Hi all,

I'm having some trouble starting my 93 4x4 Cosworth, occasionally when I turn the key it takes a few seconds for the starter motor to kick in and I can hear a clicking noise coming from the fuse box which sounds like a relay clicking on and off.

If I turn the ignition off and then try and start it again it does eventually fire up but has to crank for sometime before it starts. Any one got any idea what the problem could be? Is there a relay in the fuse box which controls the starter motor?

Thanks

 

If you switch on the ignition and wait 10 seconds, does the clicking stop? Then possibly what you hear is the idle control valve and/or amal valve.
You can test this by disconnecting the wiring from both and turn ignition on again. No sound or do you still here clicking?
My guess: the electrical part of the ignition switch is defective.

On top of the starter motor is the start-relay. It has a big 12 volt connection for the starter motor and a normal wire. This wire should have 12 volt on it when you turn the ignition switch. Can you measure what happens at this wire?

 

Thanks for the reply, the clicking sound is only there when the engine is cranking. If I turn the ignition on I get the usual clicks but then when I turn the key to crank the engine I can hear a relay or something clicking as though it's latching and then releasing constantly.

I've checked the feed to the solenoid on te starter and it does get 12v when you turn the key but this problem seems to be intermittent so may of just been working when I tried it. Do you know where the 12v feed to the solenoid comes from? is it direct from the ignition barrell or does it come from a relay somewhere?

 

The 12v feed for the solenoid on the starter comes direct from the igntion switch, via a black/blue wire, there is also another black/blue wire of the same size that goes to the fusebox, so don't confuse the two if tracing wire, not that there's any need, as you have 12v, your best bet would be to get an assistant, turn the key etc, whilst you put your finger on top of the relays in the fusebox, to see which one, if any in here is clicking.
tabetha