Resurrecting a Citroen Saxo VTR garage find after 10 years!

[Dean23]

Electronics-wise anything is generally at risk of age related failures, though perhaps things with capacitors more so as the contents are corrosive and destroy surrounding circuits if they leak

The forum isn't stumped, necessarily - you haven't provided a lot of info beyond "something is clicking, maybe near the ECU"

I await your determination and photograph of the exact component doing the clicking

That’s fair! So following your guidance I’ve done some more digging!

Update:

Removed the ECU out of the way… you’re right, the clicking originated directly underneath.

To this beauty… now again, I’m a complete novice here…

Someone please tell me what this? Hahahaha

 

[Dean23]

And I may be completely wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were an aftermarket immobiliser fitted somewhere, for the sake of insurance premiums, on a model like this.
It could be an extra complication in the diagnosis?

You’re probably not wrong. Saxo’s were the hot hatch days! I think this has something to do with the alarm/immobiliser…

 

[Burnerman]

Scratching what's left of the brain cell, but that looks like the fuel injection relay.
John

 

[Dean23]

I’d definitely replace that battery clamp.....it’s goosed and motor factors have replacements that allow the cables to be screw clamped in.
One cable should go to the bodyshell, the other to the engine block directly.
John

Don’t worry, that was just to show the state of the previous negative battery wire/clamp!

The OEM one pictured does break into two sections as you mentioned. I temporarily sourced just a new single (generic) negative battery cable to go from the battery to the chassis… if you’re UK based, do you have any suggestions on a suitable cable/motor factors? Thanks!

Did you just replace the neg cable to the body/chassis? Try a jump lead from the battery neg terminal to a good earth on the engine.

* Anyone on here old enough to remember what happened on old cars when you forgot to connect the engine earth cable correctly? Yep, the choke cable glowed red and melted.

Yes, negative to the body/chassis.

Okay, just tried the jump lead… it’s actually got rid of the rapid clicking! Now just a single click.

Progress, right?! Haha!

And that is a bit before my time unfortunately lol!

 

[Mottie]

Definitely sounds like an earthing problem if you have a new starter and a good battery.

 

[Dean23]

Definitely sounds like an earthing problem if you have a new starter and a good battery.

Well, multimeter is ordered and Amazon have come through with the next day delivery - so I’ll have a go at testing various points tomorrow!

Suggestions on where to test are welcomed…

Thanks!

 

[Dean23]

I’d also like to thank everyone for their input and patience so far.

I’m completely new to all of this as the only work I’ve done on cars previously has been aesthetically! So the mechanical side is certainly a “learn as you go” for me, but why not start with something challenging like this!

Fingers crossed we’ll get there!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I’m completely new to all of this as the only work I’ve done on cars previously has been aesthetically! So the mechanical side is certainly a “learn as you go” for me, but why not start with something challenging like this!

It's not mechanical so far, it's electrics.....

The mechanical side is easy, compared to the electricals...