Ford Fiesta - 97 1300 Car won't start: Motoring Technical Car/Motor Issues forum

Technical Car/Motor Issues > Ford Fiesta - 97 1300 Car won't start
Thread Author: RattleandSmoke	Replies: 8

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Wed 22 Dec 10 13:31

Ford Fiesta - 97 1300 Car won't start - RattleandSmoke

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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Wed 22 Dec 10 13:42

Ford Fiesta - 97 1300 Car won't start - DP

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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Wed 22 Dec 10 13:50

Ford Fiesta - 97 1300 Car won't start - Pat

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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Wed 22 Dec 10 13:55

Ford Fiesta - 97 1300 Car won't start - RattleandSmoke

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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Wed 22 Dec 10 15:25

Ford Fiesta - 97 1300 Car won't start - Number_Cruncher

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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Wed 22 Dec 10 15:34

Ford Fiesta - 97 1300 Car won't start - RattleandSmoke

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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Wed 22 Dec 10 15:40

Ford Fiesta - 97 1300 Car won't start - Stuu

Get the battery changed. Simples.

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Wed 22 Dec 10 15:41

Ford Fiesta - 97 1300 Car won't start - Number_Cruncher

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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Wed 22 Dec 10 15:49

Ford Fiesta - 97 1300 Car won't start - RattleandSmoke

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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