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I have a 1993 1.3i Fiesta Ghia Auto. When i try to start the car it makes a noise like the solenoid is stuck on the starter motor. I replaced the starter and it's still the same, when i jump start the car it starts straightaway so i replaced the battery to to no avail !! Any ideas anyone ????
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Sounds like another duff battery.
When you jumped the battery did you connect both jump leads to the dead car battery terminals or just the positive, with the negative jump lead to a different earth.
If so it may be a corroded earth where the negative lead from the battery joins the body.
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connected both terminals to the duff battery with the same result. i'll try the other way too !
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Tried the terminal thing, still starts !!!!!!!!! Help !!
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If the car starts ok from a jump, assuming the battery terminals are clean & making a good conexion, it must be a goosed battery surely.
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ok. Bought a NEW battery and still the problem persists. was ok for a day or two then the same problem. Could it be the alternator not charging as now i've also noticed that whenever anything electrical is used ie electric windows then other lights eg: dash lights, clock etc appear to dim?
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Suggest you have sorted the problem, might be worth checking the Alternator charging voltage with a AVO if you have one.
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problem still persists ie car wont start unless jump started. Don't have an AVO, i'm assuming its an electrical multimeter of some sort, do have access to one tho. How do i check the charging system ?
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Check the various earth straps : may be corroded..
madf
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AVO=Ammeter,voltmeter,ohmmeter,
connect it across the batttery terminal and measure voltage should be around 12 volts. Start engine with Voltmeter connected should see voltage rise to around 13 or 14 volts, if so alternator is outputting higher voltage than battery hence charging it.
Check resistance of earth leads from battery negative terminal to inner wing or engine should be 0 ohm ( electrical resistance) also worth cheecking the earth lead at the starter motor should again show 0 ohms to earth.
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Tried cleaning EVERY earth lead, still no difference. Gonna try testing the alternator.
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>>i've also noticed that whenever anything electrical is used ie electric windows then other lights eg: dash lights, clock etc appear to dim?
Sounds like alternator to me
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Steve
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Obtain a meter then start the car and go for a 5 minute run, return to drive and leave engine running, no lights or heater type things. Lift bonnet and measure battery voltage should be 14 to 14.25 then turn on lights and heater etc voltage should not drop below 13.5 and holding a couple of thousand rpm should not be below 13.75v. Hope that helps. Regards Peter
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done the above and the battery shows a MAXIMUM of 12 volts. When everything electrical is turned on with the engine running it then drops to 7-8 volts !!
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u sure its not a knackered gearbox ? fiesta auto boxes make similar sounds on the inevitable decay into death
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Alternator is not working.
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Steve
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Steve,
I assume the charging light on the dash may give a good indicator of whether the alternator is working to full capacity or not?
Hugo
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Hugo,
A logical way of looking at it, but, as ever#, the charging light doesn't tell the whole story. The light can go off and the alternator can still have failed. The correct function of the light indicates that the regulator is probably OK - it doesn't really tell much more.
number_cruncher
# IMO, the only gauge on the dashboard should be the speedo, with the legal minimum requirement of main beam warning and so on - virtually everything else there is not entirely honest or accurate, lights, gauges, etc. (OK, I suppose there are some reasonable in car time clocks!)
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Ahh
So the old AVO across the terminals is the only trick then.
That's good thanks NC. Just in case the Disco causes any probs. The wife's car is a nissan so that'll never break down and the van's under warranty.
Hugo
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Bear in mind battery is only installed to get you started. once you have. it needs recharging. if alternator cannot recharge apart from connection problems..which it appears was not the case. can only be alternator. As NC said what I was going to wont repeat!
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Steve
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>>A logical way of looking at it, but, as ever#, the charging light doesn't tell the whole story. The light can go off and the alternator can still have failed. The correct function of the light indicates that the regulator is probably OK - it doesn't really tell much more.
Cheers NC took me so long to say same thing I was loged off and didnt save.
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Steve
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Bearing in mind what was said about the battery being there to start the car that'd explain why it started ok when i fitted the NEW battery which WAS fully charged, one day later and its drained.Many thanks for the advice, much appreciated.
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I have just encountered this very same problem in my 1995 Ford Fiesta Sapphire. I used it all day yesterday and then went to get in it last night and it was dead. I couldnt even get in the car as the battery was so dead that the central locking wouldn't work. I had to get the master key to get into the car and then discovered that it wouldn't start either.
I tried to jump start it from my dad's car and even that didnt work and we also tried to push start it. In the end I had to call out the AA to come and give it a boost. When the mechanic game out he discovered that it is a faulty alternator. The result on the AVO was 2.2 volts and even when the engine was running it didnt manage to exceed 12.7 volts.
There was no signs that the alternator was faulty as all the lights, windows etc were working fine. The only thing different that did happen yesterday was that the battery light didnt come on when i started the engine but that only happened once so i wasnt too concerned... apparently its a key indicator in fiesta's that the alternator is faulty. I'll know for next time.
Hope you've managed to get your fiesta sorted Digster
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