Starting Issue.

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sprogthedog

sprogthedog

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Berkshire. At the end bit, near Wiltshire. In the
Morning all.

Bought myself a new project last week and have set about putting it all back together.

Bolted the starter motor back in and connected the battery, but when I turned the key, all I get is a click from the relay behind the fuse board.

Checked all connections on the starter, including the earth strap to the engine block.

Ran a new exciter wire from the spade connecter on the starter to the battery positive, and it turned over really slowly. Battery is known good.

Attached jump leads to battery on another car, used home-made exciter and she started.

Existing exciter wire looks fairly old, so the problem could be this.
Or could it be the relay behind the fuse board?

Could I run an exciter wire from the starter motor direct to the ignition switch to test the theory without burning out the contacts?

Any other ideas? I don't 'do' electrics!!

Oh, it's a 19j engine, by the way.
 
Last edited:
I had the exact same but mine was the battery even though it would start our 90 without a prob and any other car and I made a new earth from the timing cover soon as I changed the battery and made the eaeth lead it started perfect everytime without fail.
 
I had a clicking relay on my rebuilt 110, tested the wire feeds going in and although the relay had a strong 12 volts on main feed and the ignition feed was showing 12 volts with the key in crank position it turned out the eart wire to the relay was dodgy, ran a new earth to it and now have a full 12 volts down the wire to the solenoid and relay functioning fine.

Cheers Steve
 
Check your earths ... Repeat check your earths!

You should have a Purple feed from the key switch to the fuse, and then a Brown feed out to the starter solenoid.

If you are only getting a click, the chances are that you have a bad earth.

If you are not getting a good turnover from the starter motor. the chances are that you have a bad earth.

Check the connections on the heavy cable between the battery and the starter solenoid.

BTW, what is an 'exciter' on the starter? You only have one of those on the alternator and that goes through a little 'battery warning lamp' on the dash!
 
id try shorting from the main power terminal to the spade and see how it turns over, if sluggish then, Id suspect the main power lead or earth connections.

As long as the solenoid gets enough power to engage, the starter power is drawn from its main terminal, the solenoid feed has nothing to do with turn over speed.
 
Old sea dog..... not all models are like that, I think the OP has the same set up I have mentioned the starting runs via relays, two thin red n white from the ignition, a green n black to common earth (my problem) large brown feed that bridges to a large red n white when relay closes...
OP is referring to the relay to solenoid wire when he says exciter.. not correct term but know what he means, but yep prob an earth issue.... sorted mine last night oddly enough...

Cheers Steve
 
Thanks for the advice.

I probably didn't explain it too well.
When trying to crank from the key, there is a click from a relay behind the fuse board, NOT the starter motor.

When I ran a cable from the positive on the battery to the spade terminal on the starter, it cranked slowly.

When I attached some jump leads from another car to my battery, and used my home made feed from the starter to the landy battery, it started.

Is that clearer?

Thanks for the help so far!
 
Yep, the v8 has the same set up in that it has a starter relay behind the fuse board, place a multimeter on the starter motor wire and see if you get 12 volts at the starter position on the key.

I didnt and that narrowed it to the relay, next check if you have 12 volts to the feed side of the relay (prob thick brown if same as v8) feed to starter from relay is thick white n red.

if you have power check the key feed wires (prob 2x thin white and red going into the relay) get 12 volts when in start position

if all that is okay check the relay earth (prob green n black) is actually earthing (this was my issue)

if all are okay but the relay still isnt allowing current through then new relay time

the slow cranking suggests a poor earth from engine to chassis or a shot battery, use a jump lead to earth engine to chassis and try to crank, does it improve

the clicking relay and slow cranking are 2 seperate issues

Cheers Steve
 
ebbadger said:
Yep, the v8 has the same set up in that it has a starter relay behind the fuse board, place a multimeter on the starter motor wire and see if you get 12 volts at the starter position on the key.

I didnt and that narrowed it to the relay, next check if you have 12 volts to the feed side of the relay (prob thick brown if same as v8) feed to starter from relay is thick white n red.

if you have power check the key feed wires (prob 2x thin white and red going into the relay) get 12 volts when in start position

if all that is okay check the relay earth (prob green n black) is actually earthing (this was my issue)

if all are okay but the relay still isnt allowing current through then new relay time

the slow cranking suggests a poor earth from engine to chassis or a shot battery, use a jump lead to earth engine to chassis and try to crank, does it improve

the clicking relay and slow cranking are 2 seperate issues

Cheers Steve
Click to expand...

Brilliant! Thanks for the clear instructions, as I said, I don't 'do' electrics.

I'll give it a whirl tomorrow, and let you know how I get on:D.
 
Solved!!

Removed all wires to the starter. Cleaned all contacts and earthing points. Still not getting 12v to the starter. Replaced relay.
Still not getting 12v to the starter!

Traced wires back through the bulkhead to the back of the dash, and found a bloody kill switch!!!!

Pressed the switch and it started.
 
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