mikuni Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 I just bought a 96 Holden Vectra as a doner. Its gearbox is buggered and leaks fluid. I'm not looking at fixing it, but I just want to be able to start the engine. Its so bloody brainy that it kills the engine when it figures out the gearbox fluid is low, which is after only a second if that (damn new cars and their computery badness! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaMpylobacter Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Find the sensor, it'll be a 2 wire no doubt, which switches to let current through, when the level is low. join those two wires together. Sensor will likely be near the gearbox pan, very near the bottom of the box. giz a msg if you have trouble locating it and I'll give the koosers at our car shop a call to send me a pic of it's location. chur? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaMpylobacter Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Got a cunt that works here that's a guru on vectras. His take on this: There's no relation to any trans fluid level sensor, to the engine stalling. If the car's had a prang, the inertia sensor in the fuel pump switching relay has likely tripped, thus, the fuel pump will prime without the engine running as per default, but once the engine starts, the fuel pump circuit (different to the priming circuit alledgedly) doesn't excite, therefore no fuel pressure after a couple of seconds. To counteract this - pull the pump relay out, and bridge the terminals (power feed, and terminal that leads to the pump itslef. the inertia switch is on the switcing circuit) If that doesn't work, another potential is the crank, or cam angle sensors. these fuck out constantly, pending that they're still actually there/haven't been knocked around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikuni Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 Chur indeed, I will have a look for the sensor as per first reply. I hate to argue with a vectra 'guru' but I really think it has something do to with the gearbox aye. Its a 1996 Holden Vectra Ecotech 2.0L 16v (I think its a x20xev but I haven't checked) Car was running perfectly, driving and all. I was aware of the gearbox leak so I pulled over to check that it was alright. I pulled over at the survo to find it dripping out at a rapid rate and after about 5 mins there was a big pool under the car. I tried putting abit of fluid in anyway and it just came straight out. I thought 'fuk it, I'll just try driving it' and tried to start it but it wouldn't start. I checked over everything to do with spark, fuel etc and it appeared ok. I tried starting it again and noticed that it the gearbox light was flashing on the dash. As you first turn the key on the gearbox light just lights up like all the other warning lights do, then it starts flashing after about 2 seconds. So I found the engine actually starts if you just turn it straight from 'acc' to 'start' and by pass the 'on' because the computer doesn't have time to recognise the gearbox fault, but after a second of running the gearbox light starts flashing and the engine stalls. There is deffinately a relationship there as far as I can see. But yeah, hopefully all that was easy to understand and if you could ask that vectra dude about it again that would be very legendary! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaMpylobacter Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 w3rd. he figured you had bought it as fucked, and were trying to get it running, thus, that inertia sensor would be sweet since you've been driving it. I guess, fill it with fluid again = your only hope/bypass that sensor if you can find it chur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikuni Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 Oh yip that makes sense. It actually does sound like the fuel gets cut tho, just the way the car dies it doesn't seem like spark. Perhaps I could by pass the fuel pump relay and that might stop the engine cut out anyway. But first I will have a look for the gearbox fluid sensor, perhaps a pic would be helpfull anyway just to make sure I've got the right one. I don't think there will be much coming off the box tho. Its manual after all. Or else I will attack it with 'knead-it' and duct tape and try to refill it with fluid to get it running again! Yeah, ghetto styles... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaMpylobacter Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 fuck, if it's manual, then there'll be that sensor, and a reverse lamp sensor, and at a push, a neutral sensor. pic wise, am on teh phone right now... Edit: parts manager from teh car shop = can't find any evidence of a trans level sensor. he = "I just asked one of the 'factory trained technicians' and they said the same: no trans level sensor" you're not mistaking that light on the dash, for the generic engine check light, are you? I'd check that the fuel pump's functioning, and somehow checking any fault codes, if the vauxhall/opel efi system stores such things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikuni Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 Ahh shit. Nah its deffinately a gearbox light aye. Looks like a pretty little fwd gearbox and has a nice X in it from memory. I'll recheck but I also remember seeing the engine check light. I'll grab a camera and get pics tonight also, jus for the bling factor yo. Perhaps theres not a fluid sensor, that really surprises me though. Would there be any other type of sensor on there or any other way that the engine would detect a fault in the gearbox? I just thought fluid level because thats an obvious easy sensor. And also the gearbox is clearly out of fluid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikuni Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 And there is a pretty complex engine diagnosis system. I think you can tell the fault from flashing lights or by plugging some sorta contraption onto it, but I think it will tell me what I already know, because the gearbox is blatantly snapped in half so I'm quite sure thats where the prblem lies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaMpylobacter Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 fuck knows eh. can't stand the horrible pos's to be onest. but yuh, you'd think the dealership would be fairly clued etc eh. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteretep Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 what did you buy the car for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikuni Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 fuck, if it's manual, then there'll be that sensor, and a reverse lamp sensor, and at a push, a neutral sensor.pic wise, am on teh phone right now... Edit: parts manager from teh car shop = can't find any evidence of a trans level sensor. he = "I just asked one of the 'factory trained technicians' and they said the same: no trans level sensor" you're not mistaking that light on the dash, for the generic engine check light, are you? I'd check that the fuel pump's functioning, and somehow checking any fault codes, if the vauxhall/opel efi system stores such things. Ahh, you were right. I just had a proper look and its just the bloody engine light! Shit! lol I'll have a play with the ecu and see if I can figure out what the eng thinks the problem is. Cheers for your help man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikuni Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 what did you buy the car for? Secret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 out of interest, what sort of motor and what are you using it in? Some kind of cool and different conversion? "something gay no doubt" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteretep Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 does it have the engine that all the old ford guys are using in the UK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaMpylobacter Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 out of interest, what sort of motor and what are you using it in? Some kind of cool and different conversion? "something gay no doubt" 2 LITRE ECO-TECH. MY GUESS IS, CHEVETTE WAGZ POWERED BY THAT SHIZNIT. CAN'T IMAGINE WHICH BOX HE'LL ROCK. INTERESTING TO SEE HOW IT GOES THOUGH. RUN AFTERMARKET ECU SHIT. THOSE ENGINES PROBLEMS ALL STEM FROM EITHER, ELECTRICS, OR N00BS OVRHEATING THEM AND BENDING THE HEADS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikuni Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 does it have the engine that all the old ford guys are using in the UK? Nah, its using the newer engine. Those engines are super pricey.. unwards of 2grand even over here! ecotecs are newer and torqueyer (wholey shit is that a word) and apparantly respond better to mods?!? But yeah. I'm carbing the fuker, I hate ecu's this one is driving me crazy already and I've only had it a day. Atleast carbed cars start and let you figure out whats wrong rather than flashing a bullshit light. I shorted out the ecu pins but it doesn't seem to flash any differently.. just continues on with the same code. Strange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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