1995 TS SE Magna immobiliser problem?

[snapper]

Recently had starter motor repaired & elec switch replaced in key ignition (switch from wreckers).Now will not start unless ignition is turned on & left turned on for about 30 mins before.After engine starts & car used, key must be turned back to ACC not to OFF position,for engine to start again.This means I cannot lock car when left in street,any ideas?

[MadMax]

I've come across this problem. Definitely the immobiliser, SOB early version, no replacement parts available from Mitsu or wreckers as far as I know.

The time is exactly 30 minutes. The immobiliser has been triggered by the replacement of the ignition switch. You can turn the key to the OFF position, just don't pull the key out. (IIRC, it was 5 years ago)

SIMPLE solution: Leave the key in permanently, cover the wheel with a towel if you don't want it seen, and use a second key to lock/unlock the car. (Who is going to steal an old Magna anyway?)

COMPLEX solution: Do a search, has been covered before.

[Sparky]

Couldn't it be bypass???? And use an after market immobiliser unit???? Or I should crawl back into my box again

[MadMax]

Some late TSs came with this horrid immobiliser. Its an add on bit at the end of the ignition barrel. My V6 TS doesn't have it, my 2.6 TS (now sold) had it, only a couple of months between them in age. It must have been used for only a few months at the end of the TS production run, as very few cars have them, and the Gregory's manual and the official Mitsu manual doesn't mention it. If you are lucky enough to come across one at the wreckers with a key in it, don't separate the key barrel from the rest of it, even though there is a button on it that makes it easy.

Extract from a very old post, written by me, the thing stuffed up soon after I bought the car when I innocently pulled the ignition barrel off the car to lubricate the tumblers in it.

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How to fix:

"Pull the immobiliser off the car - involves dropping the lower shroud and the steering wheel (not really necessary, but gives you better access). Use a pin punch and hammer to undo the snap off bolts that hold the steering lock in place. Pull the whole lock with immobiliser and barrel out of the car - don't forget the wiring connectors. Put the key in the lock, turn it to acc and push the pin on the side - the barrel comes off easily.
Now the tricky part - use a small hacksaw to cut open the locking sections of the immobiliser. When you pull the barrel, a spring pushes a white plastic plate off the shaft. This normally rotates and cuts a light beam on/off as you start the car, but with the white plastic pushed off the shaft the ECU thinks some thief has ripped the ignition lock out and is trying to steal your car. Remove the spring and push the white plastic disc back in place. Glue it down if you want to, but I didn't bother. Put the immobiliser body back together, and wrap masking tape around it to hold it together. Reassemble in reverse - the break off bolts can be reused or use ordinary 12 mm head bolts like I did.
I did this "fix" 12 months ago and have had no problems - no immobiliser either, but who is going to steal a 11 year old Magna when there are Commodores around? LOL"

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No Sparky, not possible to bypass it as it sends a pulsed signal to the ECU. If it was simply a matter of cutting some wires, any 15 year old with wire cutters could bypass it.

[snapper]

Thanks MadMax,I,ll give that a go.There is another, probably more serious problem with my TS SE V6 Auto,and that,s engine oil being forced out around oil filler cap.Have tried replacing cap but no good,engine not burning any oil,doesnt run hot ,and runs very well.Is this a big problem or something fixable?Cheers.

[Corndog]

My TS v6 does the same thing, seeps out of the filler cap........it annoying the rest of the engine is spotless

[Ozzcaddy]

Thanks MadMax,I,ll give that a go.There is another, probably more serious problem with my TS SE V6 Auto,and that,s engine oil being forced out around oil filler cap.Have tried replacing cap but no good,engine not burning any oil,doesnt run hot ,and runs very well.Is this a big problem or something fixable?Cheers.

You will find that both breather outlets and hoses (front and back rocker covers) are most likely blocked with oil sludge, and not breathing as they should that is causing pressure to build up, and the oil cap is normally the first place it finds to relese that pressure. It's a matter of removing the hoses if you can as they may have welded to the pipes through heat, and clean them out.

I used brake fluid and long pipe cleaners (from craft shop) to do the job. For the metal tubes on top of the rocker covers, I would bend a pipe cleaner in half, then twist both together and spray the twisted pipe cleaner with brake fluid. I might use 3-4 pipe cleaners to do each tube. I do the same with hoses. If it is totally blocked, you might need heavy wire to clear the blockage, and some will fall inside the rocker cover.
Don't spray the brake cleaner into the tube.

Other members might have other suggestions.

[[TUFFTR]]

You will find that both breather outlets and hoses (front and back rocker covers) are most likely blocked with oil sludge, and not breathing as they should that is causing pressure to build up, and the oil cap is normally the first place it finds to relese that pressure. It's a matter of removing the hoses if you can as they may have welded to the pipes through heat, and clean them out.

Other members will have other suggestions.

+1 but what I found was the little elbow on the rocker covers themselves were a piss poor design and these elbows need to be cleaned aswell. I took both the rocker covers off and blasted them with carby cleaner and whatever i could find to dislodge the sludge. many people replace the hoses but the rocker covers are still gunked up and so the problem still exists. So I'd recommend you take the rocker covers off and clean the elbows.
also whatever they are playing on novanations now sucks ass /changes radio station

[snapper]

Cheers,thanks for info,will clean out tubes & elbows & hopefully fix problem.Have a good Christmas!

[MadMax]

Thanks MadMax,I,ll give that a go.There is another, probably more serious problem with my TS SE V6 Auto,and that,s engine oil being forced out around oil filler cap.Have tried replacing cap but no good,engine not burning any oil,doesnt run hot ,and runs very well.Is this a big problem or something fixable?Cheers.

Yep, a known problem with the TS V6. The oil filler cap isn't to blame, pressure build up in the engine is the cause. This is because the rocker cover breathers are clogged. Find the short hose and PCV valve on the front cover and the hose from the rear rocker cover to the throttle body, remove them and clean them out or if brittle, replace. Use a length of hose on the spout of each rocker cover, and - with oil cap off - blow into it. If its difficult, the spouts are blocked too. Use a piece of wire in each to try to unblock them, but better still is to remove the rocker covers and give them a really good clean - the spouts are in a double layer inside the rocker covers, soaking with oven cleaner and prodding with wire and a flush with the garden hose did it for me, the problem hasn't come back yet.

I just repeated what others said, I should have read the other posts.