1973 Europa Twin Cam - Wont start :-)
Discussion
A couple of weeks ago I drove my Europa TC through a few deepish puddles - well almost rivers! Car performed faultlessly, arrived home and I switched off the engine. Opened the garage door, restarted the car and parked it in it's double skinned, carpeted dehumidifier home.
Checked it next day and found that the floor carpets were well saturated so removed the seats and carpets and have been drying them until yesterday when it all went back together.
I needed to move it today and when I turn the key I get absolutely nothing except the ignition light and an ammeter that shows full discharge when operating the 'silent' starter.
Headlights are bright and dim when 'starter' is operated. Tried it also with my Jump Start unit - still nothing.
Old age (mine, not the cars) means I have long forgotten the basics so any help would be much appreciated.
Thank you.
Checked it next day and found that the floor carpets were well saturated so removed the seats and carpets and have been drying them until yesterday when it all went back together.
I needed to move it today and when I turn the key I get absolutely nothing except the ignition light and an ammeter that shows full discharge when operating the 'silent' starter.
Headlights are bright and dim when 'starter' is operated. Tried it also with my Jump Start unit - still nothing.
Old age (mine, not the cars) means I have long forgotten the basics so any help would be much appreciated.
Thank you.
Thank you all for the information - it now all makes some sense!
The starter motor is off and going to be checked properly tomorrow by people that know better than me (it operates off car but appears maybe a little lethargic). Some of the wiring looks poor, so will be addressing that over the weekend - easier now that the car is in the air :-)
It also makes sense to me to loosen and then re-tighten all of the earthing points. Once that's done I'll check the voltages (after I've read the multi-meter instructions!)
Hopefully that'll sort the old girl out - she's had 30 years of fairly trouble free use and abuse with me so it's about time I lavished some care on her.
I'll post results - thanks again.
The starter motor is off and going to be checked properly tomorrow by people that know better than me (it operates off car but appears maybe a little lethargic). Some of the wiring looks poor, so will be addressing that over the weekend - easier now that the car is in the air :-)
It also makes sense to me to loosen and then re-tighten all of the earthing points. Once that's done I'll check the voltages (after I've read the multi-meter instructions!)
Hopefully that'll sort the old girl out - she's had 30 years of fairly trouble free use and abuse with me so it's about time I lavished some care on her.
I'll post results - thanks again.
Yippeee. Starter motor just received back from it's rebuild, now fitted and car starts fine :-)
The solenoid required replacing but the motor was OK. After at least 30 years I am pleasantly surprised that that's all that was needed (I don't know how long the starter was on the car prior to me having it in 1985).
I am assuming that the drenching that the unit received was the final straw for the solenoid.
Thanks for all of the advice etc.
The solenoid required replacing but the motor was OK. After at least 30 years I am pleasantly surprised that that's all that was needed (I don't know how long the starter was on the car prior to me having it in 1985).
I am assuming that the drenching that the unit received was the final straw for the solenoid.
Thanks for all of the advice etc.
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