Starting problems

[bengaku]

Hi quick question i have a 1976 spitfire went to take it out last week and when going to start it only made a clicking sound so figured out it was starter motor installed new one .then while out yesterday car did same thing wouldnt start only clicking noise manged to get a push start and got home.so is this a sticking solenoid or perhaps a bad earth ? .have a had a few electrical problems like lights only work one side unless i put on high beam ?also horn works sometimes had been suggested it maybe be bad earth .thanks for looking regards Paul 

 

[dougbgt6]

Ben,

Yes dodgy solenoid or earth. Try attaching a jump start leads between battery negative  and starter motor earth and try again. If that works, it's the earth. If it doesn't try the jump start lead across the solenoid, if it works it's the solenoid.

The earth strap can look OK and be a dud. 

Some bulbs connectors earth directly to the body and this can become a poor connection.

Doug

[Paul H]

And your battery is ok , worth s test 

Paul 

 

[bengaku]

Just a set of jump leads i dont have any but do have a booster start thingy battery is brand new 

[JohnD]

This is an excellent example of throwing new parts at a fault, with no idea what is happening.

Save yourself some money, bengaku, buy no more parts until you have bought a multimeter (£10 or less) and learnt to use it.     They look forbidding, lots of symbols around the dial, but the one you want for this is in the DC range, usually labelled with a ' V' that has two straight lines after it, one full, one dashed, and the 20V selection.

Put the black earth lead on the battery earth, and the red lead, that often has a needle probe on it, on the terminal on the starter.    Now observe what reading you get when the ignition swithc is turned to "start".     It should go from zero, to 9-10V at least.    If not, then the starter solenoid is faulty, even if it clicks.

If the meter goes to full battery volts and the starter doesn't turn, then there is a break in the circuit inside the starter.     If it goes to 9-10V and the starter doesn't, then it is jammed or otherwise faulty.

There, that would have saved you the cost of a new starter, and you still have the multimeter to use again!    Good investment, not throwing money at the problem!

John

[Pete Lewis]

when it comes to lights the rear lamps can  be  a nightmare of mixed up bulb holders and wrong bulbs

the claw bulb holders   some have own black earth wire  some earth via the claw, then add in the mix single and twin filament bulbs and holders

flashers are single contact  reverse is single contact holders

tail and stop lamps are twin contact holders  with 5 + 21 w bulbs with offset pins in the bayonet fitting so they only should fit one way round 

get them all intermixed chuck in bad earths and all hell breaks loose with dim winky and dead in no particular order 

Pete