Battery or Starter Motor

[PuffsBack]

Sometimes from cold when I twist the key I just get a click from the starter motor. Try it a few more times and eventually it spins the engine.

Once the engine is warm however its fine.

Starter or Battery? what the opinion

[Penelope Stopit]

When the key is held over in the start position

Battery voltage should not drop below 9.6 Volts

To check the leads when in the start position

Check voltage drop between battery negative and starter body - Should be no more than 0.25 Volts

Check voltage drop between battery positive and starter solenoid positive terminal - Should be no more than 0.75 Volts

[phillpot]

PuffsBack said:

Try it a few more times and eventually it spins the engine.

That would suggest to me the battery has the power to spin the engine but it's not getting through? So starter motor, solenoid or wiring issue?

[glow worm]

Lack of use ... and probably starter motor ... my Sag did it, now my Tuscan has started doing it ... usually OK on the 3rd or 4th attempt. I got all the earths checked on the last service and hasn't solved the problem. Certainly not a battery problem.

Edited by glow worm on Monday 7th May 14:00

[PuffsBack]

Lack of use for sure - just checked the last MOT and only did 397 miles in the last year!!! Pathetic effort

[glow worm]

PuffsBack said:

Lack of use for sure - just checked the last MOT and only did 397 miles in the last year!!! Pathetic effort

No excuse the last few days ... other than all those other motorists Best part of retirement ... wait till the buggers go back to work

[julianc]

Sticking relay?

[shep1001]

Starter. Mine has done it for the past couple of years on and off. I just turn it off & back on again & its fine. I will fit that new uprated starter one day, hopefully before it taps out for good and leaves me stranded!!

[jpp]

Mine doing it too but less often post battery change. Very sad to see my original TVR battery go - looked pretty goosed though after 14 years! Starter issue began with a year where I did sub 1000 miles but until the battery died got steadily more frequent. Probably looking at a wasp I think.

[PuffsBack]

Seems my battery is original as well. Have the complete SH and no sight of it being changed. So 13 years old therefore I can forgive it!

[spindizzy]

Bit late on the topic but my Griff 500 had exactly the same symptom of clicking a couple of times before suddenly deciding to crank (from cold only BTW, it worked fine once the engine was warm). As the cranking speed seemed OK I decided to change the starter motor. Wow, what a difference that made. It has never spun so fast even when it was new.Had the starter fitted by Str8Six but I think it was a standard type, nothing special.
That is the second starter I have had if I recall.