A Very Odd Fault?

[Grumpyold2hat]

Greetings All

Again sorry if I'm spamming, my first 75 and would love to prove her wrong.

*Saturday

Saturday am drove to DT's yard for a health check and was leaving
after an encouraging 6 out of 10 from Dave. Some work at the back and rear sills, just the usual for a 20 year old lady.

On leaving the yard a brake lamp fault was displayed. Drove home with no issues. Checked lamp not blown but that is where it gets a bit funky. Lamp fault disappeared but she now decided she did want to play out.

Without warning she would not start, no clicking no noise no errors .

Annoyingly I had to use mine but my wife's (sounds familiar:?) Insignia to complete my dad taxi chores

Returned home, thinking she (75) didn't like me. On the turn she fired up.

After a quick run up to Chorley and back with no issues I parked up at home and left to cool 5mins start- yes repeated about 10 times. No issue.

*Sunday Today. Big day, its my lad's 21st and the house will be full of old people asking "how's the IBS" or youngsters asking "what tunes are banging" .

Full of confidence (even whistling) Morrisons run for the essentials (8 bottles of speckled hen) £1 each and a few other unimportant bits for a cake? My 75 fired up beautifully, even went the long way around to the supermarket. Parked up and 20 minutes later returned to my reliable 75.

On exiting Morrisons she decided to play with me again, like she knew how Important the strawberry and cream cheese are for the cake. 40 minutes of jiggling under the bonnet, making it look like I know what I'm doing and after probably 10 missed call's she awoke.

Any way I have a Intermittent starter (sorry guessing) fault. What would you look at first?

Regards Martyn

[planenut]

Martyn, it will always be when you need the car.

Have you checked and "flexed" those spade terminals on the starter motor?

I have an annoying occasional "light fault". Last year I had the bumper off and checked and exercised all connections, wires and bulbs to this particular headlamp, and it's been fine, until last night. Sorry World, but I was whacked, and drove home.

Good luck
Fred (planenut)

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by Grumpyold2hat

... no clicking no noise ... Any way I have a Intermittent starter (sorry guessing) fault. What would you look at first?

As Fred says Martyn, go to the starter motor and check the cleanliness and security of the single white/red wire connection.

Whilst you're at it, check that your battery clamps cannot be rotated by hand and that the earth cable connection to the body is sound and free of rust.

Simon

[Lincoln Green]

I've had both of these in the past 12 months and as suggested by " planenut" the spade terminals were the cause of the no click non starting fault and the cam sensor was the cause of intermittent non starting. Just a thought as I'm no expert.

[wraymond]

If none of the foregoing excellent diagnoses do not prove entirely satisfactory, excellent though they are, try a peek at my earlier post (p3) Nonstarter. My car is similar vintage.

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by wraymond

... try a peek at my earlier post (p3) Nonstarter.

Ah, your problem Ray was an engine that turned over but didn't fire and the camshaft position sensor was responsible, am I right (because the thread doesn't seem to be fully resolved)?

In Martyn's case we need to distinguish between an engine "not starting" and "not turning over". Martyn's car appears to be suffering from the latter:

Originally Posted by Grumpyold2hat

... no clicking no noise ...

So that we are all clear about the exact nature of the problem Martyn, please could you confirm that when the fault occurs the starter motor does not operate at all (i.e. the engine does not turn over)?

Many thanks.

Simon

[wraymond]

.............

Ah, your problem Ray was an engine that turned over but didn't fire and the camshaft position sensor was responsible, am I right (because the thread doesn't seem to be fully resolved)?

Yes Simon, correct! I was unsure of the situation and offered Martyn another path.

(Correct again, my problem is about to be resolved (I hope) on Thursday. I have the sensor now and it's being done, amongst other things.)

[Grumpyold2hat]

Good evening

Well lucky me, DT had a cancellation this afternoon could fit me in. Luckily she fired up and dropped off at 12 noon. Had a call from DT at 3.30 informing me fault found and sorted. It turns out a corroded terminal on the starter was to blame, easy fix if you know your stuff. Thanks all for the help.

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by planenut

Have you checked and "flexed" those spade terminals on the starter motor?
Fred (planenut)

Originally Posted by Grumpyold2hat

It turns out a corroded terminal on the starter was to blame, easy fix if you know your stuff.

And Fred knows his stuff doesn't he Martyn.

Simon

[planenut]

Originally Posted by Grumpyold2hat

Good evening

Well lucky me, DT had a cancellation this afternoon could fit me in. Luckily she fired up and dropped off at 12 noon. Had a call from DT at 3.30 informing me fault found and sorted. It turns out a corroded terminal on the starter was to blame, easy fix if you know your stuff. Thanks all for the help.

Thank goodness for the forum, a mine of information to many of us.