30 replies to this topic

[davidbond007]

today I have: (1) checked battery connections (2) installed a new battery negative earth lead in the boot  (3 )Added  a braided earth cable from the crankcase to the inner wing (4) installed a new engine steady bar with a new bracket and fitted a new earth cable from the drivers side of the engine to the bulkhead and.......drum roll..........it still wont start and just a small click from the engine bay.

 

I plan to get someone to listen and see where its from - slenoid or relay?

 

Any other ideas please - apart from get a good auto electician? Thanks

[davidbond007]

Should I chnage the alternator next?

Edited by davidbond007, 14 February 2020 - 02:47 PM.

[davidbond007]

Click is not from solenoid - seems to be from a relay?

[GraemeC]

It‘ll be the starter relay maybe thats got water in.

 

remove it, spray the socket liberally with WD40 and put the relay on a radiator overnight (or replace it - they’re not expensive)

[davidbond007]

Could it be the ignition switch ?

[Rorf]

Earlier you said the battery was new and fully charged, now you ask should the alternator be changed - the engine hasn't run so I am not sure why you are focusing on this.

[davidbond007]

I have cleaned all relay sockets using WD40 contact cleaner, replaced all relays with new ones, replaced the battery negative earth cable, removed cleaned and tightened the positive battery terminal, reseated the earth bolt on the relay on the inner wing.

 

Still does the same - small single click fronm under bonnet and no starter kicks in, when radio is on it goes off and I have to press radio on switch again.

 

The battery is new and fully charged, the engine earth cable has been replaced, the solenoid and starter motor is new.

 

Checked fuses - they look ok.

 

Checked solenoid contacts they look ok.

 

Next? Shoudl I replace teh ignition switch and take the heater / radio out to see if anything is earthing out?

[gazza82]

I'd probably get a new relay first ... it's unlikely to be the heater .. it's going to be something under the bonnet that didn't like getting wet!!!

In hindsight steam cleaning is not a great idea although if this was performed by experts they should have waterproofed the electrics first

Edited by gazza82, 17 February 2020 - 08:23 AM.

[Rorf]

Give it a push start and then take it to an auto electrician.

[craig 1010cc]

If the radio is switching off, then there is a massive draw of power when your trying to start it. Have you tried turning the engine over manually as a seized engine would give the same symptoms.

[gazza82]

Maybe try without the spark plugs in .. reduce the resistance ...

[davidbond007]

I will close this one down and start with a new thread. Thanks for input so far.

[cal844]

Why close it when the issue is unresolved?

[davidbond007]

Found this which was useful learning :

Starting (cranking motor): Smaller brown wire feeds power to ignition switch (always); switch feeds through white/red to trigger the relay: relay feeds through brown/red to energize the solenoid, closing the switch to turn the starter motor. Note the relay recieves unfused power in a plain brown wire from the battery terminal of the solenoid. The relay witches this power into the brown/red, avoiding a heavier curent through the starter switch.

I checked the relay that has a brown red wire - when i took it off its mounting it is obvious what the issue is - the brown wire is loose and not connected.

 

So I will sort that and confirm if that cures it - fingers crossed. Also fully charging the battery as well.

 

[davidbond007]

I soldered the brown wire to a new spade connector on the Starter Relay and the starter worked perfectly - SORTED !!!!! Now starts frst time every time.

I have learned a few things : (1) how to decipher Haynes wiring diagrams (2) Focus on the symptoms / problem not what might have caused them (steam cleaning was the red herring here)  (3) Work through potential causes systematically by tracing wires to components - in this case ignition switch to starter relay then to starter solenoid and starter motor.

 

Thanks all.