[eljakeo]

My rover 214s 8valve (1997) has developed a strange problem....
oil light and battery light constanly on but dim
no electrical appliences working
the temperature gauge constantly on full heat
the petrol gauge showing totally empty

when i switch the ignition on, the lights come on properly but the car will not turn over

my freind said it was the ECU (a common fault?) however i have tried a replacement and the same thing happens.

i would appreciate any help i could be givin on this as i have passed my test today and cannot drive my car!!
thankyou!!

 

[214 no 1]

Sounds to me that you have a bit of a problem and as you say you have changed the ecu, did you also change the immobiliser or re-code it to talk to the ecu as this would stop the car from turning over. Not sure about the other problems though. Just an idea.

Hope you get it sorted

 

[ashmicro]

Hello

First thing I'd check is the tailgate wiring. Oepn the tailgate and look at the driver's side hinge. Next to it you'll see a rubber tube. Peel it back and have a look at the wiring inside it. Some of it may me chafed or broken.

 

[dollypops]

Yep, sounds like a bad earth or a short somewhere, happened to me a few months back, turned out is was the thick earth wire from the battery was not tight enough where it meets the body of the car.

Check the simple things first like that, because thats usually what the problem is.

 

[MyMgCar.com]

I would be worried about the high temperature reading....may lead to HGF if it isnt dodgy electrics. Any sounds come on when you try turning it on?

 

[eljakeo]

Hi again,
Thanks for all the help, iv looked at the tailgate cables the seem to be fine and i think its a volt drop or a shortage somwhere, the earth cable off the battery is fine also,
i fitted a set of speakers a few weeks ago and think that i have caused this inadvertantly
can anyone suggest any other likely places it may be/ point me in the right dirction towards testing for on if i got a multimeter??
thanks again!!

 

[eljakeo]

no sounds when i turn it on either!!

 

[Takeshi]

Do the headlights dim at all when you try to start the car?

 

[eljakeo]

nope, theres absolutely no light working or any other electrics including the ancillary conrolls and the radio etc

 

[ashmicro]

If the car won't start, it won't be overheating, regardless of what the temperature gauge says.

When you were fitting your speakers, did you have the radio out? If so, check all of the wires inside the centre console for the radio are intact - my ham-fisted mate made a hash of his wiring in that place, and a live cable running to earth kept blowing the "engine "crank" fuse

 

[eljakeo]

that is likely as i have a ham fisted friend who helped with the install though it was just as likely to be me, il just have to work out a way of finding it!

 

[Crevice]

that is likely as i have a ham fisted friend who helped with the install though it was just as likely to be me, il just have to work out a way of finding it!

i once shorted the battery out when installing an amp in my 214 8v, and again it caused all sorts of funny electrical problems.

i'd go to turn the car over and fuel pump would kick in but then everything would die as i tried turning it over (starter wouldnt even engage, not even the solenoid). as i turned the ignition off the rev counter wind right up to the limit all by itself and then back down again. if you tried it again you'd have nothing, no lights, diddly squat. you had to wait 2 mins for the interior light to come back on!

turned out it was a crappy earth wire from the battery to the slam panel, so CHECK ALL YOUR EARTHS AGAIN :twak2:

Hope that helps.

 

[eljakeo]

cheers, the funny thing is all the fuses are still fine.....
i dont understand all this fangled electric business but i will check my neutral earth again tomrow!
thankyou!!

 

[eljakeo]

Thanks everyone!! turns out it was the earth cable needed reconnecting as it had fallen off, this was my first thread on this forum and im dead impressed!! thanks again!!