Looking for some help

[Funkstar]

Have had a nightmare day today. Popped into the local Tesco's garage before heading home from work. Filled up and paid. Started the car and...........NOTHING. The type of noise you get with a flat battery. Just a click and a whirr but no fire. /Grrr

Managed to push it off the forecourt, and a friendly guy in a saxo spent 10 mins with me trying to boost it back up. Nothing again, same noise but a smell of burning then started. :inquisiti

Sat back and decided to give the RAC a ring. 90 minutes they told me, so I continued to try and turn the ignition and start the car. After about 30 mins the car kicked in. Wahey, sorted. Started off through the forecourt and the car was making an almighty noise like the brakes had seized. Like a metal on metal grinding. There was also 1 AYC light lit for the 30 secs the noise was there. Ran it around the car park a little and all turned out ok.

Managed to get it home. Parked up, started the car again and it kicked in fine, albeit with a small almost not gonna start kinda noise again. Got out, and it slightly smelt like burning metal.

The battery is only a few months old, but there has been a paused start for a while. Well before I bought the battery.

Any ideas chaps. Anyone else come across this before. I would be grateful of your help and wise words, or just general comfort.

[Nutter_John]

check the solenoid and connection to the starter motor

[Funkstar]

check the solenoid and connection to the starter motor

Wil do John, thanks. But would a dodgy connection here contribute to the grinding noise?

[Nutter_John]

if the solenoid is not releasing the starter fully then the start could be facing off against the starter ring

not an expert but sounds plausable to me

[Funkstar]

if the solenoid is not releasing the starter fully then the start could be facing off against the starter ring

not an expert but sounds plausable to me

*rubs chin in agreement and confusion at the same time*

I did think it could have been just a loose connection somewhere, as the battery was fine, lights were bright and radio played for the whole time I sat there. The recent small spats in starting could also just be a dodgy connection, with it just being close enough to make a connection. It was just the noise that scared me. Will have a looky tomorrow.

Thanks again for your help John. Much appreciated pal.

[stuartturbo]

in the case of the starter sticking hence the whuring and not spiny spiny
Starter can burn out easily then the grinding as it may have slowly moved the pinion on the starter out until it engaged the fly wheel enougth to start.
it may be worth removing the inspection plate?? to check the flywheel?? to check fo damage

[Funkstar]

Cheers Stuart. Will look there tomorrow. Could you point me in the right direction. /pan

[Nutter_John]

on the bottom of the engine the is a plate on the back of the bell housing remove this ( small rectangular one ) and look at the teeth on the fly

[Solardavid350]

It sounds like i had a similar problem on an Opel manta GTE, that was a knackered starter motor solenoid as Nutter _john suggests.

[Kieran]

And to further back this up, this is what started happening on the Golf a few months ago - The solenoid started getting lazy, so the starter motor drive started spinning before it was engaged against the flywheel, and when it did, it caused a nasty grindy "You're not going anywhere!" kind of noise. And of course, once it engaged, it then didn't release as quickly as it should've - within a few weeks of it starting this burned out the starter motor.

[Funkstar]

Thanks for the help on this guys. Another question - Where exactly is the starter motor? Not sure if I'm looking in the right place. My lack of mechanical knowledge is starting to shine through./pan

[Kieran]

Thanks for the help on this guys. Another question - Where exactly is the starter motor? Not sure if I'm looking in the right place. My lack of mechanical knowledge is starting to shine through./pan

If you look where your oil filter is, You'll see it - it's in that same area. In fact there's a lip behind the oil filter to stop oil dribbling onto the starter when you do an oil change.

[Funkstar]

If you look where your oil filter is, You'll see it - it's in that same area. In fact there's a lip behind the oil filter to stop oil dribbling onto the starter when you do an oil change.

Ye thanks Kieran. I was looking in the right place then. It looks a little oily/dirty around the connectors. I think I'll go and clean it up. Had a little fiddle and everything seems connected nice and tight. May need to look at investing in a new one.

What confused me was I wrote down the part number and Googled it but nothing came up. Not one link.

I think I'll have a look at these guys, as was shown in another post of your's.

http://www.exchange-starters-and-alternators.co.uk/nippon-distribution.htm

Thanks for your help.

[Subaru ETA]

remember to disconnect the battry before you start playin around wit it!

[Funkstar]

Anybody got a spare starter motor? /Grrr

Proper knackered now. I was pushing it a bit I admit, trying to get as much out of it as I could, but it's well and truly gone this time.

Annoying thing was, I only parked it 100 yards from my house last night when the problem started. Woke up this morning to try and start it again, and some little scrote had torn off the wing mirror. Not having a good day so far.

[Nick VR4]

Woke up this morning to try and start it again, and some little scrote had torn off the wing mirror. Not having a good day so far.

FFS what is it with people damaging cars/Grrr/Grrr