Car Wont Start, Any Ideas?!?

brousuka

Just a quick question, just tried to start me trusty '97 Mondeo and nothing happening.
The following is happening:
-all ignition and dashboard lights come on as normal on first key position, then on turning to start there is only a clicking sound and the dashboard lights flicker. There is no turning over of the engine whatsoever. The headlamps and other lights seem to be working fine, Hmmm I wonder could it be the battery or starting motor is giving the problem. PS no jumpleads available at the moment, is there anything i can do to quickly diagnose?? Thanks in advance...

cantdecide

Battery or alternator. Has it been sluggish to start lately? If you're desperate to use the car- just get a lift and get a battery (€60-€80), it's never a bad thing to have a good battery. If it's the alternator (or another problem- duff alarms flatten batteries) you'll quickly know, but it's probably just a battery.

Barlow07

brousuka wrote: »

Just a quick question, just tried to start me trusty '97 Mondeo and nothing happening.
The following is happening:
-all ignition and dashboard lights come on as normal on first key position, then on turning to start there is only a clicking sound and the dashboard lights flicker. There is no turning over of the engine whatsoever. The headlamps and other lights seem to be working fine, Hmmm I wonder could it be the battery or starting motor is giving the problem. PS no jumpleads available at the moment, is there anything i can do to quickly diagnose?? Thanks in advance...

Sounds like you need a new starting motor to me.

I bet if you tried pushing it and put the car in second gear and leave the your fut down on the clutch and when you build up speed take the your foot of the clutch tapping the accelerator, it will probably start, but you should hear noise coming from the engine like a clicking or stutter noise.

brousuka

Thanks, btw there was no problem in starting the car recently, always started straight away on first go. When it stops pi$$ing rain here i will try a push start. Thanks so much for the advice.

Armin_Tamzarian

Sounds like your Starter Motor.
Sometimes when they're on the way out they start getting stuck.
Try hitting the Starter Motor a couple of times with a spanner before you try to start it.
If it is stuck this might free it, it's worked for me in the past.

brousuka

Armin_Tamzarian wrote: »

Sounds like your Starter Motor.
Sometimes when they're on the way out they start getting stuck.
Try hitting the Starter Motor a couple of times with a spanner before you try to start it.
If it is stuck this might free it, it's worked for me in the past.

Will do. btw, how much would it cost to get a starter motor fitted?

JHMEG

Battery or alternator.

Don't go near anything else till you've tried to jump start it or put a new battery in it.

Armin_Tamzarian

First make sure it is the Starter Motor.
Connect your battery to another battery with jump leads and if you're still experiencing the same problems it is most likely the starter motor.
It shouldn't cost too much to fit a replacement one, it's a simple enough job.
You'd probably be best off getting a replacement stater motor from a scrap yard as a new one would be quite expensive.

If the car starts on a jump start but the battery warning light comes on shortly afterwards, while the engine is still running.
Then it's most likely the Alternator that's at fault.

JHMEG

I'd be very surprised if there was anything wrong with the starter motor, and wouldn't be giving it any thought at this stage.

galwaydude18

When I bought my van last sept the starter motor broke on me.. I got the local garage to fix it for me.. They charged something like €272 or €372 to fix it... I cant remember the price properly.. But the price inclued labour and reconditiong the starter motor...

brousuka

galwaydude18 wrote: »

When I bought my van last sept the starter motor broke on me.. I got the local garage to fix it for me.. They charged something like €272 or €372 to fix it... I cant remember the price properly.. But the price inclued labour and reconditiong the starter motor...

Je$us, Just wot I need after christmas!! anyway thanks for all the advice, still pi$$ing rain outside, I mean really bad, and getting dark! so it looks like i probably won't be able to do anything till the morning, especially with all the sport on TV! soccer,rugby etc!! I'L let ya' all know what the story is tomorrow, again thanks for very sound advice from posters.

galwaydude18

I can feel for ya! I know the feeling. I didn't need that added expense after I just handed out almost 3k for the van!

mickdw

Battery i think. Lights come on but not enough power to turn starter and lights dim when you try. Definitely jump lead it and if it starts stick a new battery in.
I have seen I faulty starter draining a battery but never know til you try a new good battery.

Careful with radio codes etc if removing the battery!

Armin_Tamzarian

Hopefully your battery is just dead.
If it is the starter don't worry too much.
The last time I bought a second hand starter motor from a scrapyard it cost me around €75.00
Fitting the starter motor is easy as it is easily accessible in most cars.
It's a simple matter of unpluging the old one, removing a couple of bolts and then sticking in the new one.
If you go to a local mechanic It shouldn't take them more than a half hour and shouldn't cost more that ~€50.00

Let us know how you get on, goodluck...

cormac_byrne

Partly flat battery should turn the engine over slowly, really flat battery and you just get the clicking noise, which is the starter solenoid failing to engage.

If the battery isn't flat (and you say headlights are ok) and the solenoid is still clicking, then it might just be stuck. That's why you get advice like 'hit it with a spanner' i.e. to loosen it.

Solenoid could be stuck from trying to start with a flat battery, so check that first. If it is solenoid, should be cheaper than replacing the whole starter.


see

http://www.carcare.org/Electrical/solenoid.shtml

http://www.popularmechanics.com/how_to_central/automotive/1272416.html

ianobrien

Check the connections at the battery. They should be good and tight (ie should not be able to remove them from the battery by hand).

Then check the heavy cable to the starter.

They try jump starting it to check if it's your battery is half dead (I doubt it, as if it was, the starter would turn slowly, "groaning")

Then try hitting the starter. Don't hit it too hard, as once I broke the soloniod off by hitting it with a piece of scaffolding pole.

Then try push starting it. The "jolt" may free it out.

If they are all no good, then change the starter.

My gut feeling is dodgy connection at the battery.

I had identical problems and it was a loose connection at the battery!

brousuka

Just a note to say a big thanks to everyone who helped me out. Just succesfully jump started me car and am on the way to purchase new battery!! Thanks again.

John mac

anyone know where the starter motor is located on a bmw 320 ci ?
my brother has one and it wont start, (he is in NZ atm )
my dad says the batt is fully charged. but he cant locate the starter motor in the engine bay.

peasant

Usually the starter motor sits where the gearbox is joined with the engine. That's where the flywheel and clutch are. The starter engages with the flywheel and thus turns the engine over.

Don't know where it is exactly on a BMW 320, could be over or under or any side of the engine ...but always at the gearbox end.

Oilrig

DON'T HIT STARTER MOTORS with spanners or anything else.

Most modern car starters have permanent magnets instead of the old style wire field coils, if you smack it you run the risk of cracking a magnet... that results in a scrap starter, there & then.

As for the OP, clicking or "machine gunning" is usually a voltage issue, ie duff battery or bad connections.