check ALL the fuses even replace them ,then check all the wires for the stereo,then id reset the computer and smartlock and then see if it works

PULLY6 · 11-05-2005, 12:06 PM

sounds very much like a short, i had the same problem with mine, the solution was that the Auto CC fuse was blown - resulting in entire cluster faliure and the trans going into limp-home mode.

neb · 11-05-2005, 12:15 PM

I agree check every fuse... and check the head unit wiring as well, a couple of wires might be touching or something weird going on back there causing the problem.

FPVWEPN · 12-05-2005, 03:25 AM

i think its the green wire with the yellow stripe that has shorted in the headunit wiring check it