Coming home from work on Friday afternoon i have to cross the Humber Bridge at £2.70 each way. Got to the tolls and while trying to retrieve money from pockets i knocked out my ignition cut off switch. The engine kept running which i thought strange but i thought hey ho, i will keep going until i get home.
After paying toll and setting off I realised that I wasn't going to get home. Pulled up straight away and just as I was coming to a halt there was this almighty back-fire bang from the exhaust and then nothing.
I put back ignition cut off key, and tried to start it. The engine turned over but no sign of it starting. I checked all connections and fuses and all were fine.
I did notice only partial power to the clocks though.
So what can it be, i am at a loss.

altenator cooked?

I'd check the regulator (Do a diode check) and ECU as a starting point.

Cheers

Ian

[Edited on 29/8/10 by mackei23b]

if your ignition cut out is the Big red key type and it is wired to disconnect the battery, then you need a resistor connecting to ground to stop the alternator from supplying voltage and keeping it running....

as mango implies, If the emergency cut off doesn't have the alternator protection resistor (or it isn't wired up correctly) then you've probably toasted the alternator regulator.
Best to check the other fuses to see if anything else blew.

There is no resistor protecting the alternator, but i do have a spare regulator to try.
Just to add, the cut off only kills the ignition and not the battery.

[Edited on 29/8/10 by roadrunner]

A few more thoughts..........

1) Charge the battery and disconnect the regulator. If the ECU is OK the engine should start and run.

2) If running then use the diagnostic below: http://www.jetav8r.com/Vision/Stator/fault_finding_by_www.electrosport.com.pdf

3) If the engine does not run at stage 1) I'd suspect the ECU.

Can you clarify the cut off swith, are you saying that it is in series with ignitition switch?

Cheers

Ian

May not be the problem, but with partial power to the clocks I would check that the earths are all good, if not you wont get full power. HTH Ray

Hi

I'm confused by some of the previous posts - even if the alternator was fried surely the battery would be good for a considerable period before the ignition / indicators drained it to below trigger voltage.

Regards Mick

Mick - depending on how you've wired it, but in most schemes yes you can run on the battery for best part of a couple of hours without much problem. Alt hasn't been wired up on my car for 3 years. But it has only run in the drive to be fair!