Starting Problems

[ajdubas]

Had to do an emergency one man push start out of a petrol station last night, there were other people there, but no one offered to help.
Anyways, problem was, turned the key, Battery light was off, rest of the lights were as normal, then when turning to switch on, click, nothing happens.

Obviously this is something along the lines of a starter motor problem, but so far has only happened twice, first time round the starter kicked in after a second or two. It's intermittent and I have no idea what triggers it, any ideas?

oh, it's a Mk2 340 DL, probably should mention that...

[Chris_C]

Sounds like your starter motor has packed in mate. Can you hear where the click comes from? There is a relay, in the car, as well as the solanoid on the starter motor itself. Mine went on Monday (wasn't the Shell garage on my road was it? If so he had to push mine out then, so is prolly getting fed up of dying 300's )

If the motor itself isn't clicking, a tempory fix is to tap the solenoid in the motor (bar on solanoid, tap bar with universal fixing tool) whilst a helpful friend is turning the key. If the motor is clicking, then it's just grin and bear a new motor. Thats what mine was, and Volvo wanted £140+vat, lucas, sorry LSUK, gave me one for £6x+, about 78 all in.

If yours is the same as a late 1.4, I might even have one on the block here. I can't Vadis that far back, so does anyone know? Else there are still 2 1.4's (both F plates though) in Soton scrappies if I havn't got it anymore.

Oh, and as a helpful pointer, make sure you don't run the big fat power feed to the starter too close to the exhaust downpipe... I've had a bad week this week

[Nick C]

I sometimes have a similar problem with mine, the starter clicks, but doesn't engage. It only ever happens when hot, so I'm assuming a tired solenoid that doesn't like being hot (it's directly under the exhaust manifold...). Most of the time letting the car roll a foot or two somehow makes it work!

[Chris_C]

I'd imagine thats the same as Fake had mate, not the solenoid, but the main part of the starter! She too would would for a second or two after the main click Can't solve that one with a big hammer

[pettaw]

Hmm, it might well be a tired starter motor, but sometimes you can get a dodgy contact that will pass enough current to engage the solenoid but not to kick the starter over, so I would undo all the connections and make sure they're clean and put back on tightly, particularly the ones from the battery as the acid fumes degrade the metal, but also check the earth straps as well, on the engine.

[foggyjames]

Check the state of the wiring. If it looks ok, then +1 for the starter. Try eBay - I got a brand new one for £12 shipped. Bargain...

cheers

James

[germ]

^^yup are 740 had that ,new leads from starter fixed it.

[bogbasic]

I had the same problem a few years ago and traced it to a thin wire that clips onto the starter motor. It had shaken off and was making intermittant contact i.e. you might just have a loose connector on the starter solenoid.

[ajdubas]

ok, thanks for the help, will have a thorough lookabout next weekend when I have the spare time, it has been starting fine since I think it's just a problem with it getting too hot, so as long as I give it time to cool off all is good.

[classicswede]

I've had this kind of problem due to the fuse box. A way to test for this is if you trace the thing wire off the starter back it goes to a connector. Undo the connector and you should be able to tuch it onto the positive of the battery (you may need a short peice of wire to extend it). If the starter turns its most likely the fuse box at fault. I ran a new wire to the box to solve the problem. If that is what it is then I'll look and check where the wire needs to go to.