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Location:
Perth
Registered:
November 2002
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 Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Wed, 01 October 2003 12:41
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Coming home today, car stops all of a sudden. First thing that goes through my head is the alternator has died again, but all the electrics are fine and there was no charge light on. I try to start, it kicks over, then dies. Same again, same again. Then I realise I can keep it going by holding the key between On and Start, making sure the start moter doesn't tick over and fry itself ofc. I managed to get home like that, thank goodness it was only 5mins and not 50, as my thumb was shagged! Wouldn't think there was that much resistence there 
So my question is this, does this sound like just a problem with the ignition, or should I be looking somewhere else? I had to go out straight after getting home and its too dark now. I'll hafta wait till saturday to look at it damnit 
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
June 2003
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Wed, 01 October 2003 12:45
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depending which car is this?
could be computer???
Fuel ignition system?
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Location:
Perth
Registered:
November 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Wed, 01 October 2003 13:00
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18r-c ra23
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
June 2003
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Wed, 01 October 2003 13:06
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thatd have to be as you said, in the fuel/ ignition system.
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
October 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Wed, 01 October 2003 13:08
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was it trying to fire, i.e. actually starting then stopping while "driving home", or was it free spinning with only the compression slowing it down
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Location:
Perth
Registered:
November 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Wed, 01 October 2003 13:11
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it fired and kept going if I held it in like I said, I managed to drive it home like that no problem, cept for a few times when my hand was so sore I slipped abit, but turned it abit more and off it went again. It's like On is now Acc, and On is situated halfway to Start, if that makes any sense. I'll be pulling the ignition out when I get the chance and give it a good look.
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
June 2003
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Wed, 01 October 2003 14:29
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 .
sorry couldnt help myself...
perhaps you hit the kill switch...
i only found it funny as its more than likely something id do !
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Location:
Perth
Registered:
November 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Wed, 01 October 2003 16:04
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no kill switch on this car, and if I did, it wouldn't even start 
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Club Member
Location:
sydney
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Wed, 01 October 2003 21:36
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its most likely the ignition barrel (key) at the back of the key is the contact points for ignition, sometimes older cars get dry solder joints and fail, that is where id be looking
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
October 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Wed, 01 October 2003 23:52
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maybe i heard wrong, so u dont drive the car home via the starter?????????????????????
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Location:
Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Japan
Registered:
January 2003
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Thu, 02 October 2003 00:03
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| IRA11Y wrote on Thu, 02 October 2003 07:36 |
its most likely the ignition barrel (key) at the back of the key is the contact points for ignition, sometimes older cars get dry solder joints and fail, that is where id be looking
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soudns EXACTLY like that... when you turn to start, coil power comes off a different circuit (ie the starter circuit, and often has ballast resistor switched out.. if you have one). when you turn back to 'on' the coil power goes thru switch, to ballast res, to coil..
i',m guessing that either your switch is farked (you can test easily by jumpering from battery +ve to coil/ballast resistor +ve, and startign car. you'll have to take off the jumper to stop the car tho!!!! be careful!!!
oh, or you could turn key to start and either put multimeter, or globe, from coil +ve to ground... if no voltage put test thing to the ballast resistor +ve.
it's gonna either be dead ignition switch, or dead ballast resistor
Cya, Stewart
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Toymods Board Member
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
September 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Thu, 02 October 2003 01:51
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I agree with oldcorolla.. Same thing happened on my car.. It will be the Ballast resister...
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Location:
Perth
Registered:
November 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Thu, 02 October 2003 01:56
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Thanks Michael and Stewart, I'll get testing on the weekend with what you suggested. Phil, I meant so I didn't drive home with the starter motor ticking over, which would have been a few hundred dollars down the toilet in 5 minutes I learnt from my last time with that when the key was getting stuck on Start without me knowing it
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
December 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Thu, 02 October 2003 02:20
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Ballest resistor on the coil and probably your starter after driving it home like that 
I had this problem in one of my rollas.
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Location:
Perth
Registered:
November 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Thu, 02 October 2003 02:41
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but the start wasn't ticking over on the drive home, so I don't think it would be damaged 
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Location:
Adelaide
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Thu, 02 October 2003 05:33
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| Jason wrote on Thu, 02 October 2003 11:50 |
Ballest resistor on the coil and probably your starter after driving it home like that
I had this problem in one of my rollas.
