Weird MC engine problem

[Phil Payne]

The final update:

The car has been back with its owner for two weeks.  Apart from all the other electrical
nasties - primarily caused by reckless attempts to fix the original problem - the main final
cause was tie-wrap damage to the TDC sender line, confused by electrical induction into that
line from the high-tension side of the ignition system.  Non-stock (overlength) plug wires
didn't help.

Real strange to find the shield cut right through with the conductors intact _and_ a
below-spec sender at the end of the wire.

During diagnosis the car was visited six times.  The dashboard was taken out three times.  All
of the components on the auxiliary relay panel with electronic content were fried and thus
replaced, as were things like the ABS controller, ABS pump and even the central locking pump.
There were a few mechanical nasties too, like the screw wrapped in gaffer tape shoved down the
idle adjustment aperture.

A very curious dichotomy - an owner who knew what the car was and appreciated it enough to
spend more than its value getting it sorted out, yet at the same time had treated it so badly.

--
  Phil Payne
  http://www.isham-research.com
  +44 7785 302 803