Bad starter- electrical problem

[stigproducts]

Hi, I would appreciate some pointers with my V6 Essex.
It is always very reluctant to start when cold. it turns and turns and turns and then, if the battery has enough juice, will eventually fire.
I have a sloped driveway and if the battery dies it will 9 times out of 10 fire if I run it down the drive and bump start it. So obviously the spark and fuel are there- but why not when it is on the starter?? Perhaps the starter it taking so much power the spark is weakened? All the electrical bits have been replaced, over the last few years, but it has pretty much always done this.

I am thinking a bad connection somewhere; any hints where to start?

Thanks guys

[stigproducts]

It spins pretty well. The earth strap was replaced last year.
Yes it does have a ballast resistor setup. I will check this out tonight. Any wire going between the starter solonoid and the coil has to go closely past the exhaust manifold so would be a good candidate for damage.
I am assuming that if I run a multimeter between the + or the coil and a earth, I should get 12v when the starter is turing and 9v once the engine starts. If i don't (always 9v) then the 12 v bypass is at fault. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Any other suggestions gratfully received, so I have a few possibilities before I start to get my hands dirty!

[stigproducts]

Thanks for the suggestions. Cranking gave a meagre 3/4/5 amps at the coil. and when I ran a wire direct from the battery + to the coil it fired up straight away.
Lo and behold, hanging below the starter is an unconnected female bullet. Problem now is that the manifold has to come off to get at it, and to achieve that the heater has to come out.....etc! The manifold needed to come off anyway as it rubs against the chassis and needs to be modified.

One other thing I noticed was that the business end of the ballast resistor has 3 out going wires. One of these goes directly to a weird cylinder thing bolted to the back of the engine- what does this do?

[stigproducts]

liszt said:

You'd better get this fixed for Le Mans otherwise we goin' gumball stylee and the motor is not gonna get stopped until we hit Expo!

You assume nothing else will break!

All back together now, and it's made sod all difference, so looks like it is the auto electrician for me :-(

I have rigged in a switch from tbe battery + to the coil + as suggested to give it a wee boost on cold mornings- sticking plaster!!

>> Edited by stigproducts on Thursday 17th February 15:10