Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing +8 refuses to start

Hi all, I am hoping to get some thoughts on a 2003 US +8 that has just died. The car has, up to this point, been utterly reliable. The car was just shipped across country as part of a relocation and was running fine when loaded on the truck; it arrived not able to be started. The battery is charged, the various lights come on with the key, the engine turns but won't fire. I have reset the inertial fuel cutoff, the fuses are all good. The pump does not come on with the ignition, but jumping the pump shows it will run fine - it doesn't appear to be getting power. I have a full set of RSW software to analyze faults and reset the GEMs immobilizer. I also have a very comprehensive OBD reader. Neither the RSW tool or OBD reader are able to link to the ECU (having had a smog check within the year, the port was working fine). Port, cabling, harness connections all appear intact and clean to general inspection. Thoughts? It seems unlikely that the ECU has died, but...

Have you ever had your diagnostic tools talking to that car?

I have three ODB readers two of them will not talk to an MX5 2005 to 2014. The other does. All three talk to Subaru and Suzuki cars.

Therefore before you look for other problems can you answer the question about your diagnostc units and your car.

Does it have an immobilizer? It sounds like that is not working

recently have a similar problem and seem's it come from the chipset in the key , have you check that ?

You seem to say you ran a direct feed to the fuel pump and did the pump then run? If that's correct did you then try and start the car? The car has a combined relay under the bonnet (on a UK car it's on the bulkhead on the passengers side so may well be on the drivers side for you). It switches on the ECU circuit AND the fuel pump but is a double unit so entirely possible one side has failed.

First step is to turn on ignition and try and press the centre of the Schroeder valve on the fuel rail (with care and use a cloth to catch fuel) and check for line pressure. I would do this as it is, then with a direct feed to the fuel pump, obviously without fuel pressure the car will not start.

I would be very suspicious of the inertia switch as a rough road journey s plenty to switch it (plus bouncing during loading/unloading) I know you said you have reset it but my very first step would be to join the wires and totally bypass it! They often sit unused for many years and then stick if they operate!

Thank you for all the replies! I have never had my OBD tool talk to the car - haven't tried until now, but it is pretty high-end and talks to everything else I've used it on; the RSW software should absolutely talk to it as it is actually what is recommended to address the GEMs immobilizer issues on Morgans. I have 3 keys for the car and all have worked for years until now; none of the 3 work now, so would doubt it's the key chip. I have tried to start the car with the pump jumped and running but it did not start (hmm) I have not tried to jump the inertia switch, but I would guess that is an easy next step (it was my 1st suspicion have been shipped across the US)

Some additional response: jumping the inertia cutoff did not solve the issue. Also, there is fuel under pressure when pushing the Schroeder valve.

If it still won't start Fred go back to basics. Check that the plugs have a spark. See if they get wet. Is it the cold start function not working? You may have to substitute the ecu.
Has the timing slipped?
Sooner or later basic checks will have it sorted. Good luck.
My gut reaction would have been the inertia switch first!

OK Fred, sorry but that tells me that your initial email had a mistake in it, you said the fuel pump did not run and it must have to have fuel pressure in the fuel rail, that's good news and you can forget the inertia switch as that cuts the fuel pump.

Right, next let's see if there are sparks! DO NOT open circuit the HT as this could cause a back EMF to the ECU and damage it, please pull off one of the HT leads (plug wires) at the spark plugs and fit an old spark plug to the end of it. Holding the plug in a pair of insulated pliers ground the metal body of the plug on the head or manifold and get an assistant to turn the engine over. Do you have sparks? If yes the car should run as there is fuel pressure at the rail and sparks, just about all that's left is the injectors not opening (check harnes plug, very unlikely) if no spark it's almost 100% an immobiliser issue. I just hope the transport company did not disconnect the battery during transport? The 10AS unit (immobiliser unit used with the GEMS Morgan's) does not like the battery disconnected, they sometimes default to OE settings. That happened to mine and it took 2 days with a Rovacom Lite to spot the GEMS was looking for a Range Rover signal and the 10AS was giving out a Discovery signal set, once the parameters were changed it fired right up! Th capacitor in the ECU looks after it for short disconnections but long term battery off is not a good thing.

There is no 'cold start' function on a GEMS car Dave, the temp signal widens the injection pulse to give the enrichment. You can't just substitute the ECU as its a mapped pair with the 10AS and needs programming. Can't see how timing can slip by putting it on a transporter? It will be an immobiliser issue, pound to a penny....