I bought a J reg Fiesta 1100 for my daughter to run around in a couple of years ago and it has been virtually trouble free. However she started her new job after finishing university on tuesday and wednesday morning it wouldnt start - grrr. The battery was flat, new 18 months ago but the car stands for long periods and always starts on the button first time, so no major surprise there as it had not previously moved for seven weeks. Charged up overnight and dead again this morning. Turning the key produces no reaction whatsoever, not even the clonk as the starter motor engages but fails to turn. The battery is fully charged and with the headlights on turning the key does not cause them to dim. I havent had time to check anything as I am about to take my daughter to work and then go and earn a crust myself. My initial thought is that the starter motor has either had it or maybe locked itself onto the flywheel ring. I intend to take it off, good therapy if nothing else, and have a look. Any further thoughts, ideas and suggestions would be most welcome. There will come a time when someone else has to worry about these things but that time is not quite yet! Thanks in advance.
MGs
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You have identified the problem"surprise there as it had not previously moved for seven weeks. Charged up overnight and dead again this morning. Turning the key produces no reaction whatsoever, not even the clonk as the starter motor engages but fails to turn. The battery is fully charged and with the headlights on turning the key does not cause them to dim. "
The battery is OK. The starter motor feed from the battery to earth is not working , or the starter motor relay is defunct.
As the car has not been used for months, I would suspect the feed. Remove the connections from starter motor to live and earth and clean all connections so you have bright metal contact. Also remove and clean battery connections.
Also clean connections to relay .
madf
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If you havve access to a voltmeter check the voltage at the battery terminal,then the bat. side of the solenoid,then with someone turning the key,check the volts on the engine side of the solenoid and at the starter;if there are 12 volts(or close)at that connection,then you may have a faulty starter.
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Our H reg 1100 had the same problem once, and it was just a poor contact on the starter solenoid where the small wire from the Ign/starter switch joined onto the solenoid. I cleaned the connections, applied a small amount of petroleum jelly to the joint faces and hey presto! Never had any problems with the starter motor.
A colleague's earlier 1100 had a fractured earth lead from engine block to body/battery at the engine end. So perhaps a good idea to gently move the main leads to see if they have fractured.
Good luck.
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Did you charge the battery off or on the car?
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Just back from the office and very grateful to you all for your very helpful responses. It certainly looks as if we are the solenoid/connections area. I will check this out shortly. Just to respond to RF, I charged the battery in the car and switched on mid evening. I have a trickle charger with indicator leds that light up as the battery gets charged up and then siwtches itself off when charged.
Many thanks to all, here's hoping, MGs
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Almost certainly the solenoid. You can actually reach it under the car without jacking. Tweek the wires a bit and robert is your fathers brother.
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Just by way of update, whacked it with a broom handle whilst turning the key (my brother's suggestion), took the starter motor/solenoid assembly off and gave all the connections a good clean, reassmebled and still nothing. I have a day off today so will find an auto electrician to test/exchange if necessary.
Cheers MGs
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A crude way to check the solenoid is to use a large well insulated screwdriver to bridge across the terminals. Place the blade between the terminals and rotate until the screwdriver touches both contacts. There will be some sparks so a positive action is required. If the solenoid is defective the starter will operate without the ignition being switched on.If there is still no action then the starter is u/s.
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Depends on the position of the solenoid-if it's a pre-engaged starter what you say is true-however,if it's an inertia starter with remote solenoid it could still be lead or connection.
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Thank you all for your suggestions. It was looking very much like the solenoid but using the screwdriver test, for which many thanks, suggested it was OK. I checked the wiring with battery and bulb and all seemed ok and I was running out of steam. Decided to check the ignition switch. I noticed a small hole drilled in an inconspicuous position and rattling around in the plastic cover was a very small switch. I tried the switch and bingo! It looks like it is an immobiliser switch. There is an alarm fitted under the bonnet which is disconnected but presumably was installed together with the immobiliser, of which I was not aware. In 14 years the switch presumably worked loose and in the process siwtched itself off. I am now an expert in removing the starter motor and polishing up terminals. Strange but true.
MGs
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