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MG ZR starter clicks but not turning over
Simon - 4/6/14 at 05:09 PM

Folks
Wife's car has started not starting just clicking the starter motor.
Bump starts fine.
Any suggestions for usual reasons - battery, duff starter etc
Cheers
ATB
Simon

StevieB - 4/6/14 at 05:25 PM

I'd check the battery charge first of all then all the fuses/relays.

Norfolkluegojnr - 4/6/14 at 05:26 PM

Flat battery?

britishtrident - 4/6/14 at 05:55 PM

Battery or battery connection.

Not unknown for the main engine earth lead to break on these usually caused by a rear lower engine mount problem.

Starter solenoids also not unknown to stick, usually best just to pick-up a new starter off eBay,

davidimurray - 4/6/14 at 06:01 PM

I had mine doing intermittent starting until one day wouldn't start at all. Could hear relay clicking and turned out to be corroded terminalt tab on starter. When it next does it try wiggling the push on tab on the starter, at the top to see if it is the causes. It's a finger tip job to reach it from above, easier with battery tray removed.

MP3C - 4/6/14 at 08:59 PM

My old MG ZR only did that when the battery was flat.

Matt

cerbera - 4/6/14 at 09:11 PM

Starter motor bushes?

JC - 4/6/14 at 09:48 PM

Check the relay - I had an Audi where the relay was clicking but the arm of the relay had corroded internally and wasn't making contact.

Simon - 4/6/14 at 10:47 PM

Cheers for the suggestions chaps - will earth the block to shell with jump leads as that'll be the easiest check, then take battery to shop for specific gravity check and then onto starter if battery ok.

ATB

Simon

britishtrident - 5/6/14 at 06:35 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Simon
Cheers for the suggestions chaps - will earth the block to shell with jump leads as that'll be the easiest check, then take battery to shop for specific gravity check and then onto starter if battery ok.

ATB

Simon


You can't do a specific gravity check on modern sealed battery, what you do do is the voltage tests, with a normal good charged battery expect to see a voltage over 12.5 volts but below 12.8 volts in current UK temperatures with the ignition off, if it is below about 11.8 volts it won't turn a car over. A completely flat battery will read 11.5 volts.

If it is below about 12.3 volts put it on slow charge for a few hours then if it starts the engine do a charging voltage test. With the engine running at 2000 rpm it should show 13.4 to 14.9 volts across the battery with the head lamps on.


To test the battery a high discharge current voltage drop test is required this can be done either using a special tester (cost £17 upwards) or just measuring the voltage across the battery when turning the engine over on the starter.

[Edited on 5/6/14 by britishtrident]

Neb - 5/6/14 at 09:05 AM

We had exactly the same issue on our ZS. It was corrosion on the battery cable to the starter.
Easy fix and never did it again in our ownership.