Afternoon all,

query, my car no longer starts. when the key is turned something (coil?) clicks but nothing else happens, no starter no nothing. electrics works or at least the lights and radio work and i've check the start inhibitor fuse and its fine.

The coil ceased to be about 5 months ago and was replaced with one found in a shed by the old man i bought the car off. wouldn't suprise me if this was the case. however last time the coil went the car was troublesom for a few days before breaking down. today it just doesn't work.

any ideas?

It sounds to me as if your starter motor has failed. The 'click' you hear is the solenoid firing the gear to engage with the flywheel but the motor isn't turning. Starter motors often come to a stop in the same place every time so end up with wear on the bushes and armature in the same place so eventually failing.
There are two ways to see if it is the starter at fault.

1, hit the starter repeatedly for a few seconds with a hammer, broom handle, stone, fist or other twatting implement - then try and start it.

2, put the car in gear, release the handbrake, and try to push the car (forwards or backwards). This often frees up the sticky starter. Then try and start it.

If either of the above methods work then your SM is knackered.


Sudden thought!!

Is the battery fully charged? I know the electrics work, but it may not have enough current to turn the starter.

yeah, tried jumping it from my mothers car and it still just clicked.

i'll go and twat it.

thanks

umm nothing from hitting it with a hammer. just a click from solenoid. can a 1.7 starter be used with a 1.4, before that could it be anything else? might the coil be broken?

Bad earth, check and clean all of them.

I had that click thing few days ago also, and after cleaning it did work. When trying to start all electrics wen't off, lights and everything.

If problem is not there, then I would check starter.

Stick in 3rd and rock it - that works with mine!?!

i gave it a go in reverse and 4th. fourth was much easier but neither worked. i then hit it some more. still nothing.

what are starters worth as i can visit a scrap yard for a 1.7's motor but i don't know there value

thanks

Ok, before we get totally obsessed with the idea it is the starter and not some other problem here's a couple more things to check.

1, Does the click come from the starter motor? Has this been verified ?

2, Try to start it with the headlights on. If the lights dim then power is, in theory, being diverted away from the lights to the starter motor

If you have a multimeter you could try testing for voltage at the starter/solenoid connections as this would definately say whether the starter is at fault or not.

the click comes from something before the starter motor. possibly the inhibitor relay or before that. i can't really test the lights as no ones around to look at the lights whilst i turn the key.

if the coil had gone would power not even get to the starter?

after some more pushing using 3rd this time (thanks petavius) the infernal machine started thus i fear it needs a new starter after all.

do they have much of a life span or is risking a 100,000 mileage 1.7's one likely to be a waste? (the manual says they are the same)

They've got different part numbers. I would suspect they're different but if you've got one spare then it doesn't hurt to try it in and see if it fits, only about 1/2 hours work to get one in/out.

So glad to have helped!

Which renno's came with the b14 engine and would the starter be the same?

volvo want £180 for a replacement on exchange...........

scrapyard visit i figured.

I got a recon about 4 years ago, it was £100 fitted by a friend (think from Lucas, but I could be wrong). R5's have B14's in, prolly worth a check

starter is now least of problems.

problems now include

1. econ gauge no longer works properly. strangly it worked when the hose was a combination of bits and pieces held together with tape. but now it have a proper T piece with one piece hoses its just sits halfway up then goes straight into the red as i accelerate.

2. acceleration is jerky and splutterly now.

3. the car doesn't idle anymore, just dies without constantly holding it on the accelerator, the choke has never worked properly but this now does absolutely nothing.

4. Temperature of coolant seems to always be Cold. i've looked in haynes and it says the thermostat might be broken. can they be salvaged.

I've looked for most of these problems in the haynes guide but they give hundreds of reasons and i can't check them all.

the only changes made to the car since the on set of these problems has been the breather T piece being fixed. since then the starter is falling apart and the car is working properly....

any help would be welcome.