Wondering if anyone can help, just finished my 3dr build, finally went to start her up tonight.

turned the key, she cranked over once, i stopped there just to make sure all was well, went to turn it over again and nothing!

I tested the power getting to the starter, spot on and the ignition power too all ok, took the starter off the car and earthed the body with a jump lead to the -ve terminal on the battery and put a live feed across the 2 live terminals on the starter - nothing! I'm assuming its dead??

The engine has been sat in my garage for 18months so it may be a bit stiff.

First question, is my test on the starter a good one, should it have sprung into action, can i definatley say its a gonner?

Second question, so that i dont fry a new one, whats the best way to free the engine up a bit? Crank it by hand - if so how do you do this?

And finally anyone know if other starters fit 2wd cosworths and does anyone have one going cheap i can get off them??!

 

use the jump leads as you have done and use a piece of wire to bridge to the solenoid keep touching the terminal to shock it into life grease the screw gear as this will help

Paul

 

I assume you checked the power with a multi metre ?
I would firstly make sure the battery IS fully charged by charging it, don't rely on a reading as it takes no "power" as such to operate a metre.
The best way to test a starter is to hook it up to a supply on the output side of the solenoid first to see if the actual motor is going, as most are just jammed solenoid's, esp if they are BOSCH.
I have just done a escort diesel van, brand new heavy duty battery brand new starter, (old ones brushes were so worn they fell out of the brush box!!) all connected just a clunk, sometimes nothing, metre showed full value, no particular resistance etc.
So bolted my test lead(one I made up) to the battery direct, then touched the solenoid and bingo burst into life, seems even the solenoid needs a good kick power wise, most are just stuck so a good clout usually frees them.
Looked at connection points, was the solenoid lead where someone had repaired it badly, but used heat sink to cover the worst crimp joint I have ever seen, resoldered a new terminal on there, hasn't missed a beat since, so just the two timing belts to do now and the tappets(shims)!!
As one of me mates says, "if in doubt give it a clout", reffering to the starter.
tabetha

 

The starter did work once when i first tried the car so am assuming the power to it is all ok? there's no fuse or relay that i could have broke is there? I did give it a good clout on the car with a copper and hyde to see if it was sticking but that didnt help. I did only use a 12v tester on the power leads, but it was flashing up fine on the perminant live and on the ignition live as the key was turned, the connections look good.

Took the starter off and earthed the body with jump lead to earth terminal on battery then using a live feed touched both the live inputs into the starter - nothing happened at all, tried it several times with no joy? Its puzzling me how it cranked over once then nothing?

 

I've just got over a similar issue with mine - sometimes it would start with and then nothing - changed solenoids twice and still same problems. Replaced it with a new motor (ebay special) and it works fine now so it was something going in the actual motor.

 

As above, follow tabethas advice, it's the best place to start, are you sure it's not just a knackered battery???? The solenoids do stick on the starters, i bought a new one and left in for around 2 years, it was stuck when i came to eventually fire the car up.

 

Have tried it using he battery of my daily drver to (2.9 Xr4x4) still no joy

Have also tried wiring a direct +ive to the wire actually entering the stater itself and still nothing.
My only other thought is that i cna try using my battery charger on it, set on 12v, i will be sure of good power then.

It might be that my engine is stiff from being sat for 18months and the force of trying to turn the engine has cooked it, is the best way to see if this is true to take the plugs out and use a socket on the crank bolt and see if it moves?

 

I doubt that TBH, if your confident that it's been getting a good +12V from the other battery (which I'm sure it was) my money would be on the solenoid part of the starter, is there anyway you can give it a knock and at the same time apply a good charge to it, that should help to free it off. I realise you've tried this but there can't be much more of an explanation apart from something more serious like a seized or locked engine.

 

I'm going to have another go at it later mate, i might try and crank the engine by hand and see if it moves, she was running just fine when i removed it 18months ago and has sat in my garage nice and dry in the mean time, do cossie blocks often seize up when stood?

 

Update:
Have tried to get the starter working using a 12v battery charger to be sure of a good 12v, have tried making and breaking the connection to "shock" the starter, have tried hitting it at the same time with no joy, tried using the live wire against the wire going from the solenoid into the starter itself and it sparked like hell and sent my battery charger mental! But still nothing out of it

I have noticed that the smaller (ignition live) terminal on the starter solenoid is loose, by that i mean it spins around in the solenoid housing?? Also if i shake the starter it rattles???

I'm assuming its proper knackered!!

The only question is did it knacker up beacause it was bad luck/timing or did a stiff/seized engine cause it to break!