Electrical issues! 1.4 petrol multispace

[Prjames]

Hi everyone, I've got a 1.4 petrol with a little unusual problem. I don't want to give up yet because I was planning on doing a camper conversion.

Most of the time the car starts ok but every so often it will only turn over and not start. When in this no starting state the electric's go wild. I can force this 'wild state' whilst driving by turning the heaters on or trying to pull back the electric roof. This 'wild state', basically I loose everything on the dash including the clocks, the windscreen wipers go mad but the engineer still runs and I can continue to drive. The lights don't get effected.

I've popped it into a garage just to see if it was something simple and they have said they would need further inspect from a trained mobile technician (haven't change for the initial look) and its potentially 1 of 2 electronic control modulas. They have said it not worth spending anything further on it because if I do change the 2 moduals they will need reprogramming. 

Can anyone help? Has anyone had this type of problem? Does anyone have wiring diagrams to help identify these potential moduals? Would second hand ones need reprogramming?

Thanks in advance!!

[Norledge]

What year is the car?

[Prjames]

Y reg

Cheers

[Norledge]

There's no BSI (control units) on one that early, so the electronic systems are pretty simple.

I'd be starting with a battery and alternator test then going from there.

[Prjames]

There's no BSI (control units) on one that early, so the electronic systems are pretty simple.

I'd be starting with a battery and alternator test then going from there.

And a different garage by the sounds of it! I've put a new battery on it and it has improved things but I can still make it go crazy. When a faulty alternator create issues as explained?

[Norledge]

If a battery improved it i'd test the alternator asap before it ruins the new battery!

They are odd symptoms but with any electrical fault the battery and alternator would always be my first test.

[Norledge]

Oh and if you didn't realise, all you need to to is connect your mulitmeter up to the alternator output stud (the big one!) and a good earth (preferably not the alternator itself), start the car and check the output. You're hoping for 13-14v.

[ffrenchie]

Oh and if you didn't realise, all you need to to is connect your mulitmeter up to the alternator output stud (the big one!) and a good earth (preferably not the alternator itself), start the car and check the output. You're hoping for 13-14v.

You test the output of the alternator at the battery terminals and they should be between 13.8 and 14.8 volts, also test with the lights, wipers and heater/aircon running flat out as well to check it is still charging under load.