Turbo non starting and electrical problems

[volvo ov lov]

I have a J plate 480 turbo that has been stored for a while but won't start. It turns over but there's no spark and there are also some odd electrical problems. So far my local garage has confirmed that the ignition ECU is working properly and I am checking the earth points in an attempt to eliminate the other electrical gremlins.

When I connect the battery both the outer sidelights come on very dimly, while the offside inner sidelight glows very brightly. The rear wash wipe works all the time and the CEM makes a clucking noise. This is just with the battery connected and the ignition switched off. With the ignition on, the dash shows a bulb failure light but the lights don't change when I turn the lighting switch. And the rear wiper keeps going despite operating the column stalk.

Disconnecting the lamp controller in the rear makes no difference - the lights still come on.

I checked the diagnostic socket and this has three functions - sockets 3, 5 & 7. When checking codes I get 4-3-3 for socket 5 but absolutely no response for 3 & 7, not even a 1-1-1 to indicate the system is working properly. Guides on the diagnostic socket unit that I've downloaded state that 3 is for the ABS and 7 is for an airbag (I'm pretty sure I don't have this!).

What is socket 5 for? And what does the fault code indicate?

I've checked block connectors under the dash for corrosion and am working my way through the earthing points but there are some I haven't found yet. I'm having difficulty matching the drawings of the earth points in the service manual on this forum with the wiring on my car.

I've found one at the rear by the lamp controller, one at the battery cable by the left hand wing, one on the inner o/s wing and one on a bracket just behind the rocker oil filler. I believe there should be another one near the alternator bracket (my car is nothing like the drawing) and another the nearside A pillar. Are there any others?

[balto8]

How did this end for you?

[volvo ov lov]

I still haven't got a spark. Other projects have nudged this car to one side for a while but I with the longer evenings and warmer weather I intend to check the wiring on the sidelamps which come on when the battery is connected even when the switch is to off. The rear wash wipe also comes on when the battery is fitted. I suspect there is a bad earth and a backfeed that is robbing the spark but operating the lamps and wiper. I just need some time to find the problem.

[glasgowjim]

Disconnect the CEM 3 unit , it wont affect the engine management side of things at all. The first thing to check is the battery a low voltage causes all these sort of gremlins.

with the cem disconnected I would hot wire the ignition and see what happens you need to put up more info than you have in order for us to advise on possible progress.

[glasgowjim]

for example does the engine turn over on the starter ?
does the fuel pump prime

is the ignition coil functional ?