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No starter, just a click

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 8:18 pm
by Sidney'61
Hi,

I've been having problems with the traveller for a while now, quite often when i try to start it I get nothing but a click and the speedo lights go out. It starts fine on the handle and all electrics work. Given that it never chugs slowly on the starter and sometimes it works fine im pretty certain its not a flat battery, so is something shorting in the starter motor/solenoid? Where do I start? (Its a late key start model)

Thanks

Re: No starter, just a click

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:05 pm
by bmcecosse
Bad connections at the battery - if the lights go out when you try the starter....Clean and shine!

Re: No starter, just a click

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:19 pm
by beero
Could also be bad connection on the earth strap between the body and engine/gearbox. (I believe the strap is on the gearbox.)

Re: No starter, just a click

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:52 pm
by bmcecosse
Nope - that wouldn't cause the ign light to go out.......

Re: No starter, just a click

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 11:25 pm
by DAVIDMCCULLOUGH
It will either be a starter or solenoid - which you have already guessed! If you have a solenoid to try go for it first as it easy to change, if not try a starter from one of your other cars.

I had this issue last year and was sure it was the solenoid. I had 3 second hand ones and thought they must all have been duff and sent for a new one, only to find the same thing happening..... Next I tried a starter form a pile of spares and it sorted it!

Re: No starter, just a click

Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 4:42 pm
by Declan_Burns
I also had this issue and found a loose solenoid to be the cause.
Regards
Declan

Re: No starter, just a click

Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 8:02 pm
by bmcecosse
If it makes all the lights go out - it's almost certainly a bad connection - or just maybe a bad cell in the battery. Try another battery......, after cleaning/tightening the connections....

Re: No starter, just a click

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:06 am
by Matt
I've had this before, and it turned out to be a sticky starter, turning the square drive on the back of it to un-seize sorted it out for a few weeks at a time :-?

Re: No starter, just a click

Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 9:42 am
by alexmcguffie
Hi Andy,

Matts reply above is the most sensible thing to try first. The fact that your dash lights are going out when you crank it suggests something taking excessive current, pulling the battery voltage down and not a bad connection. Unless of course your battery has a cell down but you think that is ok.

If it starts by hand cranking then the chances are the engine earth strap is ok otherwise the igintion coil voltage would also be affected.

Alex

Re: No starter, just a click

Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 5:03 pm
by bmcecosse
No - the ignition can get plenty of current via the acc and 'choke' cables - to start and run the engine on the handle. Stuck starter IF the lights come straight back on when you release the key - but if they don't come back on till you 'fiddle' connections - then it IS a bad connection somewhere.