Quarter-Life-Crisis Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 (edited) I have a problem where all the symptoms point to a dead or dying battery. The car would try and turn over but the battery would die and that was that. The battery is a 3 year old Vauxhall 70 amp. I charged the battery and this time nothing! slight click from the starter motor, thats it. The voltage dial is very low reading on the dash but the battery is definately good. Tried the battery off the granada which i know is absolutely A-OK and the same thing happened. The slight click from the starter motor. So i've got a car that was reluctant to start and now nothing at all. Cleaned all the battery terminals, the ring crimps, the connections on the starter motor. The ecu is plugged in. All other electrics in the car work, lights etc. although possibly a bit duller than normal (difficult to tell in daylight) Its been running, just had new clutch, new oil & filter, new coolant. The spark plugs, ht leads, coil and alternator were replaced 2 years ago with brand new and its done a couple of thousand miles since then. Is there some sort of starter solenoid somewhere? Edited June 19, 2010 by Quarter-Life-Crisis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shuviteer Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Change your starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 (edited) Usual things to check the battery connections at both ends are clean and tight as you have, but also the engine earth at both ends fron the drivers side inner wing to the block. Usual one is the main battery lead onto the starter motor though. If these are all ok get someone to turn and hold the key, when the starter clicks knock it on the top of the solenoid which is the small round cylinder on top of the starter, not hammer the hell out of it but a fair knock with a lump of wood or a small hammer, if this all fails then maybe change the starter Edited June 19, 2010 by Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarter-Life-Crisis Posted June 19, 2010 Author Share Posted June 19, 2010 (edited) Seems there may be a shortage of power all together perhaps. Its difficult to tell with just the lights, but the compressor for the horn is taken a second to blast the horns. Have read on the internet there can be a problem in the back of the ignition switch sending power to the starter? Is there a way of just wiring up the starter to see if it spins? Have fitted a brand new lead from + on the battery to the starter motor, cleaned the earth from the battery too. No change! Edited June 19, 2010 by Quarter-Life-Crisis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 With it out of gear and ign on, pull the small wire off the starter and then using a screwdriver pressed against the main connection touch the contact you pulled the wire off. Be aware it may spark and jump if it works, if it just sparks then sounds like the starter solenoid sticking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantadoc Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Put a jump lead from the -Ve battery terminal(you can leave the lead on) to the engine mount (make sure it is clean) for one test. The braided flat earth leads go bad over time, basically corrode if damp. A low reading on the volt meter eliminates the engine earth strap as the fault, as if it was only that the volt meter would read fine. So you are down to dirty terminals, the large battery live or earth leads, the earth lead bolt into the inner wing. the terminal on the starter or the ring that feeds the cars main loom fron the starter. As a quick test, if the car will crank by connecting a length of wire from the appropriate solenoid terminal (black with red trace normally on it?) to the +ve on the batter then engine earth strap and both battery leads should be good, meaning ring terminal to feed car loom or various earths. No warranty implied or given, don't listen to me, just making it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantadoc Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 FYI most important lines on the problem description The voltage dial is very low reading on the dash but the battery is definately good. The above means, if no other fault with volt meter and unlikely, that the car loom isn't getting the "power" so a poor connection / high resitance somewhere. Use a hand held multimeter to a permanent live in the fuse box to check. Tried the battery off the granada which i know is absolutely A-OK and the same thing happened. If this battery was starting the other car immediately befor ebeing used, testing by substitution is a very good test. Verifying the voltage "seen" inside the car would be a very good test. Low voltmeter during cranking expected. Turnig the lights on to see if they are dim red candles ia another less cut and dry / conclusive test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith1200 Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Either starter or bad earth (as pointed out above ) use jump leads with a running car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarter-Life-Crisis Posted June 19, 2010 Author Share Posted June 19, 2010 (edited) I completely removed the starter motor and connected it direct to a battery, it ran twice then nothing. Must admit i thought it would really jump/twitch/jerk? when the power went through it but it just gently started and ran. Anyway not running now just bit of a spark. Depended also which way round it was held also. Ran only with the terminals to the top and the 9 tooth cog at the bottom. Maybe something maybe not? All earth leads good, original but good. Wire wooled them clean anyway. Just bought a new started from the ever faithful ebay for £30 delivered. Really hope that will solve the problem. Only went to start the car just out of interest while i was doing something else and before i know it saturday is over and i've achieved nothing i wanted to do today at all! Incidentally the 33 year old carb v6 3.0 Granada which has not been run for several months struck up and idled beautifully once the petrol had got up to it. Thanks for all the advice everyone, praying a new starter (solenoid) will solve the problem! Edited June 19, 2010 by Quarter-Life-Crisis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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