Clubsport - Electrical Starting Problem

[Laurence7]

Help!
I'm entered in the Birkett 6-Hour relay next weekend and, out of the blue, I can't get the car started.
When I press the starter button, I just get a 'click' from the solenoid. I replaced the starter motor with a spare - same result. I cleaned the battery connections and the engine earth return terminal - again, the same result. I disconnected and removed the solenoid, cleaned the connections and replaced it. Tried to start it again - but yet again, the same result. I think the battery and the starter motor are okay. Bridging the solenoid terminals with the tip of a big screwdriver producing a spark, but the motor doesn't turn.
Any thoughts?
Any helpful feedback very gratefully received!

[minitici]

Flat battery?
Engine siezed?

[KR]

Is it too late to enter this race?

[DarioT]

Laurence7 said:

Help!
I'm entered in the Birkett 6-Hour relay next weekend and, out of the blue, I can't get the car started.
When I press the starter button, I just get a 'click' from the solenoid. I replaced the starter motor with a spare - same result. I cleaned the battery connections and the engine earth return terminal - again, the same result. I disconnected and removed the solenoid, cleaned the connections and replaced it. Tried to start it again - but yet again, the same result. I think the battery and the starter motor are okay. Bridging the solenoid terminals with the tip of a big screwdriver producing a spark, but the motor doesn't turn.
Any thoughts?
Any helpful feedback very gratefully received!

have you taken a direct DC feed to the starter terminal?

this will iliminate solenoid issues. if this dosn't work, then take a direct -ve feed to the starter body.

it could still be the battery

[Martin B]

Is the battery fully charged - was the master switch left on over a period of time?

I believe the alternator requires volts to energise it to charge (controlled by the pesky relay behind the master switch on the bulkhead, you know the one that stops working resulting in the battery not being charged when the engine is running) if the master switch is left on, might be able to drain the battery over a period of time. When did you last run it?

Check battery with voltmeter, should be over 12.5V and 14+V when the engine is running. Was the alternator working last time the car ran? If not, may not have enough volts to start the engine. If the alternator is not working, check out the contacts inside the relay behind the bulkhead and clean them with fine wet n dry.

Martin

Edited by Martin B on Sunday 19th October 23:42

[gaxor]

Faulty Master switch?

Gary

[NASA racer]

There's a fuse by the master switch which can pop...it's held in a small covered plastic module behind the firewall and near the battery, I'd check that too.

[Laurence7]

Embarrassed, but relieved

It WAS just the battery. I had the battery checked by Barden Batteries (http://www.barden-uk.com/), who confirmed the battery was dead (by putting it under load), before selling me a new one at a reasonable price. Fitted the new battery this evening, and the job is, as they say, a good'un!

Lessons learned
1. Just 'cos a fully-charged battery shows 12V, doesn't mean its got the oomph to turn the motor (it has to be put under load to test it under starting conditions)
2. Even a well-maintained good-quality dry-cell battery doesn't last forever (its likely that the old battery was the original Radical fit, from new in '98.

Thanks for all your inputs - there were some useful check points amongst them. Yet again I've learned a whole lot!

Laurence