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MG MGF Technical - [MGF] My MGF won't start

Hello,

My MGF 75LE refuses to start.

I switch on, all the indicators lights on, the starter turns and the engine launches, but after 1/2 second it stops. Then impossible to start it again, the starter turns but nothing occurs.

I have to wait until immobiliser gets on (red indicator lights on). I push the alarm fob button to disconnect it and then I can start the engine again but it stops immediately after and so and so.

Many thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.

I keep doing research on this problem...

Thank you for your answers.

Benjamin (from France)
Benjy

Sounds like you have a dodgy connection on the MEMS ECU, the engine eventually shakes it enough to switch off the ECU, and the alarm has to resend the 'activate' code before you can restart.
Will Munns

Electric gremlin ... sounds familiar in any way ;)

Could be as well the damn fuel pump connector ?
Tony and some more had this trouble.

Check this below the circular cover under the rear carpet.

Another one could be a problem with the main relay (behind the ECU)

Regards
Dieter
Dieter K.

Ooops, hit return to early.
I forgot pasting this link. (4you to get an idea)
http://www.mgfcar.de/defects/start.htm
Dieter K.

Thanks Will and Dieter.

I don't think it's the fuel pump connector beacause engine starts as well as before.

I've found this thread : http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs&mode=archiveth&subject=69&subjectar=69&thread=20010508200259489

Exactly the same problem, certainly better explained :
"Basically, the immobiliser simply cuts the engine after it's been started - it maybe runs for about 2 secs before being shut down.

You can then repeat the sequence by immobilising and then de-immobilising (if there is such a word ;-) it and it will do exactly the same thing."

But I still don't know what to do :/
Benjy

Bonjour Benjy,

Had the exact same thing during holidays last eastern.
Engine starts fine but after 2 seconds it is shutdown, don't matter if you floor the pedal to get higher revs to prevent stalling or not...
Try to start it again, starter makes the engine turn over but it won't fire up.
Pressed the fob key a few times, engine started again but died after 2 seconds...
Sometimes, when i was lucky, the car started and I could drive it without problems but I couldn't shut it down because I wasn't sure it would start agian

Brought it several times to a MGR garage, the notebook showed eachtime a different sensor broken but after each time replacing the sensor, the problem still was there (costed me a lot of money and time) .

Eventually and by a lucky shot, they found out it was an electrical shortcut behind the radio. There is a cable loom (with some cables of the alarmsystem) running behind the radio. This loom had been touching the metal housing of the radio for years and eventually the insulation of 2 wires was rubbed off by the vibrations during driving. When I got the car I putted the radio in myself and didn't pay any attention to the wires behind it :-(
Putting some tape around the wires and strapping them so they don't touch the radio anymore, cured the problem.

Then, I also looked in the archives and found this thread you found (and some others). I mailed some people to ask for their solutions and they all came to the conslusion it was an electrical problem. Some had to replace the ECU, some a sensor... but all without knowing the real problem.

What i would do in your case is :
- remove the radio and try to start the car, maybe you are lucky and it is the same problem as me
- go to a garage and ask if they can swap your ECU with a new one, maybe the ECU is bad ...
- look around in the car (behind the dashboard, enginebay,...) to see if some wires don't touch any metal parts without protection.
- Check connectors to see if they are attached good or not oxidated.

These kind of electrial problems can sometimes be very hard to find !
I still have some of those answers i got, so if you want I can mail them to you.

HTH,
Geert Maes
geert.katy@@@@@@@planetinternet.be
(with only 1 @,to prevent spam)
Geert Maes

Thank you very much Geert Maes for your answer.

And you know why ? The problem occurs just after I pulled off the radio (to clean it) !!!

I hope it's the same problem than yours. I'll check that this evening. I keep you informed.

Thanks again.

Benjamin

PS : About which ECU you do talk ? Alarm ECU or MEMS ECU ?

Benjy

I was talking about the MEMS.

If you take out the airvent above the radio and the 2 triangle shaped covers (with lights) in the footwell, you will have a better view at the wires behind the radio if you put it back.

Bon chance !
Geert
Geert

Geert it's was exactly the same problem than yours. The insulation of some wires behind the radio is rubbed off and touch the metal of the car (so there is a shortcut).

I'll put some tape around the wire just as you did.

Thanks again !!!

Regards,

Benjamin
Benjy

Pictures of the wires :

http://benjy.free.fr/mgf/panne1.jpg
http://benjy.free.fr/mgf/panne2.jpg
http://benjy.free.fr/mgf/panne3.jpg
Benjy

Benjy,

Excellent - thanks for the tip - something to check next time I pull the CD player out.

Tony
Tony

This thread was discussed between 01/12/2003 and 04/12/2003

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