STARTING & CLUTCH PROBS
Discussion
My 4.0 HC has had it's fair share of problems. The current one centres around starting when warm. Frequently it acts as though there's no power in the battery. I know the battery is fine and a few minutes later it may start fine, or it may take an hour!? It's just done this, but this time, the clutch disappeared!!! There was no pressure in the pedal at all. I've looked through other threads on clutch probs, but they seem to centre on leaks from the master cylinder, which I don't appear to have. Anyone know if my two problems are related? Also any ideas on my intermittent starter fault - bearing in mind I've just parted with £80 to have the starter reconditioned?!
1. Check the coil/HT lead - sounds like one or other may be knackered
2. Clutch fault is not related - it's a wonderful TVR coincidence - you may need a new clutch return spring or perhaps the seal in the save cylinder may have sprung a leak?
Anyway a couple or three suggestions to add to the list!
Hutch
2. Clutch fault is not related - it's a wonderful TVR coincidence - you may need a new clutch return spring or perhaps the seal in the save cylinder may have sprung a leak?
Anyway a couple or three suggestions to add to the list!
Hutch
If you are saying it acts as though there is no power in the battery I would assume by that the engine will not crank as it would normally. That being the case and with respect to Hutch I would say it cannot be the coil/HT lead. It will almost certainly be the starter, the only other thing it could be is the engine seizing and we certainly don't want to go down that road.
The clutch problem will not be related and will be a hydraulic problem. There does not have to be any obvious fluid leak for it not to work, air getting into the system will stop it working.
Ivan
The clutch problem will not be related and will be a hydraulic problem. There does not have to be any obvious fluid leak for it not to work, air getting into the system will stop it working.
Ivan
Have you got an immobiliser fitted? mine has gone into a sulk a few times now, when you turn the key.... nothing - wait a few minutes try again and the problem has disappeared. It has not been repeatable enough to get investigated so am living with it - Just a little extra charecter !!
I have got an immobilieser / alarm, but I don't think that's it. I'd just have thought that the process of getting a car started was fairly simple and that problem solving would therefore be fairly simply. It's only recently come out of a garage where the only brief I gave was to give the starting process a through check to rectify an intermittent fault. A fault was found within the ECU - something about suppling an earth on Crank - and also with my starter motor - which was repaired for £80 - but I still can't start the sodding thing. Obviously it's going back into the garage, but where do you draw the line?! 
One thing that you have to be clear on is that not starting and not cranking are not the same. I appreciate that it will not start without cranking but you could be confusing the issue. Getting a car to crank that won’t is a hell of a lot easier than getting a car to start that won’t.
An immobiliser will stop it from cranking completely, so it is unlikely to be anything to do with the alarm/immob if you are saying it acts as if you have a low battery. As you say this should not be a hard one to cure, I would still have a couple of quid on the starter or an earthing problem.
Ivan
An immobiliser will stop it from cranking completely, so it is unlikely to be anything to do with the alarm/immob if you are saying it acts as if you have a low battery. As you say this should not be a hard one to cure, I would still have a couple of quid on the starter or an earthing problem.
Ivan
I have just had a problem with my starter, after all the recent v heavy rain up here in Manch and with car parked out in the elements it wouldn't crank at all. Very annoying as I'd only had a recon starter fitted in Aug!
Got a new battery as old one was tested and showed two cells to be dodgy. When first fitted the problem was still there but some judicious tapping of the starter got it to crank and start. It than clicked when turning the key followed a second or two later by a v sluggish crank and then it would start.
Took car back to mechanic and he sent the starter back to suppliers under warranty. It was the solenoid, water had got in and rusted it causing the sticking and sluggish cranking. They tried to say itwasn't covered under warranty as it must be a leaking core plug that caused it. System was pressure tested and no leaks, I think it must have been the ingress of the large volumes of water through the bonnet vents coupled with not using the car for four days.
Do you think a heat shield would prevent this happeneing again and where do I get one?
Got a new battery as old one was tested and showed two cells to be dodgy. When first fitted the problem was still there but some judicious tapping of the starter got it to crank and start. It than clicked when turning the key followed a second or two later by a v sluggish crank and then it would start.
Took car back to mechanic and he sent the starter back to suppliers under warranty. It was the solenoid, water had got in and rusted it causing the sticking and sluggish cranking. They tried to say itwasn't covered under warranty as it must be a leaking core plug that caused it. System was pressure tested and no leaks, I think it must have been the ingress of the large volumes of water through the bonnet vents coupled with not using the car for four days.
Do you think a heat shield would prevent this happeneing again and where do I get one?
westys said: I have just had a problem with my starter, after all the recent v heavy rain up here in Manch and with car parked out in the elements it wouldn't crank at all. Very annoying as I'd only had a recon starter fitted in Aug!
Got a new battery as old one was tested and showed two cells to be dodgy. When first fitted the problem was still there but some judicious tapping of the starter got it to crank and start. It than clicked when turning the key followed a second or two later by a v sluggish crank and then it would start.
Took car back to mechanic and he sent the starter back to suppliers under warranty. It was the solenoid, water had got in and rusted it causing the sticking and sluggish cranking. They tried to say itwasn't covered under warranty as it must be a leaking core plug that caused it. System was pressure tested and no leaks, I think it must have been the ingress of the large volumes of water through the bonnet vents coupled with not using the car for four days.
Do you think a heat shield would prevent this happeneing again and where do I get one?
Water should not get into the solenoid no matter how much it rains. If it is a recent recon then there is no excuse, when they are assembled properly, dabs of grease in the right places etc it does not happen.
Moving further South is what most people do when they have this problem
Ivan
Bit of an update on this. Apparently the earth to my starter was coming from the clutch master cylinder. Somehow it was going wrong (technical term); mechanic said something about clutch fluid being affected through the power involved, resulting in temporary loss of pressure to clutch pedal. He fitted a new earth to the starter. Now cranks much faster and has started okay over the past week.
The whole thing sounds pretty scary, but hopefully all ok now.
The whole thing sounds pretty scary, but hopefully all ok now.
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