My Sportline has died after flood water

Hi Guys, have a 1993 Sportline, which has been running perfectly, drove and conked out in some flood water one night...long story, had to push the car out, water came in through the doors, had to empty out the interior etc, need new carpets...what a silly etc.....anyway, for the first 2 days after the flooding the car was still starting first turn of the key, engine running well...3rd day, nothing, wont even turn over, have a battery conditioner so not a battery issue, all electrics work.....so why will she no longer turn over?? I did happen to notice, while checking for issues that one of the fuses, I cant remember which one off hand...a yellow one I think.....had actually melted, so pulled it out and replaced it, dont know what thats all about as it was not a fuse with any direct connection to the Starter motor???I am in no way mechanically or electric minded.....so just wondered if you guys had any basic tests I could perform to try and get to the bottom of this???Any help would be REALLY appreciatedcf_emoticons__BangHead:cf_emoticons__BangHead:

No help I'm sorry but gutted for you with the flood  

At a guess I would say your starter motor got full of water and was probably OK for a day or so but as the water stuck inside is now attacking the internal components etc that it is now either stuck and/or internal corrosion is occuring.

Do you have a 12v feed to the starter pre engage when  cranking? Or any clicking coming from the starter?

Hi Mate… good to see you are still about!

As Yomp has stated it could well be your starter motor got full of water/moisture.

Most corrosion inhibitors have a distinctive smell, and a dye - often green. Is any of that apparent on the starter motor, or if you slide under, around the housing?

how deep was the water? enough to reach fusebox?

Hi Guys, thanks for all your advice, when the weather and garage get a but warmer I will have a good look, yes shughy mate, I am still around, just havent really gotten use to this new layout on the site yet, have only just worked out how to reply to this post!!!Rubjonny, no, it was only about 4 inches inside the car...why, what you thinking??

Sorry to hear this mate. Sounds like you've had a nightmare with it. Hope it gets sorted soon

Cheers dude...all part of the experience!!

Has the fuse, that went gone again?

Is it starting or cranking?

No mate, fuse has not gone again…..and when you turn the key…nothing, wont even try to turn over, and that is witha  fully charged battery…….

I wondering could it be a fault with your ignition switch?

was thinking water damage to the fusebox, but if it didnt reach it should be ok. check the ign switch but also if it has an alarm or immobiliser check those too.

have a good look at the fusebox anyway, pop each relay out in turn and look at the terminals for corrosion or damp.

pop off the ignition switch plug and bridge the red wire to the red/black, it should crank over. if not the problem is further on from the switch. check the red/black wire to the starter is clean and tight, and try jumping the spade with a live feed direct from battery see if it will crank then

Did you manage to sort this?

Ok guys…..FINALLY pulled the car out of the garage and had a good look around the starter motor…..shughy, doesnt look like anything leaked…..took the starter motor off the car, cleaned all connections with wire brush, refitted….nothing………the way my car (used to) start with my alarm, is you put key in ignition, turn the key as far as you can and then press bitton on fob, all the dashboard etc then lights up and you can here a buzz, like the fuel pump getting ready…..then you turn the key and it always (used to) start first time……now still same process all lights come on, buzz etc….but turn key and nothing…not a click, not any sign of life whatsoever??? With regards to what you said Rubjonny……I am really not mechanically mined at all…I dont even know where the ignition switch plug is???All the fuses seem ok…….so I dont really know what to do next, any tips on where the ignition switch plug is would be helpful….. :-) Lovely day and my poor car is dead as a dodo!!
   

take the trim off the bottom of the ignition housing, then the ignition switch plug is on the end of the ignition barrel and switch, cant miss it!

disarm the immobiliser first, then unplug it then loop a bit of chunky wire from the red pin to the red/black. if car cranks the ignition switch is damaged. if not its the red/black wire somewhere, the alarm is damaged or the starter motor is to blame.

to check starter, run a wire from the battery +ve to the spade on the starter where your red/black wire is, car should crank. if there are 2 spades, try both!  if car wont crank, starter is to blame or perhaps the battery cabling.

to rule out battery cabling, run jump lead from battery + to the 13mm stud on the starter (follow the battery +ve cable), and another from batter -ve to one of the bolts holding starter to car. if it cranks over then you know its your battery cabling or the gearbox earth is dirty

Hi John, just wanted to say a big thanks for taking the time to give me a great checklist :-) I need to order some wire first as I dont think I have any suitable…..can you suggest a particular type and I will get it ordered??
Also one last thing, you mention the gearbox earth…now when it got stuck in the flood I lost all my gears for about 20 mins and then only had 2nd to crawl home…was very strange, could that be a result of a gearbox earth….just wondering or does it have nothing to do with it??Thanks again mate!!

no that wont be the earth, but it may be the box is full of water! best to drain it and refill with new oil asap.

any old wire will do really, just if its thin dont do it for too long as it wont take the load. some household plug wiring will work just fine for testing, just dont let me see you use it to actually repair the car wiring

Ha Ha....NO I definately wont bodge it like that :-) Ok then, well I have normal household wiring, so that being 3 wires, do I just wrap the three up together and hold them on the various points you mention??Would prefer not to blow myself and car up....ideally...although the wife may have a different opinion!!!

you could do that or just use 1 of the 3 strands its up to you!

Ok again thanks for all your advice, I have actually just found a whole reel of black and red wire in the garage…strange what you forget you buy!!!So next time the weather is pleasant I will print off your list and get to work, and will report my findings to you :-)Cheers matey