Hotwiring?
 

My starter switch recently caused me some grief that turned out to be just a very worn key (a newly cut one from 5 years ago works fine) but it made me wonder how you hotwire a vehicle to get it started if the switch goes?

I have a 200TDI, so both directions for my landy and general advice would be welcome for others if anybody has any clues?

Just a case of connecting the correct wires?

Never tried this, but I don't know anything preventing a 200Tdi engine from running if wires are connected correctly.

I believe you could push start it if you apply +12v to the solenoid.

For driving you should disable the steering lock though and that's something I would worry about.

Locate the starter solenoid under the bonnet and short it there.

Bump starting is also good.

The immobiliser is more of a potential problem - the contacts inside the Im. socket tend to wear out (well they did on my '94 Toy and a 200TDi is of a similar era). I had to have the whole shebang pulled out in Kenya - luckily it was an aftermarket fitment and so tracing the wires and removing it from the circuit was quite easy.

Bundubasher,

If you have +12V on your diesel solenoid, I don't think an immobillizer can stop the engin from turning (or can it? I mean, the fuel supply to the pump is open, so now it's only matter of making the engin turn, once it's turning, it won't stop untill theirs no more fuel or you take away the +12V from the solenoid).

with 'shortening the starter solenoid' you mean 'temporarily' I gues? like with a switch or something? One thing I'd never do is having the engine starting with me under or in front of the car!

;-)

For what it's worth the 200Tdi immobiliser only disables the starter, on the 300 it became a little more difficult as the spider was added to the alarm circuit.
Most of the wires in the ignition switch are to operate electrical items on the vehicle, a live to the fuel cut off switch, and starter should get you started, but as already mentioned the steering lock could be difficult..

Yes you are right, the immobiliser does not stop you from "bumping" the car.

However, my immobiliser used to "cut out" the electrical system, ie: pre-heat, starter, lights accessories etc, so when it stopped working I used to just bump it and drive home. With a 3 tonne car that's great until you park on the flat or stall on a hill!

However, I could still start the car by shorting the starter solenoid and, as long as it was daylight and your window was open, you could start the car and drive it (making use of hand signals etc for turning).

You short the solenoid with a short piece of copper wire - the solenoid is usually easy to get to and the vehicle shouldn't be in gear. It all really depends on how your immobiliser is wired - mine was just a basic aftermarket jobby wired into the OE central locking/alarm.

Well the good news is I don't have an immobiliser as I chucked in the 200 TDi as an engine replacement and aren't aware of having one - but perhaps I do!

I don't have a steering lock either - mine is ex-military etc

So, what exactly do I connect to what and what do I need to do this?

And if I pull my starter switch apart, what can I connect there to get a start rather than sticking myhead in near the starter etc
(Cheers for the replies etc)

No immobiliser on that crate mate - and its a good thing too.

Same thing happened to my Audi 80: for 6 months key in, turn, got all the nice dash lights but as it got worse no firing up unless I turned the key while pulling down hard the ign barrel from the back with my other hand and one leg out the sunroof. muttering "come on you bastard" often helps.

Remove the cap off the back of the barrel and there's a mass of wires - most are irrelevant but find which one is live (prob red) , cut a nick into it and check to find out - when you got it, with a spare bit of wire in the nick probe around for the terminal which engages the starter.

Cut these wires and either just touch for cranking or better still, splice in a sprung push-for-contact switch (couple of quid but also the voque on mega cars these days) and you have lift off. My car has an immob apparently but I dont know what it actually does and it wasnt affected.

This was all Matt's clever solution (it was his car once). He's good like that.

Ch

Cheers Chris. I guess these things are importent to know when you try to push start a MAN truck.

My key wouldn't actually turn at all - it seems the key is just too worn after 17 years of use, all the newly cut ones work - except in the fuel cap lock where only the old one works. Hurrah.

(the crate is holding up well after 35,000km, no mechanical problems at all, just a couple of broken rear Koni shocks, a dead tyre and the crappy rear door spare wheel carrier finally broke which I was happy about - keep on trucking landy yak!)

Hi Darrin. enjoying your trip?

on the military 110's (and civvy models too, but i'm just looking at a military wiring diagram to be "sure"), the main power feed to the ignition switch is a thick brown wire.

either White/brown or brown/red (depending on year) is the "ignition" feed, so you'd have to short that to the big brown to make your brke lights/indicators etc work.
smaller white/red is the feed to the starter solenoid (some models this energises a relay that kicks in the solenoid) but either way, that'll start the old girl up.

What you can also do, is to unscrew the fuel solenoid from the injector pump, remove the spring and plunger, and screw the remainder back in. this will totally remove any need for electricity on your engine. you can start it with the starter, or park on a hill and bump start it, but the engine won't need 12v to keep it going (although you'll have to stall it to stop it.)

If you need a 12v feed bodged to bypass the ignition, run a lead from the starter main battery feed across the back of the engine (away from the exhaust manifold/turbo) and attach that to the solenoid. instant 12v.


So, i just hope some little scrote isn't reading this forum realising how easy LR's are to pinch now!!!

Darrin, if the switch if working (which it is), then just take the barrel off/out, then you can operate it with a screw driver. Take the steering column surround off and take the switch apart from the key end. You should be able to simply slide out the barrel (look at it and figure it out!!). Then the switch (the white plastic bit) has a nice slot in it for the barrel or screw driver!
Or (don't get this wrong!) cut all the wires off the switch and figure out what they all do. Put an on/off switch on the ignition, then a push button on the starter. Or just mess about twisting wires together when you want to start it and keep it going. But if you mess this up you could set the whole vehicle on fire!!

Bye!!