Bad starter??

[RSB]

Hi all,

Got a weird starting issue with my legacy. Went to start it yesterday at lunchtime, and It started fine. However it was making an odd noise with each crank (tapping or clicking sound) which i couldnt quite make out (also made a burrrr sound once it had fired) so i switched it off to crank it again to try and make out the noise.

Turned the key and nothing. no clicks, burrs, chuffs or anything. absolutely nothing. All lights were on on the dash (as expected) headlights were working and have had nothing else to suggest that my fairly new battery is bung.

Anyway, kept trying and still nothing. Out of frustration i slammed the gearstick in to second and then suddenly it cranks. wtf? clutch in and then it goes.

turn it off again and again it wont do anything. Play with the gearstick again and a few times something happens for a split second, then nothing. Eventually got it going again though.

Took it for a bit of a drive and good as gold. Didnt make any strange sounds when starting again, and started sweet as.

Went out this morning, and oh hello. back to square one. tried roll starting it in reverse but it wouldnt fire, but then it cranked ok. went round the corner to drop the kids off at their mums, jumped back in the car, tried starting and its dead again. Tried the gearshift thing again cos im on the flat and away it goes.

So. Knowledgeble people. Bad starter? Bad power feed or bad earth? Thoughts?

[cpt kernow]

Is there a (faulty) clutch sensor? Mine only starts with the pedal to the floor?

How clean/good contact is the negative battery terminal, wires in good shape?

[RSB]

Nope, normally starts sweet as regardless of clutch position. Battery terminals are in great condition, as are the (visible) cables.

Am going to check the voltage of the battery tonight.

After some more testing at lunch i'm more of the opinion that it's power related though. The in gear thing confuses me, however the other symptoms (ignoring the intermittent factors) seem consistent with a bad battery.

Though my ICE and everything else runs fine.

[Guest boostcut]

checking the voltage of a battery wont do shit. your car can still effectively start on 11volts.

it needs to be load tested by an auto sparky or a battery warehouse etc and also check the specific gravity of the electrolyte.

[DRFVDR]

 boostcut said:

checking the voltage of a battery wont do s***. your car can still effectively start on 11volts.

it needs to be load tested by an auto sparky or a battery warehouse etc and also check the specific gravity of the electrolyte.

this man tells the truth

you can voltage check a battery and it will read 12 v,but it has a bad cell co when it is loaded it will drop to >10v

My guess would be starter solenoid,or maybe relay(do these have a seperate relay ??)

oooohhhhh or is it alarmed mmmmmmmmm

[RSB]

cheers for the help guys, the earth was midly corroded. Quick sand and she's all good.