roofless-turbo

Booked car in garage in febuary for head gasket and new timing belt was told my cam was worn so got a new one fitted. Got the car back and was told the starter motor was broke (twat to start when hot) starts first time when cold. waited till near summer to get it tested, got it tested last week was out driving for 30 mins and the temp started going just below the red fan cuts in and the heaters are really really hot. Got it home and swiched the engine off and tried starting it again and wouldnt start (sounded like battery was flat but its a new battery and alternator) so put brand new starter and its still doing it. ive been told the car sounds like its got hydraulic lock when its trying to start and when the engine cools down it starts fine. ive done the thermostat check (feeling how hot the hoses are) both hot. the water pumps ok and the oil not got any sludge in and the cars not losing water, no one seems to know what it is and im a bit sick seeming that ive spent well over Ł500 for a car ive only drove for half an hour

any help on this will be brilliant, the cars only insured another 2 months!

XR2

Mass power supply for the starter. There might be a thick cable running from your battery to your starter motor. Might be loose or corroded or missing.

Explanation:

The starter motor gets it's power via the alternator (+) and via a own cable from the battery or the bodyshell (-). When this cable is missing, the starter has to get its (-) via the engine itself. When this gets warm, its resistance is rising. When the engine is hot, the resistance is so high that there's not enough power for the starter.

roofless-turbo

thanks for reply ill have a look at the cables in the morning.

One thing i noticed and cant remember if it done it before is when the engine is cold and you press the big top hose from rad to themostat theres a clicking sound coming from the therostat housing like tapping 2 coins together.

roofless-turbo

Checked all the cables they all seem ok. Started car (not been started for over a week) and there was light blue/white smoke everywhere out the back.

Let it run till temp was in middle, all pipes are hot, the rads hot all the way across, the fan kicked in so i switched the engine off and wouldnt start again (flat battery sound again) but this time i left the key turned and the engine started slowly rumbling.

went back out an hour later to start it started first time but lots of smoke and the engines tapping like made then gets quiet.

a different garage said its got hydraulic lock (water getting into pistons when hot) but its not losing water or could it be the timing out. be grateful for any help cos im in two minds wether to get shot of it after owning it for 5 years

XR2

Just try a jumpstart cable running from battery (-) to the starter screws next time just to be sure.

But when the car is blowing lot of smoke out of the exhaust, there are more and bigger problems than the starter...

roofless-turbo

Yesterday morning i ran the car till temp was in middle and switched it off then tried putting a jump cable from the battery to the starter bolt still the same turns over very slow then has no power.

Ive been told if the car has hydraulic lock to take spark plugs out and try starting it and there should be water coming out of spark plug holes but nothing came out. while i was starting it the starter was just making a spinning noise.

the smokes cleared up alot been told its piston rings cos its got new valve oil seals, the cars in garage on wednesday for to get the timing checked just to make sure.

btw nice car xr2 looks really well with them wheels on.

roofless-turbo

Problem fixed

charged the batter on tuesday night to take it round work in case it didnt start in the morning and work checked the timing that was ok then they let it run thill temp was in middle switched it off and it started. turns out the car was never overheating (not a good connection on the temp sensor in the head) workshop even drove it for miles in hot weather and they said its ok. So they going to check all the circuts for power drain.

lucky i didnt do head gasket and starter again. im happy as a pig in sh!t gonna do a complete strip and rebild after christmas good excuse for a 2.1 zvh turbo.