Starter problem

RxBX · Post by **RxBX** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 9:55 pm

Tourist
I don't know if you'd seen/read thro' this thread that was on the forum not too long back,
If you didn't I suggest you do, it may be of help to resolve your starting problems.

http://bxclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php ... ht=#102794

Cheer's and best of luck !

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 9:56 pm

Hey, posting on behalf of Tourist as he's unable to sign in and is not at home.

He did the headlight test and as he turned the key the headlights dimmed almost to the point of being totally off.

mike st gilles · Post by **mike st gilles** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:16 am

If those lights were bright before he turned the key, then I would suggest that it is the starter drawing too much current. Now to try the 'fix' as suggested by rhv and while messing about there you might as well give that whole area and all the connections a good clean/tighten up. It might well save you having to buy a new starter.

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:05 pm

I would NOT be buying a new starter motor. As annoying as this problem is, I know I've been there! I still think like Mike says, get all the connections cleaned up and try again.
I've even known the battery terminals to get a bad connection inside (where the wire goes in)

Was this car parked up for any length of time before you bought it?

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 6:47 pm

mike st gilles wrote:If those lights were bright before he turned the key, then I would suggest that it is the starter drawing too much current.

Actually, this doesn't imho indicate the starter is drawing too much current more that the circuit cannot supply the current needed by the starter. It maybe the connections if the battery is in a charged state.

However the lights initially bright but dim with a 'clonk' from the starter is something I experienced on a new car after 3 months. Even after charging overnight it didn't remedy this and it happened suddenly while I was on holiday in France.

After being fobbed off at two garages in Chamonix with ineffectual help and only able to start the car with a jump start, I drove to Turin non-stop. The Italian mechanic after I described the problem said "Ah yes" took the battery out of the car put a tester on it, and then placed an iron bar across the terminals whereby one of the cells boiled up. "Defective cell you see , he said" and replaced the battery under warranty which the agent in Chamonix had refused to do.

No further starting problems so you see the fact you have new battery does not necessarily mean it is not faulty!

kevlights · Post by **kevlights** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:11 pm

you mentioned that your CD starts making noises when you turn the key,and the battery is too dead to start the engine, its possible the cd is on all the time draining your battery,the clicks and clunks are the CD looking for a disc; possible? the other suggestions are good too,i would isolate the power feed to the CD to eliminate it from your enquiries ,just disconect the wires to it,you never know could be as simple as ,while you are checking gremlims electrical some times too much junk in the glove box will result in its light saying on !

Mike E (uk) · Post by **Mike E (uk)** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 9:49 pm

Have you access to a proper battery tester?

This puts a huge load on the battery for about 20 seconds, you get lots of heat, but if the current is still good you know:

a: the battery is being charged properly
b: the battery holds a charge.

if you suspect the charging system, measure the battery voltage with and without the engine running.

I expect the problem (in rough order of likelyness):

1. a fault discharging the battery
2. a faulty battery
3. a faulty solonoid or wiring to solonoid/key switch etc
4. a faulty alternator
5. faulty wiring to starter
6. something else, related to the above ie bad earth

I cannot think of any thing else.

Mike

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 11:44 pm

Posting on Tourist's behalf again as he's still on a dud computer that wont log in.

His BX was left standing for months with practically no use before he bought it as the owner used a van to get around.

Tourist · Post by **Tourist** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 9:11 am

Hi, sorry been away for the weekend and only had access to a cr*p computer which didn't allow me to sign in and reply to your messages.

Someone wrote:

Was the car left standing before you bought it?

To answer, yes the car was left standing, almost un-used for several months (I suspect about 6) before I bought it. Used only to carry rubbish to the skip, so I'm told, though that could be an excuse for being "unaware" that anything was wrong with this car! I don't trust the seller.

I still can't get under the bonnet, I will be busy again today and to be honest I'm pretty clueless on what I'm doing at the moment (though I am learning part-time at a garage) but I will certainly have a look, and if I think I can do it, I'll have a try too.

Thanks for all of your replies!

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