it won't start

[Gary71]

Hi Helen, I'm with Tim on that one!

I dropped the starter off my 911 in about 15mins from getting the car up on stands. The one on my Audi took about 3.5 hours...

However I'm a bit confused on the way you describe the get you going fix:

b) Lazza gets under the car and connects a wire to turn the starter motor over

If the starter turns when you hook a wire to the solenoid then it's not the starter thats the problem... it's the electrical feed to the solenoid.

If he is connecting a chunky jump lead straight from the battery to the starter terminal and bypassing the solenoid then the problem may still be just the solenoid, or the main positive feed cable that runs from the battery; although this is unlikely.

First thing I'd do is pull the starter connections off, clean them all, maybe reterminate the solenoid feed in case the cable has fractured just by the eyelet. If this doesn't fix it then replace and clean your battery terminals and the earthing point (points?) in the luggage compartment, and the earth strap that connects the gearbox to the body.

Sorry to ramble, I seem unable to describe things in one sentence!
Hope you get your car reliable again! (mines still broken in my garage )

[ian c]

sorry to bring up an old thread , but i'm trawling archives for fusebox info and this came up !!

use the following system to easily elkiminate partsof the system .
if any step gets the car turning , you have foundwhere theproblem lies!!

heres my way of doing it .................

1 : check battery FULLY charged and connections tight !! ( check it , not just "i know its ok" or "its new " )

2 : if it still doesnt turn , connect jump leads to another car and try again !!


3: connect 1 jumplead from engine block/ to battery - .

4 : connect 1 jumplead from starter body to battery minus .

if 3 or 4 get it turning you have a fault with earth !!

5 : connect jumplead from battery+ to starter + connection .
if 5 works , you have aproblem with 12v feed to starter !!

(easy this , innit !! )

6 : using insulated screwdriver , short between starter12v+ and control 12v (small wire )if 6 works you have problem with wiring from ignition .
if 6 doesnt work , you have to check wiring from ignition switch to starter motor .
easy to see if youre getting switched12v with a multimeter or even a £2 testlamp .
if you are getting switched power . it is either starter solenoid or mechanical !!!

7 : if wiring all check ok ..... get somebody holding the key in start position , while you tap starter with an hammer .
if this doesnt work , you gotta take it off