Hey all,

My "original" Magna - an Embassy Pearl TF Executive - which I bought as "not-going" is doing my head in. It's been sitting in my mums garage for a few months now, moved it there during the winter to make it easier to work on (than my wet front lawn).

I have had it started maybe 4-5 times since I've owned it, runs for about 2 seconds then dies. Tried different batteries, known good ones - same deal. Checked, reinserted connectors under dash, checked sensor connections underbonnet, same deal.

When it starts, its usually after 2-4 weeks of not being touched, then wham starts first go (but stalls just as quick). After the first start it will not go again, just cranks.

Tried Diagnostic mode (ground Pin 1 on diag plug), I get a continuous flash (aka no codes) but the N (for neutral) flashes (no auto faults?) on the cluster when ignition is turned to on, 5 seconds before the ECM/Check Engine Light starts it's continuous flash.

Other oddities - when attempting to start in any position other than Park it will buzz under the bonnet for about 5 seconds (even in Neutral) then stop unless you change selector position again. It will not attempt to start in any position other than the usual N and P.

Any ideas guys? I've read nearly every thread relating to immobilisers, dud batteries, stalling etc, cleaned the key reader thingy, 3 different batteries - I'm at wits end and would love to get it alive and back on the road.

Thanks in advance for any and all replies.

To be honest it sounds like the immob module, the start is most likely fuel sitting in the maifold from leaky injectors and then it dies, is a common symptom

If you have another car you can grab the key, ecu and immob box from you can try that, that will forsure rule it out. Over here I just put a new immob in and reprogramme the key, if I get a start I know I was right the first time but when you do not have the MUTT handy the diagnosis is a longer process

I'd be happy to send the offending items over to you to be inspected, just let me know what you want dollar-wise.

Alternatively, if you could provide what is needed, I would happily pay (wreckers here are tards... no real DIY/pick-for-yourself, just ask and hope you caught them in a good mood)

I had a similar problem with my Auto TJ, id start it and then it would die, and if i tried to crank it again straight away it wouldn't even fire, i had to turn the key off and back on, usually i would have to repeat this a few times before it started. I checked when it first started doing this and it wasn't getting injector pulse. The problem comes and goes, it might go away for months at a time or it might happen every day for a week. Plugging in a scan tool showed up an immobiliser code. Haven't done anything about it though :P

And its normal for Neutral to flash on the cluster in diag mode, its the way the auto computer shows its codes, so pay attention to it as well, very common for 3rd gens to develop a leaking heater core which leaks all over the auto computer which is below it.....frying it.

very common for 3rd gens to develop a leaking heater core which leaks all over the auto computer which is below it.....frying it.

Someone needs to design something like a giant condom for those electronic bits so that worried owners like me can prevent damage BEFORE the internal waterfall starts up. lol By the time you smell the coolant inside the car its probably too late.

Someone needs to design something like a giant condom for those electronic bits so that worried owners like me can prevent damage BEFORE the internal waterfall starts up. lol By the time you smell the coolant inside the car its probably too late.

I'm getting worried too - I guess access to the ECU is only by ripping half the dash out?.....if access is easy, it would not be too hard to slip a cover over the ECU similar to the way door lock actuators etc are protected.

I think Mal has posted previously that there IS some plastic sheet above/over the "heater core ECU" (LOL) but its not enuf protection if a leak goes undetected for a longer while. And, I'm fairly sure quite a few have had leaks without buggering their ECU.

For me, its in the "Meh" category.... if a leak happens hopefully I'll notice before I frazzle a pooter. But then, if you saw the paint/interiors etc of my cars, you'd know I am a bit of a slack-bugger generally.

@ OP : The start/immediate-stall certainly sounds like immobiliser, but you've read well and done lots of common checks by the sound of it. I'd personally be exploring the "buzzing" from engine bay more, with an accomplice if necessary find what is buzzing and why. If you have ABS, I'd say 'OK its just the ABS pump self-check' but with the gear selector involved, I'd be looking at the inhibitor switch (or checking that its not the buzz, and isn't feeling hot when you try to start etc). Admittedly, the inhibitor switch if dicky would probably stop cranking altogether. I'd also be looking to whether a relay is the buzzing, and jammed/fried either open or closed. If it seemed to come from the auto box itself, buzzing could be solenoids in there crapped out - tho not sure if that would influence the ECU to prevent firing. In any case, the buzzing doesn't sound normal and I'd focus some time on finding, diagnosing and corrcecting that.