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i agree definitely sounds like the ballest resistor. its usually a creamy/white rectangulor block next to or connected to the coil. cost around 5-10 dollars. in the mean time it can be fixed by joining the + and - terminals together with a piece of wire
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Location:
Perth
Registered:
May 2003
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Thu, 02 October 2003 05:40
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sam thing happend to mine but i couldnt start the car it couldnt get nay spark but i could start it if i bridged the wire on it.
i got a new one for $5 
its all sweet, i allready have a new alternator,starter motor,coil,battery,voltage regulator so i have no worries that my car wont start
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Location:
Darwin
Registered:
April 2003
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Thu, 02 October 2003 05:41
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Definately agree with the majority on this one.
Had exactly the same problem with my corona. As soon as you let the key go it stop. Replaced the ballast resistor and all was good.
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Location:
Darwin
Registered:
March 2003
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Thu, 02 October 2003 06:12
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yup...id be puttin my money on the ceramic ballast resistor
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Location:
Perth
Registered:
November 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Thu, 02 October 2003 10:34
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ok I just swapped the resistor from my black celica onto my silver one, and no joy, did the same thing. Looking at the thing, is there any visible way of telling if its dead? Also, one my silver celica there was a + but on the other resistor nothing, and they were mounted differently, so is there a way of telling which way is which?
cheers for the help to silly problem
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
December 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Thu, 02 October 2003 23:37
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Check the resistance. The problem is that they corrode and break down.
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Location:
Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Japan
Registered:
January 2003
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Fri, 03 October 2003 00:15
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if changing the resistor made no diference, then have you checked the ignition switch??
use a multimeter, or a light globe, connect oen side to ground of battery. turn the key to 'on' then put put other side of globe/multimeter to the coil +ve, and both sides of the ballast resistor. then get someone (you trust  ) to hold the key in the same position that got you home, and do the same test.
if the ballast resistor is fine, then your ignition switch is farked. have had this happen to a couple of my rollas, btu then they are 30+ years old
good luck,
Cya, Stewart
| gtman wrote on Thu, 02 October 2003 20:34 |
ok I just swapped the resistor from my black celica onto my silver one, and no joy, did the same thing. Looking at the thing, is there any visible way of telling if its dead? Also, one my silver celica there was a + but on the other resistor nothing, and they were mounted differently, so is there a way of telling which way is which?
cheers for the help to silly problem
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Location:
Darwin
Registered:
March 2003
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Fri, 03 October 2003 05:00
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check the cables going onto the ballast resistor...i had a dodgy cable that took me days to figure out
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Location:
Perth
Registered:
November 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Sat, 04 October 2003 05:11
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I love and hate simple solutions. I love them cause they are, well, simple, but I hate them cause you run around looking for all kinds of electrical problems when the thing wrong is a blown fuse 
Thanks for your hlep guys, I'll go back under my rock
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Location:
Perth
Registered:
November 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Thu, 23 October 2003 07:26
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as a finale to this problem, it did end up being the ballast resister. It must have gone and caused the fuse to blow. I followed your instructions and put the resister from my other car on my silver one, and there was no joy, but then I noticed the fuse, replaced it, and problem was gone, but kept the resister from my black car on there. Today I swapped them back cause the black one is off getting an overhaul of the entire brake system (540 bucks, ouch!), and when I started the silver one, same thing happened again, and a fuse was blown. So off to autopro, picked up a new resister, and everyone is happy again, except my wallat having to pay for those brakes
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Location:
Perth
Registered:
May 2003
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Thu, 23 October 2003 07:49
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who why how? ($540)
I hope that was for new discs, pads, calliper recon, bearing ,seals,drums ,shoes ,brake lines and everything else brake related.
i got a new disks (front) $75 pair new pads (front $60) and bearing/seals for $50. i couldve got new drum shoes for $20 but couldnt be fkd
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Location:
Perth
Registered:
November 2002
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Re: Car won't stay on, mechanical ignition problem?
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Fri, 24 October 2003 05:41
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Perth brake clutch exhaust in kenwick. Yeah, it is pretty much everything getting an overhaul, new discs, recon the calipers, new handbrakes lines etc etc etc. They think my master cylinder has a problem too cause its not holding pressure on the pedal, which if true I'm going to be pissed cause I had it recon'd about 7 months ago when I lost all pedal feel 
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