Water247
New Member
- Posts
- 244
Hello all, again!
My S3 in the last few months has started to refuse to start sometimes. Either from cold or having stalled mid-run and it has refused to for a number of minutes and numerous attempts. Just when I am red-faced and about to give up it will often start again and then be fine. So this happens from cold and when warm. Mostly the ignition lights will be on and the starter motor will turn over but it will just not catch. I have noticed in the last week in the wet the problem's become much worse and now (as of yesterday) I can't start it at all - turns over but never starts. (FYI, the battery has been eliminated as the cause)
One other symptom which may offer a lead: (What I call) the ignition lights (Alt and Oil) are normally on as I'd expect whilst trying to start it, however, sometimes and often after a few attempts the lights will not be on and there will be no life at all (starter motor not even turning over). As quickly as this problem occurs I have a couple more tries and it's disappeared and the lights have life again and starter motor turns over.
I am thinking this may be an electrical problem and intend to spend tomorrow with my Haynes manual checking the earth from battery, connections to starter motor etc. but before I do that does anyone find these symptoms familiar?
Also, the starter motor is often very sluggish at the start of the key turn. It often gets up to normal speed within 4 or 5 seconds (as long as the battery has plenty of charge). If the starter motor was seized I would expect it to maybe do this the first key turn but subsequent key turns it would be okay from the start - not always the case. I was thinking I may also need to overhaul or replace the starter motor but will check all the cabling first unless told otherwise.
Thanks again,
Andy.
My S3 in the last few months has started to refuse to start sometimes. Either from cold or having stalled mid-run and it has refused to for a number of minutes and numerous attempts. Just when I am red-faced and about to give up it will often start again and then be fine. So this happens from cold and when warm. Mostly the ignition lights will be on and the starter motor will turn over but it will just not catch. I have noticed in the last week in the wet the problem's become much worse and now (as of yesterday) I can't start it at all - turns over but never starts. (FYI, the battery has been eliminated as the cause)
One other symptom which may offer a lead: (What I call) the ignition lights (Alt and Oil) are normally on as I'd expect whilst trying to start it, however, sometimes and often after a few attempts the lights will not be on and there will be no life at all (starter motor not even turning over). As quickly as this problem occurs I have a couple more tries and it's disappeared and the lights have life again and starter motor turns over.
I am thinking this may be an electrical problem and intend to spend tomorrow with my Haynes manual checking the earth from battery, connections to starter motor etc. but before I do that does anyone find these symptoms familiar?
Also, the starter motor is often very sluggish at the start of the key turn. It often gets up to normal speed within 4 or 5 seconds (as long as the battery has plenty of charge). If the starter motor was seized I would expect it to maybe do this the first key turn but subsequent key turns it would be okay from the start - not always the case. I was thinking I may also need to overhaul or replace the starter motor but will check all the cabling first unless told otherwise.
Thanks again,
Andy.
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I can remove them by hand (because I have had a seperate battery issue and have needed to swap batteries out whilst testing) but they have good clean connections (and a small smearing of vaseline) and are pressed on snugly.
