Hi

My old 1.3 is getting sluggish to start, sometimes only barely turning over. I've charged the battery and this makes no difference and can't find any poor connections. Before Christmas it actually refused entirely - just a click. Lights don't dim or dash lights go out. I rocked it forward a few inches while in gear, and tried again and this time it started, though again sluggishly.

Please could someone tell me if it's most likely the starter packing up? Is there anything else likely to cause a similar fault?

Cheers

Hi Red Studio

It sounds like the solenoid on the starter motor needs replacing

When you turn the ignition and just get a click open up the hood

and give the solenoid/starter motor a few hefty whacks and try again.

Shine on

have you tried hooking up a set of jump leads to another car to see if it turns over nice and fast then. Sounds to me as if your battery isnt holding a very good charge.

sorry just reread the bit about lights worth trying the jump leads first and checking the condition of contacts on the starter motor and between battery and starter. Sluggish turn over would indicate not getting enough power, generally when Ive had a solenoid go it refuses to even attempt to turn rather than turning sluggishly. Nut then Ive only had a couple of failures I vouldnt claim to have had every problem possible.

Crossed my mind the same thing. Dug out the jump leads this morning and will zap it with the diesel when my wife gets back with it. Starters are about £80 I think, if it turns out not to be the battery.

Thanks both

Nope, it still barely turns over when it's plugged into the diesel battery (with that car running).

It spins so slowly at first it sounds like it'll never get going then gradually spins up faster until it fires. I'll have to go over the connectors again on the weekend, if not that then it looks like a new starter.

best to check the basics before spending money out. I have made the mistake before of replacing perfectly good parts over a loose connection .

All the connections were fine - undid and refastened them all - battery, earths, starter feeds. However the lead from the top terminal of the starter to the alternator was frayed almost all the way through at the alternator end - oxidised?

Put on a new terminal and it starts as it should again.

In tightening the lower terminal on the starter though, I've cracked a chunk out of the black plastic housing behind the terminals. If I glue it back and bind it with tape should that be ok? I don't fancy having to replace the starter now that it turns out it was OK until I got my clumsy paws on it.

Got any pics of the damage, hopefully will be ok but some pictures would let me say with more certainty.

A bit tricky as the damage is underneath the starter motor connections. I've cracked a 10p sized chunk of plastic out of the cylindrical black plastic block that the terminals are set into.

I was tightening the lower terminal and should have had an open ended spanner on the nut at the base of the stud. I think the stud turned a fraction and the chunk flaked off directly below this. I'm imagining the block provides insulation between the two posts and weather proofing to whatever's inside.

I'm going to go the epoxy and tape route, it can't make things any worse.

Don't think I actually fixed anything. A week or so later the problem started again, sometimes it starts OK other times it turns so slowly you'd swear the battery was dead.

Today it's packed up completely in the works carpark - the relay clicks but that's all. Over the weekend it was slow to turn-over but this morning wasn't too bad.

Must be the starter or some part of it now, mustn't it?

Thanks for any clues.