Starting issue
Discussion
Having a starting issue. First noticed last year when from cold or hot occasionally the fuel pump would prime but no starter. One or two shots and all would be fine. Never didn’t start and slowly got progressively worse from occasional to most starts taking two or three attempts.
Suspected the starter so had a friendly mechanic replace it earlier this year. He tested a few times successfully when on the ramp but when I went to collect it later, pump primed but not start. He jacked it up and tapped the starter and it fired into life. Initially all good with no problems for a few weeks, then the issue reappeared once. Then a few uses later wouldn’t start when i stopped for petrol, luckily at my mechanic friend’s garage, he jacked and tried tapping the starter but no success. I returned an hour or so later and it started no problem and I went home and it started fine many times after I’d got home.
I’ve tried starting a few times since from cold and all good. Then today took for a 20 minute run. Once I got home I tried to start again. First time, just pump and no start, immediately after, 2nd time started fine and third and subsequent attempts just the pump. A few hours later started fine.
First thought was it could be the classic hot start issue but I had my Meta alarm replaced by Abacus alarms with the corrected wiring about six years ago, so not convinced this is the cause.
I’ve checked the connections are tight etc.
Any ideas? Thanks
Suspected the starter so had a friendly mechanic replace it earlier this year. He tested a few times successfully when on the ramp but when I went to collect it later, pump primed but not start. He jacked it up and tapped the starter and it fired into life. Initially all good with no problems for a few weeks, then the issue reappeared once. Then a few uses later wouldn’t start when i stopped for petrol, luckily at my mechanic friend’s garage, he jacked and tried tapping the starter but no success. I returned an hour or so later and it started no problem and I went home and it started fine many times after I’d got home.
I’ve tried starting a few times since from cold and all good. Then today took for a 20 minute run. Once I got home I tried to start again. First time, just pump and no start, immediately after, 2nd time started fine and third and subsequent attempts just the pump. A few hours later started fine.
First thought was it could be the classic hot start issue but I had my Meta alarm replaced by Abacus alarms with the corrected wiring about six years ago, so not convinced this is the cause.
I’ve checked the connections are tight etc.
Any ideas? Thanks
Tapping it would work because it helps the solenoid activate. I would have suggested an immobiliser failure, it was the cause of a previous Chimaera and my current Griff when I had the same issue, but you've changed it.
There may be a voltage drop somewhere, so that there is insufficient for the solenoid. I changed my ignition switch as well (the other end of where the key goes in), it's a Vauxhall part and not really up to it because the current goes through it straight to the solenoid, mine had pitted and heat damaged segments. Also, I recently had failure to start due to the 11 year old battery being kippered. It would start when cold, but when hot, it wouldn't do more than a very slow crank. A new battery fixed that.
You need to get a voltmeter on the terminal (spade connector on the solenoid) to see if you are getting 12V when you turn the key. You need to put to car up on stands to get under it for access to the starter if you don't have access to a ramp. I managed to change a starter motor myself, only to have to change it back again because there was nothing wrong with it. If only I'd changed the brittle £1 100A fuse while I was there, I later broke down when it failed.
What can be misleading is that it will start again immediately after switch off, if you've been running at a decent speed. After a couple of minutes of heat soak, then it won't, like at a petrol station.
There may be a voltage drop somewhere, so that there is insufficient for the solenoid. I changed my ignition switch as well (the other end of where the key goes in), it's a Vauxhall part and not really up to it because the current goes through it straight to the solenoid, mine had pitted and heat damaged segments. Also, I recently had failure to start due to the 11 year old battery being kippered. It would start when cold, but when hot, it wouldn't do more than a very slow crank. A new battery fixed that.
You need to get a voltmeter on the terminal (spade connector on the solenoid) to see if you are getting 12V when you turn the key. You need to put to car up on stands to get under it for access to the starter if you don't have access to a ramp. I managed to change a starter motor myself, only to have to change it back again because there was nothing wrong with it. If only I'd changed the brittle £1 100A fuse while I was there, I later broke down when it failed.
What can be misleading is that it will start again immediately after switch off, if you've been running at a decent speed. After a couple of minutes of heat soak, then it won't, like at a petrol station.
Measuring voltage with a high impedance voltmeter can be misleading to check voltage on the solenoid terminal you need something that draws a fair amount of current like a 12v headlamp bulb.
Intermittent faults are difficult to trace but when your car is hot and the starter motor is not turning run a wire from the battery +ve to the solenoid terminal
If the car then starts you know the fault is in the circuit: Ignition switch via immobiliser to the solenoid or even the wiring. As sixor said ignition switches are known to fail.
So check the crank connection on the ignition switch ( the last one) again with a headlamp bulb.
Please use axle stands if the car is not on a ramp, I have known two people killed by a jack collapsing while they were under the car.
Intermittent faults are difficult to trace but when your car is hot and the starter motor is not turning run a wire from the battery +ve to the solenoid terminal
If the car then starts you know the fault is in the circuit: Ignition switch via immobiliser to the solenoid or even the wiring. As sixor said ignition switches are known to fail.
So check the crank connection on the ignition switch ( the last one) again with a headlamp bulb.
Please use axle stands if the car is not on a ramp, I have known two people killed by a jack collapsing while they were under the car.
I did mention stands. 
I checked for voltage and even when cold, I was getting a voltage drop. With the shroud off from behind the steering wheel, I could see a spark when I turned the key. It's why I took off the ignition switch, and replaced it with, yes, another Vauxhall plastic one.
The immobilser could have failed again, but its unlikely, if (I bought mine from Abacus too), they wired the right way round that TVR didn't.
I checked for voltage and even when cold, I was getting a voltage drop. With the shroud off from behind the steering wheel, I could see a spark when I turned the key. It's why I took off the ignition switch, and replaced it with, yes, another Vauxhall plastic one.
The immobilser could have failed again, but its unlikely, if (I bought mine from Abacus too), they wired the right way round that TVR didn't.
Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff