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Thread: Esky won't start - just clicks once

  1. #1
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    Esky won't start - just clicks once

    Hello from New Zealand. This is my Dad's car, a 1968 Escort 1300 Super - early one with 4 wheel drums ( originally, now has disc front ), 12" wheels ( originally, now on 13's ), and compression struts ( no front sway bar ). It was his Mother's before that, been in our family since 1974.

    Lately it's been a bit temperamental and sometimes it won't start. Turn the key and it just goes "click". Lights work fine, everything else works fine. So I've put new cables from the battery to the starter solenoid and from there to the starter ( inertia type, not pre-engaged ), new cable from battery to engine block and body. Starter motor was brand new ( not a rebuild ) maybe 3 years ago.

    Bit of digging around today, finds the wire going from the ignition switch to the coil + has 12v at switch end and 6v at coil end - this is the ballast resistor ( or resistor wire )? I guess that should be a 6v coil then? Haven't actually checked if it's a 6v or 12v coil.

    Another wire from coil + to starter solenoid has the same 6v at both ends.

    Battery is good ( near new ). Starter solenoid is near new, and have tried another one with no change.

    8 / 10 it'll start, but the 2 times you're parked the wrong way on a slope or in a tight carpark, it won't start. That guy Murphy.........

    So what to check next?

    202 by Andrew Metford, on Flickr

    203 by Andrew Metford, on Flickr

    204 by Andrew Metford, on Flickr
    Last edited by BMCRacer; 01-09-2018 at 06:36.

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    Mechanic davemk1's Avatar

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    Re: Esky won't start - just clicks once

    Sounds like you've just about covered everything.
    What about battery to body and engine to body earth's?
    Use a jump lead to bridge across the big solenoid terminals to try and eliminate that!

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    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

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    Re: Esky won't start - just clicks once

    although you say it is fairly new it sounds to me like a sticky starter, when it happens try the old trick of hitting it with a hammer. Also if it happens and you push start it ok that must indicate the starter circuit etc. As the car will run fine once started.

    Nice looking car tho

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    Re: Esky won't start - just clicks once

    So I tried to short across the 2 big terminals on the starter solenoid today as DaveMK1 suggested - nothing. So that means what? Tried it with a piece of wire, then a cable, even a spanner! Turned the headlights on ( car in dark garage so can see them properly ) and turned the key, it went click, and the lights didn't dim even the slightest bit. Battery is fully charged ( kept on a battery conditioner ).

    Wildo105e - when we push start the car, that's not using the starting circuit so I don't understand how you said that means it's ok? Push starting the car is using the wheels to turn the engine over to get it started, rather than the starting circuit and starter motor.

    Really scratching our heads now.................

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    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

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    Re: Esky won't start - just clicks once

    Quote Originally Posted by BMCRacer View Post
    Wildo105e - when we push start the car, that's not using the starting circuit so I don't understand how you said that means it's ok? Push starting the car is using the wheels to turn the engine over to get it started, rather than the starting circuit and starter motor.
    sorry bud I was trying to say that indicates the starter circuit/starter is at fault.

    the click you are hearing i suspect is the solenoid opening to allow power to the starter. At that point do you get power to the starter on the large terminal on the starter etc. If so the it can only be the starter or a poor earthing to the starter from memory they earth through the body.
    Last edited by wildo105e; 02-09-2018 at 11:05.

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    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

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    Re: Esky won't start - just clicks once

    Quote Originally Posted by BMCRacer View Post
    So I tried to short across the 2 big terminals on the starter solenoid today as DaveMK1 suggested - nothing. So that means what? Tried it with a piece of wire, then a cable, even a spanner! Turned the headlights on ( car in dark garage so can see them properly ) and turned the key, it went click, and the lights didn't dim even the slightest bit. Battery is fully charged ( kept on a battery conditioner ).
    shorting the solenoid should in theory spin the starter i.e. putting 12v direct to it. be careful with the spanner though !

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    Re: Esky won't start - just clicks once

    If you've bridged the soli terminals with a spanner - a) you should have seen some sparks and b) the engine / starter motor should have spun. Is this a pre-engaged starter or an inertia type with seperate soli? Either way if the thing didn't spin it either a broken cable between soli and starter or the starter is defective.

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