Starter motor problem

[Guest]

Yet another problem with my new toy

 

Pulled the car out of the garage this morning, pushed starter button and it just went clunk. On second attempt, it started ok.

 

After a 25 mile blat, I turned engine off to open garage door but when I went to re start, nothing, second attempt, just a click, also same for third and fourth go. Started on 5th attempt.

 

All wiring looks secure. Dodgy solenoid?

 

It's a high spec Duratec 2.3

[elie boone]

How old is the battery ? did you check the level of the battery.

[Guest]

Battery is ok I think. I've just fiddled about with the two wires on the back of the push button starter and since then, it's started 8 times in a row. Might be coincidence but at least this rules out the battery doesn't it?

[Jonathan Kay]

Not really. This is an area where faults can be a bit synergistic.

 

As above: how old is the battery, and what has been done to the car recently?

 

Please measure battery voltage at rest, while cranking and at idle and let us know.

 

Have a look at all the relevant feeds and earths. You can just look, wiggle and tighten or take them apart and clean the contacts.

 

Jonathan

[keybaud]

Check the voltage to the solenoid. I found that when hot this would drop to between 4 and 8 volts, so the solenoid wouldn't fire properly. Then it started happening when cold.

 

One work around is to use a relay with the feed from the starter button/switch, or the feed to the solenoid (they should be the same, but it depends where you want to fit the relay), to switch a better 12v feed to the solenoid.

 

I also had some corroded connectors in the 12 volt ignition circuit that gave the same symptoms.

 

Edited by - keybaud on 19 Apr 2014 11:40:26

[Guest]

As I don't have a volt meter, I'm relying on heat the stack tells me, which is 12.2v. Static and 14.5v idle, don't know what it is when cranking though.

 

However, having played with the starter button contacts, all seems to be well for now. I've started it about 15 times, from both hot and cold, including an overnight rest. So far, all seems to be well again.....

 

The battery is one of the lightweight ones, an Odessy I think and I have no idea how old it is. If I use the red kill switch, the battery will keep charge for at least a weak.

 

Hopefully I've cured the problem!

[Jonathan Kay]

Hope it's fixed.

 

Now it's reliable you can go and buy a multimeter! (Mail order options are available.)

 

:-)

 

Jonathan

[Guest]

Thanks, I just clicked and bought! 😬

[Jonathan Kay]

Using "clicked" in this thread shows an admirable lack of superstition...

 

:-)

 

Jonathan

[John Vine]

Quoting Jonathan Kay: 

Using "clicked" in this thread shows an admirable lack of superstition...

 

:-)

 

Jonathan

😬 😬

[Guest]

I wish I could say I used that term on purpose!