Can't start 1997 Hijet - can you help please ?

Hi

A new thread started as suggested - thanks to all comments on other one.

993cc 1997 Hijet (Lady) I've had her coming up two years and never had any problems with her until ....

I jump started my Terios from her and took the leisure battery out to carry in the Terrios for a week'ish until I was confident that Terios wouldn't let me down.

I put the leisure battery back in but when I tried to start it was obvious the original battery was dead, new battery put in (had to drill out the screw attached to the back of the van and battery as rusted up but was replaced)

Thinking back I'm can't say for def that the she started after replacement battery (def was fully charged up as strong when tried to turn her over)

Neighbour put in new spark plugs for me and played around (used Easy start etc) tried jumping and bumping her off.

No warning lights come on when you turn on the ignition, no "humming" sound either, she tries to turn over and you feel that she is going to start but just doesn't manage it.

AA man spent 2 hours on her before giving up and towing her to a garage for me. Garage gone through basics - I sourced an ECU which hasn't made any difference. It turns out that Lady is a gray import (not sure how much dif this makes).

Garage has said the same as other posts - maybe crankshaft sensor - but where are these located ? They think that the problem lies between fuel pump and the spark. I know a guy with a hijet in to wreck (cam belt went on it) so I can hold of parts, would you suggest any others to get at the same time as a back up.

I have no knowledge of how an engine works etc but I am willing to try and learn basics, any help would gratefully be accepted

Thanks

Where abouts are you?

When you turn the key on does the engine warning light come on?

That answer from the garage is as much use as a chocolate fire guard ,they obviously really know their stuff!

p.s. It really cheeses me off how places blame an ECU without any real diagnostic work. I have only ever found 1 car to have a faulty ECU in all my time, yet many of the cars I've fixed have had new ECU's fitted like its some kind of random guessing game.

It's puzzling, surely it can't be because it's quick and makes a load of profit.....can it?

I'd love to believe that but from working with some guys it seems mostly fuelled by ignorance.

Can't remember if the light comes on or not - I've tried so many things, will nip down on Monday and have a look.

The garage is a local one I've used for the last 20 years and the guy is been very fair with me, and looking at the van more as a favour, not running up a big bill. If I can help source some typical hijet issues and solutions then that's going to cut down on his time looking for them.

I'm near York.

thanks

The light not coming on is a symptom of the most common non start issue with hijets.

Lots of them do it, and as you have had the main battery in and out, it's very likely this is your fault.

If your light doesn't come on when you turn the key on (not to start), then you have a broken wire!

Any news on this OZbird?

Hi

Been down today, no engine light comes on - but as Lady is an import she doesn't have a EOBD socket so suggest this could be a reason for no light ?

Also any idea where I can find the crankshaft sensor ?

Thanks

Non of the pre 2002 vans had an OBD socket of any form.

I'm pretty sure you have the good old broken wire fault.

Go to the battery in the boot.

Look at the live terminal.

There are two little wires that come from under the van, into a plastic connector block, and to the live terminal.

One of those is broken!

I'd almost put money on it

) I hope your right - will give it whirl cheers.

It's almost a promise! Almost as I'm not one for mixing up guesses and facts

When the battery was swapped it will have broken or moved the rotting delicate wires - they always rot away for some unknown reason. They go a bit green and white and fail, I put it down to some funky electrolysis or something I don't know anything about.

So get someone sat in the drivers seat with the ignition key turned on, while someone moves them wires about a bit and see it the orange engine warning light comes on or flickers.

You may find you touch the wires and they literally fall off in your hand. Or they aren't connected at all anymore.

Sometimes they break on the battery connector, sometimes its on the grey connector block thing 6 inches up.

All you need to do is cut off the broken wire, and add in a new bit, and connected it to the live terminal.

Good luck, and give us an update either way!

Highly Jetted - your a darling, thank you, thank you thank you !!!!!

Lady has risen from the ashes, as you predicted the wires around the battery - not just rotten, one missing !

MOT is her next challenge, but I'm not too worried (finger and toes crossed)

HighlyJetted wrote:None of the pre 2002 vans had an OBD socket of any form.

Wanna bet?


Van looks good

Guess it looks like this......

That van was registered down my way, Logi

Logi wrote:

HighlyJetted wrote:None of the pre 2002 vans had an OBD socket of any form.

Wanna bet?

Van looks good

Guess it looks like this......

OK OK, maybe 2001 - I'm not exactly sure of the change over date, I don't think there was one, knowing Daihatsu it was un-organized chaos

So how does Logan know which van you have?! What's going on here then?

Glad you have a running van! And a spare ECU.... and you almost had a spare crank sensor too

Ahhh its the L'DY

**cough cough** 2 x spare ECU (long story) but one will be heading to ebay or on here on the next free listing weekend