The tale of a non-starter

[scruggs]

Just for info really.

The car is a 1999 Chim 500 with 51k on the clock and a full service history.

I fitted the Modwise hot start kit last September after a couple of hot non-starts. No problems since and the car had a 12k service plus extras a few weeks back.

So today was a typical school run followed by work run and a few hot starts between 4 and 7 pm.

After an hour in the pub I went to the car turned on the ignition, confirmed fuel pump running, turned the key and......nothing. Thought I heard a pop but it could have been a clonk or other noise.

Tried the various locking/unlocking of doors, re-setting of the imobiliser etc. Still nothing when the key was turned.

Tried thumping the top of the dash (more in frustration than anything else) just in case the immobiliser had a funny turn...nothing.

Then twigged that the ignition lights were not dimming when the key was turned so high prob that the starter was still isolated. So maybe not a starter/immobilser problem.

Down into the footwell passenger side and checked the connections on the Modwise and thumped various relays. In a pub car park so no owners manual to check which relay I was thumping.

Looked at the fuse panel but without a diagram it is impossible to identify what fuse does what. Then I found the in-line 20 amp fuse in the Modwise kit and low and behold it was cooked.

Right lets cannabalise another circuit for a 20 amp fuse, but which one (no diagram available). First choice killed everything so took a second choice and low and behold the thing started. Back in time for supper after all!

Checked as to which systems were now not available having deprived it of a fuse and it only appeared to be the heater fan.

Got home, dug out the owners manual and identified which fuses I had moved around (heater was supposed to be a 15 amp but not in my case, typical TVR)

Now I believe fuses do not let go without a reason. So what is the likelihood that the starter motor is becoming tired and putting strain on the system causing a fuse failure over time? Maybe I should budget for anew starter motor soon?

[JonathanT]

I had a similar case where the starter was doing nothing (fuel pump was priming) and the 20A modwise fuse kept blowing. Turned out that the main feed to the starter had physically broken. First time round, there was a big pop - presumably when the main feed eventually broke.

Mr RAC came out and did a load of checks on the starter before reconnecting the main feed. Everything's been fine since. He said that the feed to the starter had insufficient slack in it and so broke through metal fatigue.

Edited by JonathanT on Wednesday 11th May 10:01

[scruggs]

Thanks for the info. At the moment she is starting again ok although hot starts tend to crank over slowly. It may be a sluggish starter motor that requires a bit of lubrication.

I have armed myself with a box of spare fuses just in case.

[ads]

I have had to replace the wire going to the solenoid as the heat had caused the insulation to go brittle and when trying to start the car couldn't carry enough current.

Might be worth a check before changing the starter.

[darkcat]

question about that 2nd wire... mine's not connected to enything (its also melted) the car sonmetimes wont turn over at all, just a click from the solenoid, then eventuallt after a few attempts it will (and turns over at full speed when it does)

Whats that other thin wire for????

[scruggs]

...and its just happened again. Parked for 20 minutes, tried a hot start and pop goes the fuse.

So definitely a problem with the starter circuit when hot (no problems when cold). Now its about three decades since I last got my hands seriously dirty on a car. Is the starter motor a b****r to get to?

[peaktorque]

scruggs said:

...and its just happened again. Parked for 20 minutes, tried a hot start and pop goes the fuse.

So definitely a problem with the starter circuit when hot (no problems when cold). Now its about three decades since I last got my hands seriously dirty on a car. Is the starter motor a b****r to get to?

Nope, but the top bolt is a bit fiddly to get at, mine are allen head bolts and I had a scary moment when the allen key started slipping in the bolt as it was so tight and the head of the bolt was already battle scarred . The wiring connections are easily accessable once the starter is loose and obviously with battery disconnected

I renewed my starter motor recently thinking it was the cause of it spinning over so slowly, only to find out that it made no difference and it's actually the battery that's on the way out

[TJC46]

scruggs said:

...and its just happened again. Parked for 20 minutes, tried a hot start and pop goes the fuse.

So definitely a problem with the starter circuit when hot (no problems when cold). Now its about three decades since I last got my hands seriously dirty on a car. Is the starter motor a b****r to get to?

Id bet on a cooked solenoid. The heat from the manifold over time basically destroys the solenoid. Even the modwise hot start kit cannot stop this. The hot start kit just delays the inevitable. Putting more juice to a sticking/faulty solenoid is not the real answer. If you repair or fit a new starter motor, you must protect it with heat shield or similar, or you will end up with the same problem. Do a search there is plenty of posts on this subject, and plenty of opinions. Mine [for what its worth]is posted above, good luck, Tom.

[anonymous-user]

You have pm.

[scruggs]

So assuming the battery is ok the belt and braces answer to this is to replace the starter motor and be prepared to discover poor wiring that will also need some replacing.

As this appears to be the original starter it has survived nearly 12 years without additional heat protection.