Car won't start after winter layup.
Discussion
Hi,
Pretty infrequent poster on here, but a bit stumped so thought I'd trawl the hive mind for information...
I own a 1.6 K series Caterham, which due to work and weather related issues I've had laid up in the garage since late September. I had disconnected the battery but everything was working fine before I did so.
Now I have come to reconnect everything back up again to get it back on the road for Easter. All seemed fine, the immobiliser light comes on and the lights etc all work as they should. Clicking the fob turns the immobiliser light off as I would expect on start up and the fuel pump primes when I turn the ignition the first click.
HOWEVER, when I then come to try and actually start up, there is a really loud clicking coming from what seems to be down by the starter motor (multiple loud, rapid clicks, not just a single click and stop). There is no turn over, just the alarming noise. Additionally, there is a high pitched electrical whine coming from somewhere, which I couldn't quite put my finger on but which indicated current was being drawn from somewhere. I've given up on it for the night as my garage is crap, down the road and has no power, so I can't see any more; to that end I've just reconnected the battery to avoid draining the battery overnight before turning to the internet for some idea of what is going on (which I haven't been able to find, hence this post), before looking at it again in the morning.
I should mention that over the winter I got a new battery and I have checked the terminals and it has a full charge, so I don't think it is that. My assumption is that there must be some sort of immobiliser issue, however what is happening is significantly different to what happens when I have tried to turn the car on whilst immobilised in the past (where it sort of turns over for half a second before cutting out).
As it was only me down at the garage at the time I couldn't manage to press the starter button and get my head down to the front end of the car for a better look/ hear of what was going on around the alternator/ starter; I'll get some one else down tomorrow but I'm pretty clear that the loud noise is coming from that area.
Electrical stuff is not really my thing, but I'm clear there is some sort of weird electrical problems present; I'm buggered if I know what to do about it though.
Anyone got any ideas? Am I missing something obvious?
Pretty infrequent poster on here, but a bit stumped so thought I'd trawl the hive mind for information...
I own a 1.6 K series Caterham, which due to work and weather related issues I've had laid up in the garage since late September. I had disconnected the battery but everything was working fine before I did so.
Now I have come to reconnect everything back up again to get it back on the road for Easter. All seemed fine, the immobiliser light comes on and the lights etc all work as they should. Clicking the fob turns the immobiliser light off as I would expect on start up and the fuel pump primes when I turn the ignition the first click.
HOWEVER, when I then come to try and actually start up, there is a really loud clicking coming from what seems to be down by the starter motor (multiple loud, rapid clicks, not just a single click and stop). There is no turn over, just the alarming noise. Additionally, there is a high pitched electrical whine coming from somewhere, which I couldn't quite put my finger on but which indicated current was being drawn from somewhere. I've given up on it for the night as my garage is crap, down the road and has no power, so I can't see any more; to that end I've just reconnected the battery to avoid draining the battery overnight before turning to the internet for some idea of what is going on (which I haven't been able to find, hence this post), before looking at it again in the morning.
I should mention that over the winter I got a new battery and I have checked the terminals and it has a full charge, so I don't think it is that. My assumption is that there must be some sort of immobiliser issue, however what is happening is significantly different to what happens when I have tried to turn the car on whilst immobilised in the past (where it sort of turns over for half a second before cutting out).
As it was only me down at the garage at the time I couldn't manage to press the starter button and get my head down to the front end of the car for a better look/ hear of what was going on around the alternator/ starter; I'll get some one else down tomorrow but I'm pretty clear that the loud noise is coming from that area.
Electrical stuff is not really my thing, but I'm clear there is some sort of weird electrical problems present; I'm buggered if I know what to do about it though.
Anyone got any ideas? Am I missing something obvious?
Cheers. I think that the battery is OK, although TBF I have not tried to jump it yet. The old battery was often dying and the sounds that I'm getting now are quite different to what it sounded like when trying to start with a low battery before (then it would sort of half click and then die; this is more like a very aggressive clacking which it seems would go on for as long as I have the ignition pressed).
That said the only thing I have changed is the battery, so makes sense that there could be something in that. I'll give it some more juice in the morning.
That said the only thing I have changed is the battery, so makes sense that there could be something in that. I'll give it some more juice in the morning.
Well I went for a slightly unscientific option and both jump started it and gave the starter a bit of a whack with a hammer. Started up no issues, so not 100% sure what the problem was, but it seems to start on its own now so happy in the short term. I'll keep the hammer handy for now and IDC once we've got the house move sorted I'll take off the starter for a look.
Thanks all!
Thanks all!
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