Ford Puma Not Starting

[nigethelegend]

Hello,
Can anyone help my wife?? Steady!!!!

She has a 1.7 puma that will sometimes start ok but other times will act as if it's battery is falt and will start to click when trying to be started. I've tested the battery and its fine. Sometimes if left it will start again when tried failing that I can roll it down hill as jump start it. As I said, the battery is good - any ideas? Could it be starter motor/solanoid?

Regards,

NIgel

[FWDRacer]

Mine did this when the starter got waterlogged - Went intermittent - Has she been in deep water (not with you ) i.e gone through a Ford in the car or more recently has the car got snow packed in the front?

A really good run getting everything hot sorted mine out (Lucky I know - after driving though a flood) - although if symptoms persist I would look at Starter/solenoid connections.

[nigethelegend]

I'm a country bumpkin so there is always floods about, i'll try cleaning contacts off and see what happens, ta. What do you reckon if this doesn't solve it?

[FWDRacer]

Sticking starter solenoid...

[foxyred]

I had exactly the same problem. I got a new (well 2nd hand) battery and though that would solve the problem but when I started driving, the steering wheel was very stiff and the car eventually stopped again. It turns out that it was the fan belt. How bizarre I thought fan belts squeaked crazily when they were on their way out... mine was torn all over the place.

[nigethelegend]

Cheers Foxyred,

I've put the battery from my Vectra on it and it seems fine now. I'll check her fan belt to see if its had it as her steering is a bit stiff too. Her battery went flat about a month ago cos they left the interior light on aqnd I managed to bump start it by rolling it down the hill. It maybe that it never got chance to charge back up fully. It only gets used to do the school run (2 miles) and with the heaters on, wipers and lights etc. its probably not recharged to full.

Ta.