Thanks to Jeremy Clarkson.......

[Adenuf]

vRS finally let me down tonight after 13 years of ownership.😩

 

Everything lit up as usual, but turned the key and nowt.

Nearly dark, no torch, so thought, sod it, ring my breakdown provider GEM.

 

35 mins of pondering if it could be either the starter motor or the factory fir immobiiser perhaps before the man turned up.

 

After a bit of ferkling, he decided to hit the starter motor with a hammer, full JC style.....and it fired up immediately.😎

 

Going to cost me this week, but hey ho, mustn't grumble after all these years of superb service from the black terrier.

Still love it. 

[Breezy_Pete]

Could easily be the starter solenoid wire almost busted, rather than starter motor itself. 

If so it shouldn't cost you much at all, especially if you can DIY.

 

Super-common fault, vibration makes the wire fatigue and crack just where it comes out of the single-pin connector housing.  Certainly worth checking visually or pull-testing 'cos if it is that you'll kick yourself if you change the starter and it still plays up.

[Adenuf]

Oooo. Thanks for that. Wasn't aware. Would hitting it with a hammer really re-connect the cable, albeit temporarily, though?

Tried starting it when I got it back home, and same fault occurred.

I'll have a rummage with a hammer again first, and then check out what you suggested too.

 

 

[Breezy_Pete]

In my experience, the plastic insulation cracks, letting in atmospheric moisture and oxygen. This gradually corrodes the copper strands, turning them into green dust. Once enough corrosion has happened,  the wire struggles to conduct enough current to make the solenoid actuate. 

Sometimes the first symptom is non-start due to it breaking completely, sometimes it goes intermittent for a while first.

 

Clouting it may just help it by overcoming mechanical stiction; reducing the current required to get it to move.

[moley]

A few years back a friend of mine was stuck in our local supermarket car park when his Volvo wouldn't turn over. He had called the AA, but there was a delay, so he called me. I went out and check the battery, 12 v OK, just as I did that the AA guy turned up. He reached down and pulled off the 'exciter wire' (his description) to the starter motor, he then pushed it on and off of the terminal a few times and the motor fired up straight away. As he said, it's a common problem with a corroded terminal.

[TMB]

21 hours ago, Adenuf said:

After a bit of ferkling

 

I learned a new word

[Adenuf]

My excellent and long standing 1stt class Skoda techie friend is going to check out the cable tomorrow night, and have a new returnable starter motor on stand by, just in case.

[Munfred]

Defo soumds like that cable. 

Its quite a tight/short wire.

I replaced the section of wire with a longer piece and repaired with a spade connector. Fingers crossed its been ok for 3 years now,

 

It only needs enough current to get the signal. I used to be able to rock the car whilst starting it. After a few days this failed so i used a stick to move rhe wire. Saw me through to the weekend until i could bodge it better