It wont start - Any Ideas
Discussion
Morning Gents
Having left my S2 Elise for just under 2 weeks un surprisingly it wont start. I've had this before and normaly end up having to buy a new battery because after jumping it it never holds it's charge. However this time it seems a bit different. When I turn the key there is a rapid clicking noise and the dash lights flicker. The engine does not even attempt to turn over. When I let go of the key the clicking stops but the lights are all on. Does anyone have any idea what this is? I tried useing jump leads incase it was todo with the battery but that didnt work either.
Please help me oh great piston headers. I'm moving house soon and dont want to have to get it towed there.
Having left my S2 Elise for just under 2 weeks un surprisingly it wont start. I've had this before and normaly end up having to buy a new battery because after jumping it it never holds it's charge. However this time it seems a bit different. When I turn the key there is a rapid clicking noise and the dash lights flicker. The engine does not even attempt to turn over. When I let go of the key the clicking stops but the lights are all on. Does anyone have any idea what this is? I tried useing jump leads incase it was todo with the battery but that didnt work either.
Please help me oh great piston headers. I'm moving house soon and dont want to have to get it towed there.
Iv'e had something similar sounding happen to me before. The clicking was the ignition system firing, but battery didn't have enough for the starter motor, so the engine wasn't being turned, so there was no fuel in the cylinders to ignite.
I jumped it, and the starter motor turned, but by now the fuel lines were empty. Once I got some fuel into the pump and into the cylinders, it all fired up, and was fine (still needed the jump though).
Good luck!
I jumped it, and the starter motor turned, but by now the fuel lines were empty. Once I got some fuel into the pump and into the cylinders, it all fired up, and was fine (still needed the jump though).
Good luck!
The loud ticking is the solenoid on the starter motor. There is just enough power in the battery to actuate the solenoid and engage the starter on the flywheel but not enough to turn the flywheel and start the car.
Flat battery, If it keeps happening either turn off the lights when you leave the car or have it checked by a mechanic. You will either have to replace the battery or the alternator.
Flat battery, If it keeps happening either turn off the lights when you leave the car or have it checked by a mechanic. You will either have to replace the battery or the alternator.
And remember when you don't use the car everyday and you need to park it with a alarm on don't use anymore elektric stuf in your car, so nothing in your sigaret lighter(handsfree stuf) or the front of the radio, those things leak elektric and empty's the battery! and specially in WINTER time's when it gets cold the battery looses a lot of power!! so keep it warm! and out wind when you can...and the last mile to home don't use to many elektrics! like airco and heated window and big stereo and extra lights! that way you save power in WINTER!
GTRene
GTRene
beechy said:
Cool thanks guys. I'll have another go at jumping it. Whats the right procedure for jumping it?
Park donor car close. Use good big cables for the job. Leave the donor car running. Fully attach one cable at a time not each battery at a time (lowers the risk of shorting the battery). Check the quality of connection. Leave for a few seconds. Try and start the recipient car. If it doesnt work leave for a couple of mins, then try again.
Sometimes you will find the recipient battery is too dead to be started in this way. If so try push starting or remove the battery and use a battery charger.
gooby said:
Cool thanks guys. I'll have another go at jumping it. Whats the right procedure for jumping it?
Park donor car close. Use good big cables for the job. Leave the donor car running. Fully attach one cable at a time not each battery at a time (lowers the risk of shorting the battery). Check the quality of connection. Leave for a few seconds. Try and start the recipient car. If it doesnt work leave for a couple of mins, then try again.
Sometimes you will find the recipient battery is too dead to be started in this way. If so try push starting or remove the battery and use a battery charger.
Thanks for that. I didnt leave it for very long after attatching the cables so I'll try that tonight.
Thanks again for all your help. I duno what I'd do with out this place some times.
beechy...This happened to me on Saturday...exactly the same sounds and difficulty jump starting.I followed the sequence exactly as in the owners manual...No go.
Tried and failed to bump start aswell.
Luckily I'd opted for Home Start RAC so called him out.He checked charge level which was at 10 point something and should have been at 12.5...
He jump started connecting Positive Donor vehicle to Positive Elise then Negative Donor Earthed to Elise engine block.
Car started instantly. He said I hadn't been able to get it going because I had, as per the manual, connected Negative on Elise and tried to eart to painted surface on Donor car.
