Printable Version | Subscribe | Add to Favourites
New Topic New Poll New Reply
Author: Subject: Daily driver help needed
Jasper

posted on 9/12/05 at 06:50 PM Reply With Quote
Daily driver help needed

My wifes car (R reg 406 2lt auto) has an odd problem (and not just the driver!)

Tonight she stopped her car at a local shop to get a snack, came out and the car wouldn't start. Turned the key, all the lights came on, but the starter went click, didn't even try to turn over. I arrived half an hour later and she tried it again and it started no problem. The battery is charging ok by the looks of things (though I haven't put a meter on it yet), the lights were nice and bright on the drive home, it's sat in the drive for a hour, I've gone and tried it again and it's starting fine, so I presume the battery and alternator is ok.

Can I presume it's some odd intermittent electric fault, problem a loose connection maybe? Anywhere I should start looking? I'm happy building cars, but hate fault finding, especially electrical ones.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
gary gsx

posted on 9/12/05 at 06:53 PM Reply With Quote
just sounds like the starter had jammed wop it out and clean bendix make sure its does not stick, plus check connections, has the battery got them silly posts on top that play up
View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
Danozeman

posted on 9/12/05 at 06:55 PM Reply With Quote
Sounds like a Dodgey starter. Could be a dodgey inhibiter switch but If it definately clicked the wont be.





Dan

Built the purple peril!! Let the modifications begin!!

http://www.eastangliankitcars.co.uk

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Stuart Ainslie

posted on 9/12/05 at 06:56 PM Reply With Quote
Could be a crap answer but...

Did she lock / unlock the car before trying to start it?
406's of that era have the auto-arming immobilisor that sets 1 minute after the car is turned off.
If the car is not locked and then unlocked by the remote, the immobiliser stays armed.

Also, as its an auto - Did she have it fully into park?

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
rusty nuts

posted on 9/12/05 at 08:14 PM Reply With Quote
The click was probably the starter solonoid operating but not making contact internally . May be a one off if your lucky . If it happens again and you are unable to start it make sure car is in park , run a wire from the small connection on the starte solonoid to the battery. Just touch the positive terminal the starter should operate if the battery is charged . If it doesn't then you have a problem with the starter. try tapping the solonoid with a hammer with the wire in place . if starter works solonoid is sticking.
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Peteff

posted on 9/12/05 at 08:45 PM Reply With Quote
Sticky solenoid or just a dodgy earth or live connection. Has it got those funny terminals the French manufaturers like to use with the screw down tops? I had a Renault and they used to come loose occasionally.





yours, Pete

I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
big_wasa

posted on 9/12/05 at 09:24 PM Reply With Quote
Had that on a few cars..I always check the earths first
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
steve m

posted on 9/12/05 at 09:40 PM Reply With Quote
Jasper

My father had exactley the same problem on his rover 400 auto, a couple of years back
by the time i had got 2 the car and checked it was in neutrol, ie run the auto shifter thru the box and back to neutrol
it started first time, my father was not impressed !!!!!!!

he had to walk home to the phone(dont ask !!) to ring me and then back to his car at the shops, all of about 1/4 a mile both ways

I put this starting problem down to the neutrol selector/inhibiter switch, and now religously if the car hasnt turned over he runs the shifter up and down

my theory, but it was a rover

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
bob

posted on 9/12/05 at 09:46 PM Reply With Quote
Battery buggered






View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
britishtrident

posted on 9/12/05 at 09:58 PM Reply With Quote
Start with the obivious a loose battery terminnal
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
David Jenkins

posted on 9/12/05 at 10:01 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by bob
Battery buggered


I've heard of some deviant sexual practices, but this just sounds DANGEROUS!

David







View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Jasper

posted on 9/12/05 at 10:17 PM Reply With Quote
Cheers chaps - I'll look into all of those ....
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
steve m

posted on 9/12/05 at 10:19 PM Reply With Quote
ive got two friends who would like to be a battery
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Lawnmower

posted on 10/12/05 at 09:42 PM Reply With Quote
Similar thing used to happen occasionally to my wifes diehatsu applause, Changed the battery and it was fine after that.
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
wilkingj

posted on 11/12/05 at 09:58 AM Reply With Quote
Quick way to check the Earth...
Take 1 Battery jump Lead..
Connect from Battery Earth terminal (NOT the LIVE one!), directly to the starter motor or the Engine near to the Starter motor.
ie a quick substitute earth cable!
Its a lot easier than messing about than checking the earth strap which is usually in some inaccessible position.
If it works and then doesnt when when the lead is removed its the earth the the engine.. the thich braided one (usually)






1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member

New Topic New Poll New Reply


go to top






Website design and SEO by Studio Montage

All content © 2001-16 LocostBuilders. Reproduction prohibited
Opinions expressed in public posts are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of other users or any member of the LocostBuilders team.
Running XMB 1.8 Partagium [© 2002 XMB Group] on Apache under CentOS Linux
Founded, built and operated by ChrisW.