Mi 16 starter goes 'click'...

S

Stuey

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Does anyone have any idea why my starter would just go 'click' occasionally? It's just started doing this when the car's hot and I've parked for a short while then try to start it.

I'll adnit that I haven't looked yet, but I thought it might be a known problem. Obviously I'll check earths, cables etc. Or could it be the ignition switch...?

Cheers

Stuey
 
More likely than not you're a victim of the shagged wiring that goes from ign switch to solenoid on starter.
If you run a meter on it, chances are it'll be showing about 9 volts instead of 12 although seeing as it's just beginning to play up, think 10.5 but it'll end up at 9 given time.
Long term result is it causes damage in the solenoid to the contacts so best to get it fixed ASAP.

Alan S
 
Ahh, bewdy Al. You've just made a light bulb go off in my head - Peter T advised Lunchcutter a while back to install a relay for the starter solenoid. Is this what you mean?

I've been wanting to take the inlet off for a while for a squiz and clean up down there, anyway.

Cheers

Stuey
 
on the lotus 7 replica in the household, we used to have the problem of the starter motor going to mush because is was getting too hot, it was near the exhaust manifold, not the problem in your case most likely, but another cause for temporary starter motor failure.
 
I think I am suffering from this in my '90 405 SRi.

Although with slightly different symptoms. Mine will not exhibit this 'clicking' when hot or having been driven this day. It is when left for a day or the first start of the day, it clicks on first turn of the key, given a second it will start fine.

Although it is fairly intermittent, most days it turns over instantly, it's just the odd day you will goto start it in the morning and get only a click.
 
bj_dove said:
on the lotus 7 replica in the household, we used to have the problem of the starter motor going to mush because is was getting too hot, it was near the exhaust manifold, not the problem in your case most likely, but another cause for temporary starter motor failure.
Click to expand...


you will need to make up a heat shield to protect your starter

i had the same problem in the V6 504 i had but i never got around to finishing the shield for it but with the extractors i had on it the heat and rpoximity of them in relation to the starter would cook it
 
mbyok said:
Stuey,

Had the same problem after I had a new starter fitted to our MI16. A relay cured the problem.

Maurice
Click to expand...
Thanks Maurice - that seals it then. I'll install one - fortunately I have a brand new one with socket sitting in the shed...

Cheers

Stuey
 
Stuey said:
Thanks Maurice - that seals it then. I'll install one - fortunately I have a brand new one with socket sitting in the shed...

Cheers

Stuey
Click to expand...

Best/easiest place to mount it is behind the LH headlight. There's a connector there specifically for the soneloid.
 
Thanks Peter. That's the brown two pin with the two blue wires? From what i can figure one of the wires isn't used except in the auto models for the transmission lockout. I'm still learning to read the set of diagrams in the Haynes manual. I'll trace it back...

Does the relay last OK in this set-up? I was considering rigging up a de-spiking diode array to protect the relay contacts from voltage spikes when the solenoid field collapses.

Cheers

Stu
 
relay.

Stuey, I put my relay under the cover that is behind the LH headlight which covers a few other relays and other stuff , so far no problems. The relay didn't fix my problem of the time, my starter motor was just buggered. think it was the bearing actually.

anyway just a thought regarding your problem, since u think hot conditions and short trips make it do it, I'm not sure how the mi16 wiring works, but my old alfa never used to let the starter crank unless engine temp was below 88 or soemthing, the temp at which the thermos would kick in. After a short trip in summer on a hot day, if you stopped, then a few mintutes later, u'd go to start it again, and all that would happen is the thermos would fire up. after a minute or so when the temp decreased and the thermos cut out, it would start again.
 
Would this explain a similar problem in a 205? Every now and then it fails to turn. Might be a week or two or a couple of days. No pattern or Teperature relationship.
 
Well, I haven't installed the relay yet, but I think I've figured out what is causing the problem. The alarm has a starter motor isolation circuit, and the starter connectors on the alarm module were half off. I've shoved them on and it hasn't done it since - fingers crossed.

Funny thing is, a couple of days after this, I read Practical Classics which had a 205 GTi article. They pointed out that if the starter motor just clicks, it could be due to an aftermarket alarm! You'd think that this applies to all cars...

Stuey
 
Louis, on mine, the starter circuit wires were two separate thick wires with normal female spade connectors - not part of the main alarm connectors. If yours is similar and you can find the alarm module, maybe jiggle them off and on again. Incidentally, my alarm has a relay in the starter circuit already, so the full current isn't going through the key switch in my car.

Stuey
 
hey guys,

Mine (mi16 - s1) has been doing the same sort of thing for a while. very irregular though. sometimes it just seems slow:

turn key and hold
hear click
wait 2-3 seconds
motor starts

is that the same sort of thing?

I also have an aftermarket alarm fitted - although it doesnt work!

One thing i have been thinking about though:

the car has no "accessories" position on the ignition switch, it just goes straight form off to reds... can sitting on reds for an extended period so i can listen to the radio be dammaging anything?? Could it burn out the solenoid (cos it builds charge whilst on reds and then doesnt get to release it)??
 
enthused! said:
turn key and hold
hear click
wait 2-3 seconds
motor starts
Click to expand...

Exactly, there is a click then total silence until the motor turns.

The starter has no trouble actually turning the car, there can just be this pause between the click and the motor actually turning.
 
That is exactly what happens when the voltage drop begins. If you persevere with it, they eventually stuff the contacts in the solenoid because what is happening is the solenoid is pulling in rather than snapping in and it's usually sitting there burning away until it eventually makes contact.
If you really show some perseverence and keep doing it for long enough, you then also bugger the ignition switch so it then becomes a triple whammy; ignition switch, starter motor/solenoid and a new wire to replace the one that started all the rot in the first place.
The relay usually at least gives you breathing space to sort the problems systematically. :cheers:


Alan S
 
Alan S said:
If you really show some perseverence and keep doing it for long enough...
...The relay usually at least gives you breathing space to sort the problems systematically. :cheers:
Alan S
Click to expand...

By "persevere" do you mean just ignore it and not do anything about it Alan?

What is the actual problem that needs to be fixed? where do i start? where/why/how does a relay help?

sorry for all the questions, but i definately dont wanna be up for a new starter motor anytime soon!
 
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