27 replies to this topic

[Joloke08]

Our Mini Boris Wont Start This Morning

I Just feel like Crying My Eyes out as hes Been Nicknamed "Project Money Pit" now

Hes never had any problems Starting up until This Morning
His Battery Has a full Charge but when you turn the key all he does is goes Click about half a dozen times in sucession

I Just wish i knew somebody around here who could look at him without it costing us tons of money,We Cant Even drive him to a garage even if we wanted to and cant tow him because hes Automatic

Any suggestions?
Its been suggested by a neighbour it sounds like the Starter Motor has gone but we dont want to just have it replaced incase it isnt?

Is there anything else it could be and is there any tips for geting it started or any tests we can do to determine which part it is gone?

Any Help would be much appreciated

Huggz
Jodie

[JD8891]

Try gently tapping the end of the starter motor with something, sometimes that will unstick it an let it start the engine. Used to do it with mine till I got a new starter.

[frankiebateman]

I think if it just clicks its the battery but i know you said its full. Try if the starter motor trick doesnt work buy a new starter realy it could possibly be that

[staffi man]

Have you had your battery checked with a direct short tester most garages will do this free of charge you could just have a dead cell in the batttery this will still show a full charge and can still show 12 volts with a normal tester it will only show a dead cell/s with a short tester ie battery under load if this is ok try tapping the small round unit on top of the starter motor it could be sticking

[Joloke08]

Thanks for all your suggestions ill try them later
To be honest its struggled a little for a bit but usually just sounds like it wont fire for a few seconds then bursts into life anyhoo

The car is just costing us shedloads of money at the moment
Virtually everything in the braking system has been replaced we cant even sell him now bacause we wouldnt get back what hes cost us

If it was another problem we could drive him somewhere and get him looked at but we cant even start him
Dont even want to think about how much a mobile mechanic or auto electrician would cost?

Ive gotta learn how to do more stuff myself but we never get the chance to recover from bills with Boris ;as fast as one thing gets fixed another thing goes

Are there any angels around this neck of the woods could look at him for us?

Huggz
Jodie

[Adcuz]

Those symptoms do sound a lot like a dead starter. You can easily pick one up on here cheap and fit it your self with a Haynes manual. Good luck!

[BoboGib]

where abouts are you?

[Joloke08]

where abouts are you?

Swindon near the bigg asda if you get my drift?

[BoboGib]

yup, unfortunately the wrong side of swindon for me otherwise I would have come round to look for you. I'm more chippenham you see.

[Shifty]

Ok then!!

If you put the headlamps on do they dim right down when you try and start him?

[Joloke08]

yup, unfortunately the wrong side of swindon for me otherwise I would have come round to look for you. I'm more chippenham you see.

Its Ok no probs
Im sure ill get it sorted just wish the darn thing would stop throwing problems at us

My partners just rung me from work so ive ruined her day now
The only good thing is(if there is a good thing?) eventually we will have replaced soo manay parts there should be nothing left to go wrong?

Huggz
Jodie

[Joloke08]

Ok then!!

If you put the headlamps on do they dim right down when you try and start him?

Dunno but ill need somebody else to looky while i starty LOL!

Sam will be baxck from work in a couple of hours she can be the asistant

I can check if they come on though hang on back in a mo

[Shifty]

Well if you get stuck Jodie, give me a bell and I'll talk you through a couple of things

[Joloke08]

Well if you get stuck Jodie, give me a bell and I'll talk you through a couple of things

Right ive checked that put lights on full beam so could see them on the side of another parked car
The lights all work,the stereo still turns on and plays (good Work Shifty )

When you start him they very nearly go off
And ive noted the series of clicks carry on for a few seconds even if you turn the ingition off and remove the key

What does that mean?

Huggz
Jodie

[Shifty]

Ok then, if the lights are dimming and the radio goes off, then its sounds like the battery, if the starter is pulling enough juice to dim the lights but not start the car then its more than likely gonna be a battery problem.

It could also be an earth problem, do you have a set of jump leads?