starting problems 97 5ltr Chimaera

[TdF]

The problem:

for several years i've had starting problems which i put down to the hot start issue, however this has now worsened to erratic starting at all times whether hot or not.
Turn the key, nothing happens, wait an hour and it starts ! when turning the key you can hear the solenoid click but nothing else, there is no dimming of the headlights (not sure if this means anything).
If you bump start, it's starts instantly and when the starter does engage it fires up on the first turn.

I have just replaced the starter motor hoping for a quick fix's, but no joy.

so any help with fault finding would be much appreciated.

TdF
97 5ltr Chimaera

[tonys]

Is the car fitted with the standard immobiliser?

Not sure what you mean by the comment about dimming headlamps; if they stay bright when trying to start it implies battery is up to strength, if they dim or go out, indication that battery is low.

Does the pump prime when you turn the key - can you hear it, or is the pump not priming.

It could be a number of things, but the fact that it bump starts (not a good idea on a car with cats) or fires first time when starter activates, at last helps to narrow it down. I'd re-check the starter connections for tightness and cleanliness. Other than that, it could be immobiliser related or it could also be the ignition switch itself.

Have a look on 'search' on here if not already done.

Hopefully someone else will be along more versed in the ways of the immobilser system and relays.

[TdF]

Yes, standard immobiliser.. and the fuel pump does prime when key turned.

The starter connections are fine, new starter only fitted Friday.....

hoping in vein to avoid large garage bill, looks like i might be loosing this one :-)

TdF

[Flintstone]

Have you tried starting it with a jump from another car? If the battery is a l;ittle weak this might give a clue.

[bsdnazz]

TdF said:

Yes, standard immobiliser.. and the fuel pump does prime when key turned.

The starter connections are fine, new starter only fitted Friday.....

hoping in vein to avoid large garage bill, looks like i might be loosing this one :-)

TdF

You might have a faulty relay in the immobiliser. The relay for the starter can fail so only the fuel pump primes when starting.

The immobiliser is usually in the passenger side dash and if you give the dash a few hard thumps on its underside while holding the key in the start position you may jog the relay shut allowing the car to start.

I had exactly this problem a few years ago and it was solved by getting the immobiliser replaced by Carl Baker at Car & Bike Installations.

[blitzracing]

The extra wire and relay in the imobiliser can be enough to drop the starter solenoid voltage enough to stop it pulling in fully and closing the starter contacts so the starter wont spin. If you can get a test meter on the solenoid connection, see how many volts it shows when you try and start, it should not be much below the battery voltage. The hot start issue is also an effect of this as the solenoid gets cooked by the exhaust, its internal resistance of the windings goes up, so the amount of current it can flow goes down, plus you have a voltage drop across the imoboliser and wiring, so double whammy. You can just add a decent relay, with its coil fed from the old solenoid supply (other side grounded), and then use decent cable from the alternator output wire (that leads directly to the battery) to the switch contact on the relay, with the other side feeding the solenoid. This is basically what the hot start kit does.

[coetzeeh]

Save yourself pain and frustration and have a new alarm/immob system installed by Carl Baker.

The first symptoms of a failing alarm/immob (referring to the factory meta) is a hot start issue. The hot start kit just prolongs alarm/immob life for a while - it will fail eventually.