Since this bit of a forum is quite I thought I would make a thread for it. I know I have mentioned that the Fiesta has not been starting properly.
Well this morning it was doing it again and I was up so I had a listen. I quickly realised it was not turning over and got the portable oscilscope out to measure the battery, it was on 12.214v - a bit low.
I asked me dad to try one more time and sure enough click click click - the battery is too weak now to turn the starter motor.
I have put the battery on charge but I don't think the battery is the problem it is just flat because it has started. I thought plugs, HT lead, coil pack but once the car has started it has been running perfeclty so I can't see that.
Anything else I can do? I would change the HT leads but on the Endura the coil pack is in a very tricky place.
The plugs are just over two years old and have done about 14-15,000 miles so shouldn't need replacing and again the car runs perfectly once started.
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Sounds like it's time for some good ole fashioned diagnostics.
Pop the plugs out in turn and earth them to good metal. Crank the engine and check for a healthy spark.
Check there is fuel coming from the tank. Are the ends of the plugs wet or sooted up?
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Were both battery terminals making a good connection?
Bad section on the starter motor ring gear?
Starter motor on it's way out?
Pat
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Connections were very tight and had greese on them etc. It has been doing this for the past two days but after about 10-15 tries it has started.
Could be the starter motor but I will know when I but the battery in and see if it is turning over.
I sort of knew this would happen because nothing has really gone wrong with it this year.
I would assume it is temperature related though? Although it was only -4 when he tried to start it this morning instead of the usual -10c.
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Rattle - let's be clear.
When you say the engine isn't turning over, do you mean;
a) when the key is turned you just hear a click, and the starter motor doesn't turn the engine?, i.e., after the click, complete silence?
or
b) the starter spins the engine over, but, the engine doesn't fire?
I ask, because if your answer is a, then you can forget about plugs, plug leads and things like that.
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No it did turn over but eventually as the battery went flat it just went click click. I wasn't there when my dad original tried starting it so I would not like to say for sure it did turn over.
Anyway the battery is now charged, I tried it and it started instantly without any hesitation so I am guessing it is a weak battery.
The brand is Lion which appears to be one of Eurocar parts cheaper ones.
It says on it tested at -18c but that when new. Still the battery is only about two and a half years old.
So I am still not sure why it wasn't originally starting :(.
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Get the battery changed. Simples.
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OK - next time, the important thing to measure is the battery voltage while cranking. As you've given it a good charging, if the battery voltage while cranking drops below about 10V, then, you need a new battery - there's no need to measure with 3 figure "accuracy".
If the battery voltage stays above 10V, and the cranking speed is still poor, then, you've a fault either in the large, high current connections (remove them, clean them, and refit them ALL anyway - it costs nowt) or the starter motor itself.
Last edited by: Number_Cruncher on Wed 22 Dec 10 at 15:42
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Will do :).
I will actually measure it now to get an in car reading and then measure it again before starting it tomorrow to see if there is much of a drop.
One thing I did notice which might have had something do with it, the main + wire insulation had a bit split in it exposing it to the metal bonnet. Luckily the bonnet has a blanket on it.
I have wrapped that in insulation tape and it is well away from any metal but that part of the wiring loom will need replacing properly I guess.
The fact it started first time and instantly after a recharge does seem to suggest the battery to me, unless it is just because it is warmer now (e.g -2c instead of -12c).
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Ford Fiesta - 97 1300 Car won't start - DP
