1.6 L problems

[Guest]

The sizziling noise suggest an electrical problem, check all your fuses and relays are in properly and that there is no bare wires around the fuse board.

I would be suprised if the wiper and engine problems are linked unless it is an electrical problem.

[D813YBB]

Right.

Today I've taken out the temperature sensor, cleaned it up and re-assembled it. I've also re-connected the two wires into those spade like connectors on the end of the sensor.

Put the car back together, started the car up and..... no change, its still the same.
There is a new sensor in the club spares. Should I get this?

The sizzling sound is definitely coming form the area of the fuse box. I've had a look around and all seems in order, but I still need to check while its making the noise. Everything seems plugged in properly.

[Simon]

Check your relays. Also check the routing of the cable from the alternator across the engine, especially near to the corner where the gearbox juts out in case the wiring has chafed through and is shorting out. (Mine did and I had a little underbonnet fire, easily sorted though). I'd also look at the earths and part the big 20 way multiconnector near the washer bottle, clean the pins if you can and reassemble.

[Guest]

I’m still having problems with an erratic idle.


Is there anything else to try in order to fix this annoying problem.

Obviously you have electrical problems, but sometimes not all the problems one gets at the same time are connected. I was having erratic idling probs recently, took the car to my mechanic (it's a Citroen garage but he was originally trained on Austin/Rover). Stood next to the idling car talking to him and the engine note changed... He said 'Aha! ', swooped under the bonnet and reconnected a vacuum tube that had been disturbed - end of problem!

[D813YBB]

The source of the sizzling sound is the flasher unit next to the fuse box. I can feel it vibrating when I touch it as it sizzles.

Would a faulty flasher unit cause front or rear window wipers to come on when indicating?

Today I dismantled the vacuum pipe that runs from the ECU to the carb and then onto the vacuum unit. All joins are tight and I can't see any splits in the pipe. I also disconnected and reconnected the plug on the ECU in the glove box. All without any change to the idle and temperature problem.

I've previously checked the large plug next to the washer bottle. When prizing it apart all the pins were clean except for a little grease.

[D813YBB]

Today I had another look around the engine bay and discovered a split in the elbow connector where the vacuum tubing goes into the vacuum switch. I missed it before as it was on the underside.

Pulling the tube out makes no difference to the erratic engine idle. Would this cause the idle and temperature problems I've been experiencing?

As a further check I pulled off the T piece connector for the vacuum tubing into the base of the carb and that made a big difference to the idle, so thats working.

Regarding the electrical problem: inspection of the flasher unit reveals one of the three pins is discoloured (a bit brown and with spots on). I'll also change this but Partco don't do flasher units.

So does anyone have spare

A) a flasher unit or,
B) an elbow connector for the vacuum tubing

that I could have (cash waiting...)

Are flasher units the same for all Maestros and Montegos as I've only seen (rare) diesel Maestro vans in the scrappys.

[G Force]

Would this cause the the electrical problemidle and temperature problems I've been experiencing?

It is likely that the split pipe will have a positive effect on the idle quality once repaired, but it will not effect any idle problems that co-incide with the temp gauge fluctuating.

inspection of the flasher unit reveals one of the three pins is discoloured (a bit brown and with spots on).

The discolouring is most likely due to a poor connection in the wiring of the plug that the flasher unit plugs into. Tightening and cleaning this connection might fix the problem without the need to fit a new flasher unit. Also if you just fit a new flasher unit without fixing the connection you will probably get a Recurrence of the problem in time.

Gary

[E_T_V]

Flasher units are all the same in maestros and montegos.

[D813YBB]

I’ve now also discovered the reason for the rear window wiper randomly switching on by itself and staying on indefinitely. The rear wiper delay relay is also playing up exactly in the same manner as the flasher relay.

I’m not sure what I should be trying to fix now.

Is it coincidence that two relays pack up at the same time or is there a common link between them. Not to mention that the front wipers sometimes come on when indicating or flashing the headlights.

I thought the board the relays plug into may be a fault, as suggested by GForce, but the wiper relay unit plugs in a different location.

[E_T_V]

Sounds like an earthing problem to me.

[Guest]

[QUOTE=D813YBB]So does anyone have spare

A) a flasher unit or,
B) an elbow connector for the vacuum tubing

QUOTE]

I got an elbow connector from a local car parts shop - it was labelled 'vacuum advance tube' or something like that.

And recently needing a flasher relay for the hazards on my trike (which operates seperately from the indicator relay) I found that Halfords have a good range of units but don't rely on Halfords staff giving you the right one, take the old unit with you and make your own judgement (he was very helpful but entirely wrong!)

[D813YBB]

Thanks for that BikerGran. Theres a Maestro 1.6 with parts for sale on the classifieds so I'm going to try that first.

I've found the following earth points and all were nice and tight:

front bumper mountings - both sides
two in the boot - close to the rear light mountings on both sides
one below the black box ECU in the inner wing.

I can't see the one in the centre back of dash and am not certain where the N/S A post one would be.

Regards

[G Force]

I can't see the one in the centre back of dash and am not certain where the N/S A post one would be.

Regards

You should be able to see the one on the A post if you drop the glove box right down, you may have to just move the carpet or trim to make access. The small one in the centre of the dash you have to lie on your back across the front footwells and use a torch to locate it, I think it is just a single wire. Maybe someone who has recently had their dash board out might be able to direct you better.


Its better sometimes not just to trust to luck that because the earths are tight they are ok, but to remove the bolt and clean off the paint / rust etc. then refit the bolt. After you can apply grease to stop the area rusting.

[Simon]

Centre dash earth point? I've had my dash out recently and I can report that there's no such item on my 1988 F reg Maestro 1600 . My electrics *appear * to function correctly. I have the conventional one on the nearside (to which I've added a couple more wires for various mods.) Is the centre dash connection actually on the dash itself, in other words part of the harness that is physically attached to the dash?

[G Force]

Hi, no one panic on the earth wire on the centre of the dash, it is a long time since I had a dash out of a maestro. I seem to recal it was one wire bolted to the metal structure of the dash itself above or near the radio.

Im willing to conceed that it could have been "spec" specific or some error of mine getting it confused with another austin rover model. I was hoping someone could correct me if I was wrong as it is a little vauge in my mind