Starting triumph vitesse mk2 1969

[Dean Weston]

Every so often 1/20 times I turn my ignition on and try and start and nothing. Bump start the car all is well again. Put new starter on. Sill happened. Put new ignition on. Still happens. No noise of starter when it happens. Any ideas please. My next port of call is solenoid ?

[mishmosh]

Do you have ignition lights ?

[dougbgt6]

Check the engine earth strap, they can look OK but still have a poor connection. Do any other electrics work when this happens? When you say new ignition do you mean a new switch?

[mishmosh]

check the ignition feed under the solonoid.

[Pete Lewis]

if there's no clicking then the ign switch feed (white red) to the solenoid is failing ,due to switch contacts or poor fitting lucars  on the switch

the sweeping contact inside the switch do wear

 

if you have power on the white red at the solenoid then examine all the terminals on it, clean all eyelets and the unit earts thro its case and the fixing screw  clean all.    if nothing changes  get an old screwdriver and short it across the two main cable terminals of the solenoid, this should make a good spark and fire the starter into operation , if this is the way things go then the solenoid has a problem, thy do rust and green up inside , and not always 

able to strip the for a look see.. get a replacement

 

if shorting the terminals across does nothing then the motor has a problem.

 

as said check all engine and battery earths and clean the dark laquered finish off the battery posts back to shiny lead 

 

Pete

 

Pete

[Dean Weston]

Thanks so much for the replies. I was quite shocked to see so many people willing to help. I will complete all that you have said. Thanks again Dean

[Dean Weston]

Yes I do have ignition lights when it happens, but I turn the key to its turning over position and nothing. After bump start the car all is well for approx 20 turns. I am off to do the other jobs which have been suggested . Thanks for all of your help, and there's me thinking I would get nothing back. How wrong was I.

[Pete Lewis]

when alls lost  well nearly all you can buy ignition switches abs solenoids from all over the place  there are not dedicated to triumph

std Lucas units used across the whole empire when we made cars with shape and character.

 

Pete

[Dean Weston]

I have put a new to me second hand Solenoid and cleaned all the terminals until until bright, but the same thing is still happening. I need to purchase two new earth straps but I'm going for the clean up on them to see if this helps.

When the the car will not turn over via the key. Ignition lights are on and the head lights do turn on and off, also when I put the screwdriver across the solenoid the car has a really good spark and turns the car over.. So I have been busy with the car. Thanks again for your help. Dean.

[Dean Weston]

Yes I do mean new ignition switch has been installed yesterday.

Cheers Dean

[Pete Lewis]

If it cranked with the screw driver test then its

solenoid or the switch feed is in trouble,

 

you have changed the ign switch so its pointing to the solenoid

 

if you jump a loose wire from the battery positive feed terminal on the sol to the

side lucar with the white red wire on does the solenoid crank it up

if no loud click or starter then the solenoid is stuffed

pete

[Dean Weston]

Ok problem solved. So what was it? It was a bit of both, that's why it worked some times and not others. The red and white wire terminal end looked good but was in a very poor condition, so cut and new connection put on but used the old cover so everything looked good. By this time The new solenoid had arrived so I fitted it at the same time. Hey presto the car fired into life.Thank you everyone for your help.

[mishmosh]

love a success story