Lude Generation

Hey all. So the other week I bought this Lude that needs some love.
Drove her 120 miles beach home. At first it' had a misfire at low revs like 1500rpm but would clear then rev freely. After 30 mins the car was fine never did it again. I figured as it had been standing for a few months maybe it was a spot of damp?

Well today after it had been standing for a few days took her out agian and suffered the same problem, it's always low revs around 1500rpm in 1st and 2nd and around 2200 rpm in 3rd at 30mph. If I increase speed slowly it's fine, only happens if I press the pedal to accelerate quickly but like last time clears at around 3k rpm

The. All of a sudden heard relay clicking sounds from the rear? And it died. I started her agian drove 5 yards and it cut again. I repeated this about 4-5 times as I waste hi g to get off the main road. Once on a side road I stared it agin tried to keep the revs high. Again with the clicking, wouldn't rev and just died.

As we were out to get take away And had to get home I thought I'd try resting the Ecu so removed the clock radio fuse and all was ok? And was able to drive home.

Also the EML was on and SRS light but I've already read the codes which gives EGR valve and N/S/F abs sensor.
However about 10 mins before the cutting started almost ever light was on, 4ws, brake warning lamp, and handbrake light lol.

So I'm baffled at what could be causing this? And for it to be fine after the rest?

All the lights must be some sort of electrical gremlin but what's with the miss fire and cutting out? What would the relay clicking be from the boot.
There is a big Module in there is this the 4ws brain.

I alwso think my boot is leaking? Not sure if this would cause anything.

loose wire on the battery?

Oh yeah maybe? I'll check that tomorrow could be a bad earth as well yeah?

The big jobby in the boot is the 4ws whatsit.(sorry to be so technical) Joined the wet boot club. Suspects sunroof drain(if you have one)Strip at the bottom of the rear window knackered and boot rubber seal likewise. I also think you have a bad earth somewhere. As an afterthought have a look at your rotor arm and dizzy. I had a Lude that did the dying and misfiring trick and that was the problem.

Hi Paul.
I thought it was for the 4ws but wasn't 100% I suppose the clicking is because the car cut.
I've just got back from work so having a brew then I'll go investigate.

My rear window bottom seal is indeed knackered! Will take a photo to show on here to see if it's worth removing and re painting or replacing. Surely a slap of paint won't stop the leak it'll just make it look nicer?

Ok well just checked the earths the one to the body bay the headlight is tight however found this on the main earth to the starter.



After removed the tape..



Maybe this is te problem? Doesn't look healthy.
I'll nip down to napkin and get some cable and replace it.

Also this is the boot strip at the bottom of the rear window





You can see the condensation in inside the window


And inside of bootlid

All of the Insde boot is the same.

The clicking you hear is the relays in the 4ws ecu. Don't worry about that, they'll be clicking because you've got an electrical fault and the ecu is basically being switched on/off by the electrical supply.

Definitely get that earth sorted, that's not good and then check all the others and the battery terminal connections like Phil says.

Paint flaking off that rear window strip is common, looks very untidy but that doesn't cause it to leak. If you think the boot is leaking, then check the seals on the rear lights and the rubber seal on the boot opening lip. Might take a while to track it down for sure.

EDIT: also check the sunroof drains are clear.

Hey up wurlycorner.
Right got you, thank you for that, I was starting to think afterwards that it was probably coincidence lol

Yeah that's can't be good can it? Lol I was going to nip to maplin to get some cable, I then noticed that the actual cable is connected straight to the terminal if you get me.
I found the battery earth cable on eBay though so will
Order that.
The battery earths on these only have one going to the body and one to the starter so very basic, how many other separate earth are they do
You know?

As I was looking at the bottom strip
I notice when I opened the boot and all the water ran off it didn't get past this strip
So figured that's not the cause.
Ok I'll check the around the lights and the boot seal.
Today I striped the boot of all the trim, figured it'll stop soaking it and causing that horrible musty smell.
Also it'll make it much easier for when I look my missus in there to find the leak

Ps sorry for any mistakes in this writing I didn't check but it's sat night so had a few

My non start issue turned out to be a bad earth, yet showed all signs of dizzy right up until the earth being fixed. Granted, the dizzy was dead as well, so just bad luck, perhaps the earth dieing fried the dizzy, who knows.

That's interesting, I never realised a bad earth could cause so many different problems lol. I've just orderd a new earth so I'll fit that when it turns up and see what it's like.

I've been trying to my my new aerial mast today but it winning, what an absolute pig these are to fit. I've had to cover it it up for now due to weather.
Last day of work tomorrow so will try and get thus sorted soon.