Mk2 Starting issue / gremlin

[Dominic Toretto]

Hi all,

I recently acquired a Mk2 Tuscan, it has a Powers 4.3 Engine and 1.7kw starter fitted. She's been stood for a while (dry stored) and used infrequently. She recently has undergone a small re-commision inc all fluids and valve clearances.

When going to start, once the immobiliser has been disengaged, I can hear the fuel pump prime, I press and hold the start button but nothing happens. I will then hear a single çlick (relay?) but no engine fire up. I'll then lock the car, go through the starting procedure and after a few attempts will eventually work and the car will start runnng. I did 300 miles at the weeknd, stopped for fuel and lunch, she started every time, on the button. Went out to start today and had the gremlin reared it's ugly head.

Thoughts? anyone else's Mk2 have similar issues?

FYI starting procedure I read from the manual and follow is: Press key fob to unlock car, press start button on dash, press keyfob again, then press and hold start button on dash again. Presume this is correct.

[Englishman]

Starting a Mk2 can be a bit of a faf.

If I unlock the car and immediately press and hold the start button (within a few seconds) mine starts.

If I take any longer, from inside the car I press the start button, then the button in the fob and then press and hold the start button until it fires up.

[s6boy]

If that starting procedure worked before but not now then I'm wide of the mark here.
However I think you're second push of the fob may be rearming it. The first push should unlock and disable the alarm and immobiliser for approx 30 seconds, giving time to get in and start the car, before resetting if nothing has been done. This is the case with the Meta alarm in a Mk1 with a key.

As suggested does one push of the starter button turn ignition on , you can hear the fuel pump prime, and a second or longer push turn the engine over?

[Dominic Toretto]

Yes, so first push of the key fob gets me in the car. Push of start button turns ignition on, second push of start button cranks starter motor and away we go. I seem to having the problem first time I go to the car when it's been stood overnight, the problems don't seem to happen once I've used the car.

Once car has been running and warm, doesn't matter if I stop the car, I get back in and it will start again with the above procedure. It seems to be once it's been stood for a few days / starting from cold that I have to lock, un-lock the car and try the starting procedure a few times before it'll actually fire up. Really strange.....

[astonman]

I assume it's a brand new battery?
Are the leads tight on the battery?
Both a poor contact ( slack clamp) and a failing battery can produce the same intermittent symptoms, sometimes it works and sometimes you will get a reduced voltage and just a click.

[Dominic Toretto]

New-ish battery, yes, a few months ago. I do get the fuel pump priming every time and then the 'click' you mention when it doesn't crank the starter. (What is that?!) Car had been stood for a while before I purchased, so new car to me. Have just been reading on Facebook forums about disconnecting the battery (earth) and leaving for a bit, kinda like a 'turn it off and on again' computer re-set. So will be trying that when checking all the battery terminals.

[astonman]

You may only need a new battery, assuming leads are tight.Internal failure of battery only occurs as/ when you apply load,Eg try starting.The cells internally short and you get 9 or 6:volts,not 12 .
Don't do faceache

[DAKOTAstorm]

Flick through your dash when starting, it will give a live battery volts figure. My Mk2 won’t start if volts drop below 11.3, this can happen regularly in winter and gives same symptoms as you have described. Volts can be reading 11.9 but drop to as low as 8-9 when cranking.

Can be poor battery health but I keep mine mostly on trickle charge.

I am also convinced the meta alarm excessively drains my battery but yet to prove this to myself.

[Gladers01]

Dominic Toretto said:

New-ish battery, yes, a few months ago. I do get the fuel pump priming every time and then the 'click' you mention when it doesn't crank the starter. (What is that?!) Car had been stood for a while before I purchased, so new car to me. Have just been reading on Facebook forums about disconnecting the battery (earth) and leaving for a bit, kinda like a 'turn it off and on again' computer re-set. So will be trying that when checking all the battery terminals.

Also worth checking the yellow starter relay no.43 on the fuse/relay board, this could be intermittent in operation, give it a gentle tap when cranking or swap with one of the other yellow m0643 relays to see if the problem moves with the relay, they are inexpensive to buy and replace. It all depends where the 'click' is coming from to narrow it down, near the starter button, fuse/relay board or engine bay ?

[Dominic Toretto]

Gladers01 said:

Also worth checking the yellow starter relay no.43 on the fuse/relay board, this could be intermittent in operation, give it a gentle tap when cranking or swap with one of the other yellow m0643 relays to see if the problem moves with the relay, they are inexpensive to buy and replace. It all depends where the 'click' is coming from to narrow it down, near the starter button, fuse/relay board or engine bay ?

Thanks all for your responses.

Click seems to come from the engine bay, near the bulkhead, drivers side so could well be a relay. Have ordered and will swap out as cheap fix. Have checked connections on battery and all are tight.

When starting, voltage running at 12.4 and drops a little but stays around 12.0, definitely not dropping to 9 - 10.

Using the car as a daily last week and the problem is seeming becoming less regular. Fired first time today and yesterday, however on Monday had to lock / unlock the car a few times before she fired up.