As the title suggests HELPPPPPPP

Help!!

So now the bad weather seems to have passed. Booked her into the garage to get her sorted for summer, running a bit rubbish and hot start issue - but started and drives.

Took the cover off, and won't start. Turned over until the battery went dead - won't fire. Added jumper pack, still turning over and nothing.

Checked spark off coil wire and nothing, so thought it's either the lead or the coil (maybe a broken coil is what was causing the running issues).

Bought a battery charger, fully charged battery recconected the lead, and same turning over but not firing.

BUT noticed something weird, the dash is completely dead (bar the clock). Lights, hazards etc all working but not showing up on the dash either.

Previous owner has moved battery to the boot too.
Checked the fuses under the dash, none appear to be broken. There are also 4 relays in the boot (no idea what they are).

Any ideas? I'm guessing this is all linked?  
Because at the moment it's just a pretty ornament on my drive! 

Forgot to add 1990 cab - that's probably helpful!

CIS Digi or carbed.

Battery to the boot? and RElays?

Suspect everything.

No power to the cluster but everything works..
Well that is either no power on pin 14 (black) of the cluster, or no ground to the cluster.

What relay numbers are on those in the boot?

I love those POS systems,  (previous Ow
ners Screw-ups)

Unless you know what those relays are doing then you may be spitting in to the wind…..

Was an engine swap done? as in 16V or 2.0L installed, with a different transmission?

It's a 1.8 carb and original engine, guess he did it to try and tidy up under the bonnet, looks sparse in there now.

I'll take a couple of pics. 

Do you think the dash having no power is linked to it not firing? 

6 weeks ago it was fine (bar the ropey running)

Beyond checking the fuses I have no idea what to check next. 

Here's a pic of the relays in the boot and the ones in the normal place. 

It could be that the feed to the starter (ie the big draw) is running from one wire in the boot to the starter and then a secondary wire running from the battery to power everything else via the fuse board.

that's what I did anyway as it seemed to make sense.

Can you see if you're getting power to the fuse board via the main power plug into it?

Ian

Def feels like what he's done. 

I'll check the main power into the fuse board. But I'm sure there is as hazards, headlights, indicators work it's just the dash is dead (no lights at all on start up or at any turn of the key).

Am I right in thinking this would then stop it firing? (No spark from the coil). Especially as the ignition switch is on the column? 

Are there any relays directed related to that?

Thanks All, banging my head a little bit now. Of course it wasn't going to be as simple as a fuse or HT lead 

Also noticed just above the fuse box are 2 plugs that aren't plugged into anything. Is this normal? I have no idea where they go, they just disappear 

There are spare power leads and wires on the fuse box.
Semi Normal.

Hey Briano1234  are those relays in the boot the ones for the electric hood? The wiring looks almost factory?

NeilR  might be worth checking the leads to the coil are still on and you have a decent earth. I know mine had the spade drop off once  

Ian

It's the dead dash that's confusing me.
Will spend the weekend chasing the wires to make sure nothing has come unplugged.

Otherwise it may well be tow truck time 

Don't think they are for the power top.

Here is the schematics for that and only one relay.

So I'm lost, 2 different recovery companies couldn't work it out either - but it's def a wiring issue. 

They got it down to dashboard problem? Put power to the ignition and that's doing what it's meant to. 

No other choice, off to the garage it went! 

Update, they're having to take the dash out as the problem seems to be the loom. They bypassed the fuse box and it started. But no power from the fuse box tobthe ignition.

I suspect a shorted wire. 

They've warned me about cost at this point but won't give me a gauge. Any ideas what we're talking?

I think you're talking the proverbial "How long is a piece of string " here. Did you ask what Hourly rate they charge ?  Another point that I work to is, Can I do it myself ? If not then you're in their hands.  I look at it that I'm paying for the experience they've got. are they Auto Electricians ? A good Auto Sparky is worth his weight in gold, especially an old school type ..   Kev.

Read my basic how to on electric primer,
Then repairing flaky grounds
get a DVOM that measures Dwell, and some basic tools that are in my how-to's  Archive Section, under Briano's DIY's for 90ish Cabbies and you will know more than the average mechanic.

You will save a lot of monies over the years in the future, and well I would think that if the fuse panel isn't getting power it is one of 5 (if fully equipped) fusible links on the golf.

Or a bad power lead off the battery, and or BAD grounds.

Get thee a Bentley, and or a Haynes book for the wiring diagrams, as you don't go on a trip with out googleing maps, you don't go chasing electrical issues with out a wiring diagram either.

greavsy - thought you were going to say that. Lol just I have zero idea whether it's gonna be a few hundred or a grand. The guy that has it now is a proper sparky and 60p/h. Usually I'd try to self teach to fix it myself, but wiring is not something I really fancied messing with. 

Thanks for that Briano1234 going to start with your how to's Thanks for the heads up (and of course putting it all down for others!)

Morning Sorry but that's how it is. We have  a bloke up here in Sheffield and he's brilliant, had to use him a few times. The first time was for an immobiliser fault and he went above and beyond to sort it. I was dreading the bill but it was surprisingly cheap ! Used him ever since. Good luck and hope you have a favourable outcome ..

Ok wiring sorted (think they said it was the alarm) but none the others issues have even been attempted - because they can't be bothered and the cars been there 6 weeks. 

Need to find a garage to take it to that is reliable and actually can be bothered to fix it (that isn't 100ph)

Any ideas all? It's in the north london area. 

Finally she's fixed (hopefully) and Home. 
Back with a new Weber carb and filter and seems to have sorted the hot start issue. 🙌