Thoughts on No Start?

[Mike Israel]

Hi all,

Amphi is just about together but still throwing me
some curves along the way.

My latest is what appears to be no power to the
starter. Any thoughts on diagnosing or fixing would
be appreciated.

I turn the key, hit the bilge blower override and get
the red light on my cluster gauge. I turn the key and
get a nice strong "click" sound from the voltage
regulator. That is all.

I thought maybe the starter was bad so I pulled that
and just got it back from the rebuild shop. (It was
pretty cruddy inside and they did a very nice job for
$45). Anyway, I put it back in, and no change. Also
nothing if I push the starter button in the engine
compartment.

Not sure if I attached to the right spots but I took
the ends of a voltmeter and placed one on the
electrical lead to the starter and another on the
engine block. Again, I get the click from the
regulator but no power showing at the starter?

If the starter button in the engine compartment were
bad would it still start with the key? Which wires or
connections should I probe with the voltmeter.

Note that I did replace the voltage regulator over the
winter. I think I had started her since then but can
not be 100% certain. I swapped one wire at a time so I
think it is all hooked up correctly.

Thanks for any ideas.

Mike I.

 

[WB6WSN]

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<blockquote style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<div style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black">From: Mike Israel
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial">To: amphicar-lovers@yahoogroups.com
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial">Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2005 6:24 AM
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial">Subject: [amphicar-lovers] Thoughts on No Start?


<tt>Hi all,

Amphi is just about together but still throwing me
some curves along the way.

My latest is what appears to be no power to the
starter. Any thoughts on diagnosing or fixing would
be appreciated.

I turn the key, hit the bilge blower override and get
the red light on my cluster gauge. I turn the key and
get a nice strong "click" sound from the voltage
regulator. That is all.
</tt></blockquote>
<tt></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4">Mike:</font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4"></font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4">That nice "click" sound should be the starter relay closing the circuit for the starter motor, not the voltage regulator.</font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4"></font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4">Check for 12 V at the battery terminal (all referenced to frame or block), then move along the heavy battery cable to the STARTER SOLENOID input terminal. Still should see 12 V there.</font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4"></font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4">Now look at the heavy cable going from the STARTER SOLENOID to the STARTER. When you turn the ignition switch, the solenoid should make a click (as it closes a heavy electric switch), and power should now flow to the starter motor. Normally, you never hear the click, because the starter and then the engine is much louder.</font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4"></font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4">If you have 12 V at the SOLENOID output terminal (when you turn the key), then look at the STARTER motor terminal. Is there 12 V there? If yes, it's a bad starter. (Also if yes, check for voltage on the starter motor housing [yes], if you get voltage there, then the starter grounding to the engine block is bad.) If no, then there's something wrong in the starter cable wiring.</font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4"></font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4">If you want to check the starter motor quickly, just use a jumper cable to connect the starter motor terminal to the battery terminal. (Connect the starter terminal first; be ready for some sparks as you touch the cable to the battery post.)</font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4"></font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4">BTW, when trouble-shooting, don't leave the starter solenoid energized too long; it will get rather warm.</font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4"></font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4">If the battery to starter motor circuit checks out, then the solenoid switch contacts may be bad. Replace the solenoid.</font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4"></font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4">If something else under the hood is doing the clicking, and not the starter solenoid, then you will have to find out why the solenoid switch coil is not getting its (modest) power from the ignition switch and/or over-ride system.</font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4"></font></tt>
<tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4"></font></tt><tt><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="4">Ed
El Cajon, CA USA
67 Rust Guppy
</font></tt>

 

[a_colo_native]

Mike,

Do you have a ground strap located on the top of the tranny mount
bolt to the frame?

John Bevins

 

[Mike Israel]

Re: Re: Thoughts on No Start?

Thanks for all the feedback. I am pretty sure it is the starter relay near the
engine with the rubber push button. Further probing with voltmeter shows
current is not making it to other side of switch even though it clicks. Did
confirm that direct power feed will turn it. Wonder if I should cut open the
relay and see what's inside?

Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.

 

[David Chapman]

Re: Re: Thoughts on No Start?

<table bgColor="#ffffff">
<font face="Arial" size="2">That solinoid is a generic Lucas part used on most British cars of the period MG, Mini, Triumph etc - although the replacement normally doesn't have the manual starter button, that was removed as it makes the car too easy to steal ! Years ago when I had a 1967 Mini it was quicker sometimes to hotwire it and start it with the solinoid buttonthan to walk back into the house and get the keys !</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2"></font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">By the way a car called the Lada Niva (don't know if it was sold in the USA - a small Russian built 4x4) had a spooky problem with the starter solinoid. If it had been covered in mud - and was then damp - (middle of the night condensation) it would engage on it's own. This vehicle had a poor handbrake so drivers often left them in first gear - and first wasa very low gear as it was a 4x4. A friend of mine had one drive through his garage door and start crawling into his house in the middle of the night - like a scene from that movie Christine - he still has nightmares about it !!</font>
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<font face="Arial" size="2">David C</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2"></font>
<blockquote style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<div style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black">From: Mike Israel
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial">To: amphicar-lovers@yahoogroups.com
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial">Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2005 8:34 PM
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial">Subject: Re: [amphicar-lovers] Re: Thoughts on No Start?

<tt>Thanks for all the feedback. I am pretty sure it is the starter relay near the engine with the rubber push button. Further probing with voltmeter shows current is not making it to other side of switch even though it clicks. Did confirm that direct power feed will turn it. Wonder if I should cut open the relay and see what's inside?

Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
</tt>

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