Strange starting problem

[Ross_C]

Ok the problem is when I try start I get a clicking sound, straight away I replaced my battery with a new one and same problem. I then changed my starter motor and still the same problem. The car will bump and run fine but will not start off jump leads, I have checked the new starter motor and the relay running it I have also tried both keys and still no luck. I took it a garage today and they have no idea without spending even more time on it n charging me a fortune. Any help will be great

 

[Riley!]

Hows the connectors to the starter looking? Give them a good clean up

 

[Ross_C]

Sorry ye I cleaned up on the starter and also the battery just to make sure there was as little resistance as possible and as many amps was reaching the starter. I also checked earths and cleaned them

 

[Ross_C]

Oh and it's a 182 sorry

 

[Riley!]

You've covered everything. Only thing other then starter or relay can be a loose/bad connection

 

[slob]

There is an earth people forget about that connects to the gearbox?

 

[Riley!]

Has the engine been out anytime recently, or clutch change?

 

[Ross_C]

Has the engine been out anytime recently, or clutch change?

Nope no recent work for a couple of months only work was tonight fitting the new starter,nmaybe I could have knocked a earth while taking the exhaust manifold off? Even tried spare key, Garage can't figure it out and now I'm left with a none starting car. I no the starter works because I took it off the fly wheels connection and it spun up fine. Just clicks when it's on the fly wheel. It's like there isn't enought current getting to it, I ran in a new earth tonight and with that the engine turned over very slowly for a second. Maybe I should try another new battery, one slightly bigger?

 

[Ross_C]

There is an earth people forget about that connects to the gearbox?

Where is this earth pal?

 

[glowworm105]

The earth is on the gearbox mate , if you follow the wire back down from the battery you will find it , you could just attach a jump lead from the negative on the battery to the engine block or somewere similar ( decent metal surface) that will tell you if its an earth fault

 

[glowworm105]

Sorry missed your previous post , i had the same problem though even the slow turning over and my gearbox earth was snapped , it still looked ok but when i looked properly it was actually in 2 bits

 

[Ross_C]

The earth is on the gearbox mate , if you follow the wire back down from the battery you will find it , you could just attach a jump lead from the negative on the battery to the engine block or somewere similar ( decent metal surface) that will tell you if its an earth fault

Cheers pal I will go do this now, shall I attach the other end of the jump lead to the starter motor it's self to the engine block? Or starter motor to the neg terminal on the batt?

 

[glowworm105]

Negative on battery to engine block mate

 

[DaveDreads]

So many people are having this problem at the moment, including me.

I'm almost convinced it's the starter motor, but reading your posts has worried me now,
mine only has the relay clicking in the morning or after it's been left to sit for a few hours.

I'll keep an eye on this thread in the hope you come to a conclusion.

 

[Ross_C]

Negative on battery to engine block mate

Ok when I put jump lead from the batt to metal prong sticking up from the engine, a couple of things happened, a relay in the engine bay kept clicking at some speed. At the same time as this relay clicking a light on my dash flashed ( the green one on the right hand side below the engine managemant light if anyone knows what this is, I only see it come on in high revs) I took out the clicking relay cleaned it put it back in and finally the engine turned over many times but would still not fire. I now am sure I have a earth fault but have no idea why the engine would not fire. Have I dried the injectors out with firing it to much and now it needs priming? Or have I just got a spark/fuel problem???

 

[glowworm105]

Can you hear the fuel pump prime when you turn the ignition on ?

 

[Ross_C]

I can hear something but not sure what it is tbh pal. It was running low on fuel because I couldnt tun it off when ever I bumped it and petrol station wouldn't let me fuel up while running. I am parked on a slope too, I'll get some fuel in it tomorrow and see what happens and update this. Thanks a lot for your help guys I'm much closer now at least it turns over

 

[glowworm105]

As you say id stick some fuel in and see how you get on , atleast you no its the earth so you can sort that

 

[Ross_C]

As you say id stick some fuel in and see how you get on , atleast you no its the earth so you can sort that[/QUOTE
Problem sorted, ran in a new decent earth. Used a silver plated earthing bond from block to batt , when I tested resistance from batt to anywhere on the car I was getting infinity resistance. I'm not getting 21 micro ohm, thanks for the help guys

 

[Ross_C]

Now***

 

[glowworm105]

Glad you got it sorted , how did the garage not figure that out though lol when you took it in the first place being something relatively simple ?

 

[Muktar]

I seem to have a similar issue with my 1.8 RSI 1995. Riley why did you ask about the clutch being replaced as this has been the case with mine, but I think the issue was before bit. The battery and starter motor have already been replaced plus the earth strap to the gearbox.

 

[Riley!]

Because the earths are disturbed when taking the box off to change clutch, well at least the gearbox strap. Possibly the other one too if it come out the top. Glad you got it sorted, sounded very much like a connection issue from the beginning.

The symptoms you described were as if it had a flat battery so it obviously wasn't getting a good enough circuit as the batt wasn't flat

 

[Ross_C]

Glad you got it sorted , how did the garage not figure that out though lol when you took it in the first place being something relatively simple ?

Cheers, no idea I think they put a strap from engine block to a body part that had a really s**t connection to earth, which is what I think I did first time round trying to fix it. Least it was a relatively easy fix for a change.