Lads my car won't turn over when I turn the key. It has a new battery fitted recently(About 2 weeks ago). It's been driving fine. The last few days when you turn the key it just clicked like the battery was flat. However if you hold the key forward all of a sudden the engine will turn over and the car starts. It has stopped doing this now though and the car just won't turn over at all. It still clicks when you turn the key but only once and that's it. I've been starting it on the push for the last few days. This evening I put another starter into it that I've seen working before and no difference. I even had a spare ignition barrel but no difference. I checked for wiring damage but there doesn't seem to be any. Seems to be in order. Is there any checks I can do with a multimeter. I've got one handy.

 

Check the fuse, i think it's in the plastic box attached out at the battery, also check the ones in the cabin under the wheel(Escort V that is)

 

Sorry forgot to say its a mk 4.

 

No idea then, never had one of those But check fuses, relays, wires, that sort of stuff.

 

check the thin wire to the starter.... i think its red or blue or could it be a bad earth? engine one maybe? or jgnition switch????

 

Did you check either starter when not on the car? Did you check the current on the exciter wire(Smmall wire that pushes onto the starter) sitched live basically is all it is.

Mik

 

It's a blue one yeah.It's fine.

 

I didn't no. At first i thought it was just a knackered starter cos it had been rebuilt before and i had a spare to hand so just put it in cos they're not that hard to get at on this car. A rushed decision perhaps. But i should test them now really that the second one isn't doing anything. Where do you put earth on the starter when you test it? When you say "sitched" i assume you mean the little stitched flat'ish wire going from the solenoid to the main body? Thanks for the help by the way lads.

 

Sorry the sitched means switched (bit of a typo there)

1)Put a multi meter on the exciter wire and get someone to crank the engine and see if you get a reading.

2) Test the starter with a set of jump leads been careful to not harm yourself when charged as they DO kick if you let them stand freely

Mik

 

Ah right. No bother. I tested the 2 starters and they seem to be working fine. I'l have to check that exciter wire next. Just need to find the multimeter wherever its hiding. That exciter wire goes to the alternator yeah?? If there's no reading what does that tell me?

 

What's the battery voltage? Also check voltage when attempting to crank the engine over. Could be a battey drain that's flattened the new battery.

 

Im getting around 12v on the exciter wire. The voltage on the battery is also healthy so what now. Is it time to look at the ignition switch?

 

i had this on my old rst an it thrnes out one of the lives on the ignition had burned out at the connector block behind the cowling, worth a check

 

Made a mistake there. When you turn over the engine the voltage drops from 12v to 8v on the multimeter.

 

Could be the battery. When drop testing our batteries at work, if it drops lower than 10v then we would be replacing the battery. Try jump starting it and see what happens.

 

Quick update. I tested the battery with the car running and it was reading under 13v. This was with the probes of the multimeter on the connectors that bolt on the battery. Then i stuck the probes in the actual copper wire of the main battery leads and the reading went up to 15V. I did this a few times and it was the same each time. I'm thinking the starter may have worked by chance when i tested it before. Does this mean i need to put new crimped connections on the end of the battery leads? The outer wiring of the leads could be corroded as somebody said before i think.

 

Certainly sounds like it could be your problem. If it isn't the problem it definately isn't helping so I'd get that sorted and go from there.

 

Sounds like a starter motor fault.

 

make sure your battery connections are clean
when your engine running disconnect your battery live
if your engine stays running it rules out a bad alternator draining your battery
failing that its your starter

 

Put a brand new starter in. Problem solved. Had to give it a push start cos the battery was low from trying it so much but a quick spin solved that. Startin perfect now. Thanks for all the help guys