Starting Problem - Key Pill/Transceiver Ring Test, or ???

[fdg]

My new to me 02 S will crank and start maybe 1 in 50 tries.  When it does crank, it starts and runs fine.  The facts so far:

- Removed and cleaned the immobilizer.  It had clearly been wet at some point and was a bit of a mess.  Cleaned with contact cleaner and a toothbrush, reinstalled.

- Clutch switch is fine

- Ignition switch is new, and I think it is fine because...

- Engine will crank every key turn with the starter lock relay jumped (86 to 30).  It will start very rarely when doing this test

 

As I understand it all, the transceiver ring looks for a signal from the key pill, it sends the pill's code to the immobilizer, the immobilizer ok's the code and energizes the start lock relay.  I'm guessing it also activates the ignition system (otherwise a permanent start relay jumper would work).

 

Since it will start very intermittently, my current best guess is the immobilizer itself is ok, and it is ok with the code it gets from the key pill.  So that leaves me with the transceiver is not getting a code from the key pill consistently (bad transceiver ring).  

 

Is there a way to test the transceiver ring?

Could there be a problem within the immobilizer itself that produces this intermittent behavior?

Is there something else I'm missing?

 

Thanks for your help.

[Loren]

If the alarm/immobilizer ever got wet I would suspect it first. Likely it has concealed damage and or corrosive damage. A complete battery of tests using a PST2 or PIWIS on that control unit might bring out the problem but if it is corrosion then I think you are fighting a never ending battle.

 

The transponder (pill) always sends out a signal the question is whether the immobilizer sees it. As I said you need further diagnostics to narrow the problem.

[Ahsai]

I'm a bit confused. You said if it cranks, it will start but you also said it cranks everytime with the key turn (clutch switch bypassed) but yet it will rarely start...

Edited May 16, 2017 by Ahsai