Starting Problems

Hi All
New Member, have an s3 77 2.25 petrol, new battery, coil good alterator good, new points codenser all in all everything has been replaced for a service, in turning the ignition on it will only just turn over if that, as if battery is flat but not the case. seems to be draining the power somehow. detected slight burning smell, but couldn't find source. If you leave the ignition turned on and hold it you might get it to fire up but this doesn't seem right, this the possible cause of the burning smell. Can anyone give advice on fixing the problem. This problem was present before the service.

Cheers Bruce.

Check first for

BAD EARTH

from battery to chassis or chassis to engine block.

Check your choke and throttle cables as you may havwe fried them if they ended up earthing the engine to the chassis!

Your description points right at this as being your problem!

The fix is easy - good clean tight earthing connections.

CharlesY

is the starter motor turning correctly when you hold the igntion on? i had a similar problem that turned out to be the starter solenoid, it wasnt allowing full current flow to the starter, which was like the battery was flat. i never had any burning smells though.

if you've been replacing electrical parts where all the terminals clean? might be a bad connection due to corrosion....

oh aye, and welcome to landy zone!!

defo check earth. renew cable even if it looks ok. most starting probs are linked to poor earth.corrosion between cable termination and engine/chassis can cause all symptoms you mention.

There should be an earth lead from one of the starter bolts to the chassis. Even if someone has put additional earth leads elsewhere, if that one is missing you can have problems.

Thanks for all the tips will get under the girl tomorrow and check her out. will report back later.

Bad earth the problem as you all mentioned, now fixed and starts every time.

Cheers everyone.