Volvo 360 starter problems!

Post by **Stavros** » 22 Dec 2006 12:39 am

I finally bought a 300 the other day, a 5dr 360 carb.
Really good car to be honest, impressed with it, but i have a VERY annoying problem...
It dont want to turn over when you try n start it

All the other electrics seem to work fine, but go to start, and the starter gives a mechanical click/clunk, but thats it, like there not enough power to turn it.

First thoughts was a dead battery, so tried a spare and it worked and all was fine, drove around for about 1.5hrs inc a stop 5mins thru the driving for fuel.

Next day (14hrs later) i tried to start the car to see if all was well, and yup, started 1st time.

Few hours later I go n get in n do some xmas shopping, and click, nothing, all electrics work ok, but nothing but a single click/clunk from the starter.

Presume the battery has gone nearly dead (being drained somehow, or alternator fail?) so put it on charge.
Charge it on quick charge for 4.5hours, put it back in, exactly the same, electrics fine, but no starter motor, just a single click.

This is now making me think the batterys are maybe both infact ok, and theres another issue, start motor maybe, but what else?

Anyone else had this prob, and any ideas how to sort it? Its really doing my head in as I bought the car as a reliable runabout!

Cheers
Stav

Post by **A M R** » 22 Dec 2006 12:57 am

sounds like the starter. change it and if it doesnt work, take it back and stick the old one in.

Post by **Stavros** » 22 Dec 2006 06:58 pm

Sorted.

Never wise to change something as broken until you sure.

Put it in gear and rocked it back n forth to see if it was just a sticking starter, and hey presto, sorted, cars running lovely now.

Post by **pettaw** » 22 Dec 2006 07:40 pm

strange, but glad you got it sorted, if it clunks again, check the connection between the battery clamp and the starter, both ends, where its bolted onto the starter and also where it bolts onto the battery clamp.

I made a mistake having had exactly the same symptoms changing the starter over and then having the same problem with the new starter as the old one.

Post by **classicswede** » 23 Dec 2006 07:20 pm

If pushing it back and forth sorted it that would suggest the starter is sticking. Some time if the car has been stood a while freeing it off will solve the problem but from your post it has happened a couple of times - expect it to happen again. Starters are easy and cheap to get hold of. You would be best to change it.

Post by **Stavros** » 26 Dec 2006 03:14 am

pettaw wrote:strange, but glad you got it sorted, if it clunks again, check the connection between the battery clamp and the starter, both ends, where its bolted onto the starter and also where it bolts onto the battery clamp.

I made a mistake having had exactly the same symptoms changing the starter over and then having the same problem with the new starter as the old one.

Its doing it again! Doh!

We changed the earth strap (its EXACTLY the same as a Volvo 440 Turbo one if that helps anyone

) as that was a problem on a mates car once with same symptoms.
But it was the rocking it that fixed it.

BUT its doing it again now, and rocking it seems to have no effect (gave the starter a bit of a hiding with a rubber hammer etc too, no effect either) but push starting it makes it start no probs.

Try n start by key n it clicks once, all the dash lights goes off, and thats it

same as it always did with this prob.

Ill remove n refit the connections then i think, they seem ok, but worth a go...

classicswede wrote:If pushing it back and forth sorted it that would suggest the starter is sticking. Some time if the car has been stood a while freeing it off will solve the problem but from your post it has happened a couple of times - expect it to happen again. Starters are easy and cheap to get hold of. You would be best to change it.

Haha, yes, its happened a lot now.

Worst thing was it happened earlier when i had a minor "off" while drifting, leaving me stranded on the grass in the middle of a roundabout, backwards! Luckily a mate was also out practicing, so we push started it and all was fine.

Looks like im gonna need another then. I take it this forum is my best bet to find one? Do other volvo starters fit? 240s, 340s, 440s, and 740s are common down the local scrappy, but not 360s...

Post by **SteveP** » 26 Dec 2006 01:02 pm

Other people will confirm, but yeah - I think you can use 240/740/940 starters

Post by **SteveP** » 26 Dec 2006 02:06 pm

If not, here's one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Volvo-360-GLE-90R ... dZViewItem

Post by **Stavros** » 26 Dec 2006 03:05 pm

gutted its boxing day, or id be down the scrappys now looking for one

Post by **classicswede** » 26 Dec 2006 09:27 pm

Any of the following will fit

Volvo Amazon 1.8 and 2.0
P1800 all models
140 1.8 and 2.0
240 2.0, 2.1 and 2.3 inc turbo models
740 2.0 and 2.3 inc turbo models
760 2.3 turbo only
940 2.0 and 2.3 inc turbo models

Post by **Stavros** » 27 Dec 2006 07:05 pm

Cheers for that, really appreciate it.

The other day (just after my last post) i went to check out the starter wires (well was just gonna remove n refit as they seemed fine anyhow).
I decided to try the key again anyhow, you never know...

And it worked! And its worked since (probably started car about 10 times now).

Im gonna keep driving it fairly local (or at least with someone who can bump it for me, lol) for a week or so to be sure tho...

Post by **SteveP** » 28 Dec 2006 01:02 am

Mate, get a new starter

It really does sound like its sticking, and it'll only go again, when its cold, on your own, raining, in the middle of nowhere, with no phone signal....

Post by **Chris_C** » 28 Dec 2006 01:10 am

Been there, done that, pushed the car and jumped in to flick the clutch to start it... Still, made for an amusing weekend of parking only on hills, just make sure you know where the petrol stations on hills are

Yeah, scrappy starter is less than half a tank of fuel, get involved!

Post by **foggyjames** » 28 Dec 2006 03:19 pm

If you wanna buy my 2.3 carb lump, it comes with a free starter

If you don't fancy that, I'd sell the starter. eBay may well be easier...up to you! I'd replace it, just for the peace of mind. I managed to get a re-con one for the B14 for £1 from eBay.

cheers

James

Post by **pettaw** » 28 Dec 2006 07:35 pm

Stavros I didn't mean the earth strap, I meant the positive feed, where it comes off the battery clamp. I'm 90% sure that's where your problem is. I've seen it on a couple of cars now. If you wanna confirm it, use a jump lead and run it from the positive of the battery onto the positive connection on the starter and try again.

If that proves it then you'll need to redo the connection to the clamp. Undo it (not the clamp, but where the wire goes into it) clean the wire and put it back in making sure the screws are really clamping onto the cable tight.