He also said I must run the car regularly at more than 2000 rpm to get proper charge to battery to stop it happening again. Hope this helps. Beau
Tried and failed to bump start aswell.
Luckily I'd opted for Home Start RAC so called him out.He checked charge level which was at 10 point something and should have been at 12.5...
He jump started connecting Positive Donor vehicle to Positive Elise then Negative Donor Earthed to Elise engine block.
Car started instantly. He said I hadn't been able to get it going because I had, as per the manual, connected Negative on Elise and tried to eart to painted surface on Donor car.
He also said I must run the car regularly at more than 2000 rpm to get proper charge to battery to stop it happening again. Hope this helps. Beau
If I have to leave the car unrun for a while, I plug it in to an Optimate, which keeps a little trickle charge going into the battery. Same applies if the battery hasn't enough oomph to start the car, put the Optimate on for a few hours or overnight and it starts fine. I think the Optimate is about £30.
I do the same for my bike when it's garaged over winter, it once was unstarted for 9 months ( having a baby!) and fired up first time.
I do the same for my bike when it's garaged over winter, it once was unstarted for 9 months ( having a baby!) and fired up first time.
beechy said:
Where is the clicking coming from? Could be a knackered relay.
It seems like the clicking is comming from the dash. I'll have another go at it tonight and if it doesnt start I'll figure out where it's comming from.
Open the front service compartment and find the relays (check the manual for details of where it is on the S2 - on the S1 it's over the passenger side towards the front).
Check each one for water ingress or stuffed pins etc. I think you can swap them over to test if they're knackered. I'm sure that there's a relay which controls the fuel pump etc. and if that's shot then the symptoms stated sound about right. Happened to my old one a while back.
....someone will come along in a minute and tell you that's complete b*ll*cks now
> He also said I must run the car regularly at more than 6000 rpm
That should be written in large letters in the front of the owner's manual!
If you leave the car outside get a solar panel trickle charger to help stop this happening again.
>> Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 19th December 15:29
That should be written in large letters in the front of the owner's manual!
If you leave the car outside get a solar panel trickle charger to help stop this happening again.
>> Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 19th December 15:29
Had the same as you listed, but mine was the alternator. at the time i had my foot in cast so couldn't drive it, but kept turning it over and let it run for about 20 minutes thinking this was going to keep the battery charged WRONG- the RAC man told me it needs to be driven/ probably didn't help the alternator at the time either. have taken the wise step of insuring Topcat just in case of further accidents/ holidays (£14 for 7 months-bargain). maybe worth you considering putting someone you trust on your insurance if you are going to leave the car stood still for long periods of time.
Hope its just the battery
good luck
Tanman
Hope its just the battery
good luck
Tanman
Bump starting a car fitted with a cat is not a sound idea unless you want to have to repalce the cat, you can end up pumping fuel straight into the cat which is not a good idea unless you want to fit a new one!
Jump leads or if time permits an overnight charge is the way to do it.
Agree that the clicking is the solenoid trying to engage the bendix gear.
Leaving the car stood for 2 weeks unused the alarm will drain the battery and the cold weather will reduce the batteries power even further.
Treat yourself to a battery conditioner and leave it connected whenever the car is left for any legth of time, it's half the price of a new battery.
Jump leads or if time permits an overnight charge is the way to do it.
Agree that the clicking is the solenoid trying to engage the bendix gear.
Leaving the car stood for 2 weeks unused the alarm will drain the battery and the cold weather will reduce the batteries power even further.
Treat yourself to a battery conditioner and leave it connected whenever the car is left for any legth of time, it's half the price of a new battery.
Mine does exactly the same thing after just one week of non use! - me thinks I need a new battery! - plus I'm investing in a battery conditioner.
the clicking is just the normal relay/solanoid - nothing to worry about!
I know it knackers the cat a bit (but hey, i'm saving for a sports exhaust and sports cat, so who cares!) - but I've had to bump mine a couple of times, and it's the easiest car to bump start I've ever had! - it's caught first time with almost no car speed at all each time!
buy a battery conditioner!
the clicking is just the normal relay/solanoid - nothing to worry about!
I know it knackers the cat a bit (but hey, i'm saving for a sports exhaust and sports cat, so who cares!) - but I've had to bump mine a couple of times, and it's the easiest car to bump start I've ever had! - it's caught first time with almost no car speed at all each time!
buy a battery conditioner!
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