Car wouldnt start, not firing at first-but now nothing

J

Jdace

Member
Hi guys, I have a 95 GT ep82. I had gotten a new muffler tip installed earlier in the day, did a few trips and then eventually i got back into the car turned the key, the car would crank but wouldnt fire. Until about my fifth or so try it fired and got home with no trouble.

The next morning when i started it to go to work, it would still crank but wouldnt fire, even the fifth or so go it didnt work, so got a another car hooked it up with leads(only briefly as I was already in a rush to work), and still not firing. So now this morning I hooked up a jump start to it (to make sure it wasn't the battery) and it would crank but it struggled to start.. so I gave it some gas and it fired up. So I let it run for a minute, revved it up and seemed ok, then turned it off and went up the road to get some starting fluid.. as I watched a video and it said try use that and see if it doesnt start, or dies shortly afterwards. Fuel pump, or no spark blah blah..

So after all that I come back to my car, try to start it up and it all it does now is a single click(from engine bay, but also I think i could hear a little click in the interior? I will need to check again to confirm that). Dash lights are on, radio is on (until i click start).

I have checked engine bay and interior fuses by eye, seem to look ok. I can see where my fuel pump relay is, but I didn't bother to pull out because I don't know how to check them and the car was going previously when I used the jump start anyway. Terminals look fine, the ground lead to engine and body are thinner than i thought they will be, but still tight and clean.

I also couldn't find the starter, I know it should be on the gearbox somewhere but I'd be damned if I could see under there.

So im hoping you guys could direct me in the directions I need to go. I have a multi meter handy somewhere.

Also, replaced battery and alternator almost a year ago both second hand, and fuel filter maybe 18months ago.

Thanks guys, your help is appreciated
 
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JohnOBrien8

JohnOBrien8

Member +
id start but putting the multimeter across the battery terminals to check the battery condition, it should read around 12v,then when the car is running and lights/radio etc on it should read around 14v, if its not reading 12v when the car is off it sounds like you need a new battery, if it is reading 12v but when the car is running still only reading 12v it would be a alternator problem, just an easy thing to rule out first anyway!
 
T

tiksie

Member +
Why did you use jumper leads if the car cranks ?

Is it cranking slowly, which would make it obvious that it's the battery ?

Interior click = relay inside the car.
Engine bay click = could be the starter motor solenoid if it's not cranking.

The starter motor is located under the intake manifold on the gearbox, sits behind where the shift linkage bracket is.

bd68232d.jpg


Get a long pole or something that fits (hammer is hard to fit in there) and give it a couple of whacks and try cranking it again.. But that would still mean it won't fire up which sounds spark/fuel related rather than starter/battery.
 
J

Jdace

Member
Cause i reeaally had to go to work, and wanted to try everything before I had to ask for a lift, even though I had a feeling that it wouldn't help, I knew it wouldn't hurt. . Ok Il give that ago once it stops raining. But when the jump starter eventually got it going this morning the engine was running fine (never taken onto road just revving), so would that cancel out fuel/spark problems? When it was cranking, it was at a fast pace. But now, just a click


Just went out there now, couldn't gain the courage to get a solid hit on the starter which I think I can only feel, not see properly. I started turning the ignition on to hear the fuel pump, which I believe i could hear it turning on then off. After a few on and offs I checked the engine bay and noticed smoke coming from the engine ground lead. Should i replace it, or did it get hot because I was switching on and off so many times?
 
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J

Jdace

Member
Ok, so i rechecked the voltage again, it was 12.6, then I got someone to start car while i had the multimeter, and it read 0.6v. So im assuming the battery is the culprit.. but then why doesnt it start with leads or jump starter?
 
dac69er

dac69er

Super Moderator
if the battery is internally fucked it can cause issues like that.

I would change the battery and go from there. next thing I would look at if that doesn't cure it is the starter motor.
 
J

Jdace

Member
dac69er said:
if the battery is internally fucked it can cause issues like that.

I would change the battery and go from there. next thing I would look at if that doesn't cure it is the starter motor.
Click to expand...

I took the battery in to get tested and it passed. So i replaced the cables and still nothing. So im going to attempt the starter motor
 
JohnOBrien8

JohnOBrien8

Member +
if the starter is turning the engine at a normal rate there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, if its only turning the engine sometimes and sometimes it just clicks it sounds like the solenoid on your starter motor
 
J

Jdace

Member
JohnOBrien8 said:
if the starter is turning the engine at a normal rate there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, if its only turning the engine sometimes and sometimes it just clicks it sounds like the solenoid on your starter motor
Click to expand...

It doesn't crank anymore, just a click. It was cranking until I hooked a jump start up to it, then it became just a click and nothing else.
 
G

gtpower

Member +
Jdace said:
It doesn't crank anymore, just a click. It was cranking until I hooked a jump start up to it, then it became just a click and nothing else.
Click to expand...

your starter is gone the solenoid is stuck the click you hear is the starter trying to fire out and flick the flywheel and turn the engine over try another starter and see if its any better at starting,, when was the battery replaced in the car as they don't last forever I had a battery tested passed but wouldn't turn the engine over when fitted
 
dac69er

dac69er

Super Moderator
gtpower said:
your starter is gone the solenoid is stuck the click you hear is the starter trying to fire out and flick the flywheel and turn the engine over try another starter and see if its any better at starting,, when was the battery replaced in the car as they don't last forever I had a battery tested passed but wouldn't turn the engine over when fitted
Click to expand...

If the battery is breaking down internally and has an intermittent fault then it may not show up. when they test it all they do is stick a rapid discharger across the terminals (basically a large resistor) and it measures its performance. it can show some issues, but I havnt had much luck with them in the past.
 
J

Jdace

Member
weeJohn said:
If its only showing 0.6V when you try to run the starter then the battery is fucked.
Click to expand...

Hmm cause the battery i got is still under warranty, but when they tested it, it was fine they recon. If the battery is stuffed then how come i cant jump start it? Il try borrow one and if that doesnt work, then ill search on here how to replace the starter
 
S

STARLET N/A

Member +
How do they test the battery? Just put voltage through it??

Sounds like battery not holding charge, it will still work when car is on because the alternator will send 14v through it.

Check it with another working battery or preferably a new one.
 
dac69er

dac69er

Super Moderator
STARLET N/A said:
How do they test the battery? Just put voltage through it??

Sounds like battery not holding charge, it will still work when car is on because the alternator will send 14v through it.

Check it with another working battery or preferably a new one.
Click to expand...

Read my post above !


I would definitely check with a new battery or one that is proven to be good. Batteries don't always die in the same way. Those tests they do at halfords etc aren't always very conclusive.
 
weeJohn

weeJohn

Lifer
The other battery is providing the power when you jump start it, your battery is only holding enough power in it to run the car, but not the starter.

I bet if you get it jump started, remove the leads, switch on the headlights, rear demister and fan the car will near stall.
 
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