Hi folks,


I'm re-commissioning an X308 (1997, LWB 4.0 Sov) that's been down to a bare shell and back again and could use some help with the electronics:


All the spaghetti was stuffed back in/connected up and juice applied. No fire, no smoke - this is good. Not much of anything else though - this is bad.

Hazards, sidelights, and the carphone/radio worked. System check when turning ignition on shows two indicator direction arrows and the main beam light.

Then...
Drivers door open
Passenger door open
Gearbox fault
Electrical fault
Suspension fault
Failsafe engine mode
Incorrect part fitted

Cue much head scratching, then Google. Inertia switch! (it had been bounced around whilst fitting harnesses) Car thought it had been crashed and would let you light the hazard/phone for help/listen to the radio but that was about it. Reset the switch.


Now we have a Christmas tree of dashboard errors and it says:

Engine coolant low (it is empty)
Driver's door open (it is)
Passenger's door open (it is)
Failsafe engine mode (err...)
Incorrect part fitted (err...)


The engine will crank (I only tried for a 1/2 sec) and everything else except brake lights seems to work. Am I right in thinking that a faulty brake light switch will throw those two faults?


Air conditioning display shows 'Er' and beeps 10 times. I assume this is because I haven't fitted the rear ABS sensors yet (can't find them - they're in the safe place along with the alarm system sounder) Does that sound about right? The aircon system has been removed (pump, pipework, evap/condenser) for weight saving and as its pretty useless with no roof.


Can't start the engine as it has no oil/coolant/fuel/drivebelt at the minute. Fuel pump disconnected and fuse F7 (fuel pump) removed.


None of the SRS bits are fitted. (modules under dash and in B-pillars, any of the airbags/seatbelt tensioners, or the seatbelt stalks. (later I have to remove the airbag system in its entirety for registration purposes - the UK 'individual vehicle approval' IVS test that this has to go through due to the body mods won't let you fit airbags) I presume if I just pull the bulbs the car won't care? (or will that still light the amber/red warning lamps?)


I'd like to ditch the door ECUs and door wiring (nothing in there except speakers now and there's no point in locking it). Can this be done and the door open warnings cleared? Ability to lock (fuel flap and boot) would still be nice. Alarm needs to be removed again for the UK IVA test. Is just pulling the sounder ok?


Keyfob aerial/telephone aerial I have no rear window any more. Any ideas which aerials can be mounted to sheet metalwork and still work for these?


Heated rear window. Not fitted any more. Any harm in using the circuit to power a drinks chiller? The car doesn't do anything too clever with it, does it?


Thanks!


--
Marko

 

SeanB should be stopping by soon.

In the meantime ... nice concept.

Is it going to be a two door?

The keyfob antenna could be hidden along the top edge of the rear seat under the upholstery since there will no longer be any metal shielding it from the exterior. Same with the cell antenna.

 

I can't tell if you've got the gearbox + selector built up and the selector aligned?

The door modules, I've not tried it, but remember a conversation about a Beecham conversion that required the doors built fully including modules handles and locking mechs because the car wouldn't run if not attached to the car's harness, a security overide. I don't know if IDS could fix it. The only way to tell is test it once running.

I guess the error for the climate is due to aircon. If the connector isn't plugged into the solenoid?

Incorrect part fitted? if it's all from the same vehicle, that points to gearbox wiring. Worth putting a meter on the brake pedal switch to test it.

The security aerial - maybe use the front screen and a 433 spec aerial attached to it, a windscreen specialist might know of a kit. Or use the car aerial hole and a stubby?

Go for a green light and get it running fluids belt etc. Then you can experiment on the things you plan on deleting.

Looking forward to seeing it drive around without a roof!

 

plums - 4 doors (structural work is complete)


Thanks for the tips Sean. Selector is fitted. Cable not fitted, but I've (manually) pulled the selector cable to park and the selector mech is also in park so that should be ok. All bits from the same car. I'll take a look at the gearbox wiring - is it the CAN network that's critical here?


All the door ECUs are present (w/switches etc) but are not attached to the physical mechs. Not the end of the world to have to refit but was hoping for less complication!


A/C clutch not connected but its relay switched without any current sense so don't think that's the issue. I'm going to try fooling the 4-way pressure switch connector. Is it *only* the A/C errors that that unit flags, or is it the one that shows ABS/TRAC errors too?


I'm going to klutz with the seatbelt switches and SRS today. Do we know what resistor value will 'fool' the SRS unit into thinking that the bags are still present?


These should do the aerials then:

GSM Stubby quad band antenna +4db

Stubby 433 antenna

 

Progress...

Engine failsafe mode - crank angle sensor wasn't reconnected when A/C pump removed

Incorrect part fitted - ABS multiplug wasn't properly refitted (thanks dad). FWIW, you can spoof an ABS sensor (for test purposes) with a 1k ohm resistor.

SRS - SRS system can be fooled into thinking its working by replacing the airbags with 2.2 ohm resistors. This will be refitted with the pre-tensioners only, no airbags, because of the IVA test rules.

Belt warning - Eliminate the seatbelt warning is the black/pink and green/black wires under the driver's seat. (join them)

A/C - (not fixed) A/C switch you join the black/pink and purple/green wires to tell it that the refrigerant is between 2 and 30 bar. Don't join the others, else fans run needlessly. Still have the 'Er' warning so think I'm missing a few bits yet.

Door open warnings - (not fixed) Even the flippin' seats are programmable. Tried adding these modules into the system - no change. Added the overhead console for the sunroof - no change. Tried shorting pins directly in case the door switches were iffy - no change. Tried removing all modules except driver's door but even then no ball. blue and slate wires (for the SCP bus) all check for continuity/not shorted o each other or power/earth. A little stumped on this one!

Important stuff now works though!

 

Door open warnings - shoot Jaguar's software people.

"Driver's door open" actually means "driver's door courtesy/puddle lamp is blown or not fitted" (it shows a bulb failure signal from the door ECU as a door open on the instrument cluster)

Looks like I'll have to fit all the door ECUs to make that warning go away; don't need the seat ECUs though.


A/C - there was nothing wrong, it just stores codes.

Referring to JTIS, hold Auto and Recirc then turn on the ignition to get it into diagnostic mode. It'll show the codes and you can clear them by holding 'FACE' and 'REAR WINDOW DEFROST' (not 'R' as JTIS says). It had flagged a fault on the 4-level pressure switch (since modified to read 'ok' even when absent) and until cleared would keep showing that fault.

Now for a drivebelt, fuel, oil, and coolant... :-)

 

Anybody who knows how to "delete" door and seat ECUs would be more than weclome - seems like overkill to have 4 ECUs for running courtesy light switches! (no windows or need for elec mirrors)