Any ideas guys? I've read nearly every thread relating to immobilisers, dud batteries, stalling etc, cleaned the key reader thingy, 3 different batteries - I'm at wits end and would love to get it alive and back on the road.


just to rule out a fuel pressure related problem , try squirting some Aerostart into the plenum and see if the engine starts and runs on that.

LOL you read my mind, I have put my can of "Start ya bastard!" in the car for the next trip up there. Fuel pump would be lovely, as I have a spare sitting here.

Have a great xmas guys, I'll keep you posted :)

Digging this up... I still have this car, and it still doesn't go - 4 years on!!

The other day I swapped in a known good (pulled directly out of a running car) ECU, immob unit, key barrel, key reader and fuel pump - ran for 2-4 seconds then stopped. When it stopped it refused to start again, just like it's always done. There is fuel in the tank, confirmed when fuel pump was replaced. Will a cam sensor, oil pressure sensor or water sensor fault prevent a car from starting or running? For the few seconds it does run it sounds like low oil pressure, though it hasn't run for 5 years....

?..For the few seconds it does run it sounds like low oil pressure, though it hasn't run for 5 years.... cant help you with the starting pronlem, but i think 5 years is probably end of life for the oil.

Hey all,

My "original" Magna - an Embassy Pearl TF Executive - which I bought as "not-going" is doing my head in. It's been sitting in my mums garage for a few months now, moved it there during the winter to make it easier to work on (than my wet front lawn).

I have had it started maybe 4-5 times since I've owned it, runs for about 2 seconds then dies. Tried different batteries, known good ones - same deal. Checked, reinserted connectors under dash, checked sensor connections underbonnet, same deal.

When it starts, its usually after 2-4 weeks of not being touched, then wham starts first go (but stalls just as quick). After the first start it will not go again, just cranks.

Tried Diagnostic mode (ground Pin 1 on diag plug), I get a continuous flash (aka no codes) but the N (for neutral) flashes (no auto faults?) on the cluster when ignition is turned to on, 5 seconds before the ECM/Check Engine Light starts it's continuous flash.

Other oddities - when attempting to start in any position other than Park it will buzz under the bonnet for about 5 seconds (even in Neutral) then stop unless you change selector position again. It will not attempt to start in any position other than the usual N and P.

Any ideas guys? I've read nearly every thread relating to immobilisers, dud batteries, stalling etc, cleaned the key reader thingy, 3 different batteries - I'm at wits end and would love to get it alive and back on the road.

Thanks in advance for any and all replies.

First, do not CLEAN the key reader thingy, replace it. The joints require soldering to fix usually, so go to a wrecker, and buy another one from a TL or something.

Second, the buzzing, when you move the selector, is the car electrically adjusting for the gearbox position. I would not worry about it, it is quite normal in the early cars.

If you get no luck replacing the key reader ring, then you could be up for a new ECU which you can get from wreckers with the key+all locks and ignition barrel.

Mike

Digging this up... I still have this car, and it still doesn't go - 4 years on!!

The other day I swapped in a known good (pulled directly out of a running car) ECU, immob unit, key barrel, key reader and fuel pump - ran for 2-4 seconds then stopped. When it stopped it refused to start again, just like it's always done. There is fuel in the tank, confirmed when fuel pump was replaced. Will a cam sensor, oil pressure sensor or water sensor fault prevent a car from starting or running? For the few seconds it does run it sounds like low oil pressure, though it hasn't run for 5 years....

Have you put fresh fuel in it, or are you trying to start it with 4 year old fuel in it? Petrol can start to lose volatility after four weeks of sitting in a tank.

cant help you with the starting pronlem, but i think 5 years is probably end of life for the oil.

Probably end of life for the car, surely?