Car turning over but not firing - "short to ground"

[Bodge]

It's finally happened! After over 8.5yrs of ownership the old girl won't start for the first time.

Symptoms:

Turns over as normal, but just won't fire.

9 engine error codes - "Short to ground" for Injectors 1-4, Evap valve (N80), N75, Lambda circuit, Timing adjuster & N249.

After turning over for a while the red oil light flashed and beeped at me.

Background:

Did an oil change on Saturday, but driven around 200 miles since then.

Plenty of fuel and battery is good.

Never done this before.

Probably the hottest day of the year here today.

My first thought is that it's the earth cable for that part of the harness that has a bad connection? Any ideas where to find it? Any ideas on a fix?

The wife is annoyed as I'm supposed to be picking her up now and I need to get to work in the morning too! Annoying.

Any help would be really appreciated!

[BrownBarge]

I would start with the fuse box on top of the battery check its not melted and causing a short

[Bodge]

Yep checked that and had a good poke about with all the covers off. Nothing jumping out or different from normal.

 

Looks like it's the fuel pump relay having had a search about.

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/276430-help-with-skoda-wont-fire-up/?hl=%20short%20%20ground

http://forums.triplezoom.com/showthread.php?1391450-I-just-got-11-short-to-ground-codes-what-should-I-look-for-first.

 

Will grab one in the morning and have a go. Now I just need to find it! Time to get upside down with a torch in the footwell...

[Bodge]

Any ideas what the red flashing and beeping oil light means?

 

I've RTFM but it doesn't help much!!

[BrownBarge]

Could be because your cranking it but not building oil pressure? Not sure. Has it got oil in lol

[Bodge]

Yeah oil is spot on. Think it was caused by me cranking it over for so long and it not firing.

 

Anyway, pulled out relay 409 under the the steering wheel and gave it a shake, then refitted and the car fired up as normal. So that'll be the culprit then.

 

http://www.ecstuning.com/ES310476/

 

Looks like it's dealer only (1J0906383C) as GSF and ECP don't stock it.

[sdenny]

ebay? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/98-07-skoda-octavia-MK1-black-electrical-relay-409-1J0906383B-/171645738109?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27f6e21c7d

[Bodge]

Just to close this out...

 

New 409 relay sorted it. £64 was a bit of a stinger but happy to be back on the road so soon.

 

Local Skoda dealer was really helpful and got one sent down from an Audi dealer in the Midlands yesterday. So managed to get it within half a day of ordering. Win.