help needed to my first fault with the E-type: starter motor

rolando38 · Post by **rolando38** » Sat Dec 26, 2015 12:28 pm

Hello

today I took the E-type for a short trip; started Ok, despite cold weather (around 3?C)
went to the post office, stopped the engine to drop a letter in the box, and ...I could'nt restart the engine; the starter motor would'nt turn, only heard a clic coming from the glove box

and of course, I always take with me my mobile, except today...

anyway I walked back to my house only 500m away, and took a ammeter and a second car, plus starting cables

measured the battery : 12.6 V

connected the other car's battery: 13.2 V, but still motor starter would'nt go

So I brought the E-type back home with my daughter towing it with the safety car (my also beloved Rover 75 Tourer) (not so easy to find a jacking point, I used the transverse chassis bar)

I have an auto gearbox so I also suspected the contact close to the stick, but if the stick was in "D" I could'nt hear the tic in the glovebox, meanwhile if it was in "P" I could hear it , so I first eliminated this cause

Any suggestion before I check the whole starter circuit ? I could'nt find any fuse either , is ther one for the starter motor ?

thanks for you help !

Roland

Post by **mgcjag** » Sat Dec 26, 2015 1:33 pm

Hi Ronaldo.. there is no startes motor fuse......your ignition switch operates the starter solonoid....and that operated the starter motor

Paul71a · Post by **Paul71a** » Sat Dec 26, 2015 3:48 pm

Put on your headlights and try. If the lights dim when you hear the "click" I'd say it's the starter solenoid.i haven't had the problem on my E but I remember from my much younger days that issue with my MK II Cortina. I carried a hammer to hit the solenoid with and that always sorted it!

rolando38 · Post by **rolando38** » Sat Dec 26, 2015 5:59 pm

thanks guys !
will try the hammer trick tomorrow (it's too dark now ...)

rolando38 · Post by **rolando38** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 1:59 pm

her's the latest news; this morning I started the car without problem
after a few minutes I pushed back the starter lever, too early , and the engine stalled
then again the same "double click":

. one from inside the engine bay (the solenoid ?)
. one from the glove box

so I decided to:
. clean the earthing of the battery on the car (very accessible on S2, you only need to remove the battery that you anyway have to disconnect)
. properly secure the battery terminals (the minus was not tight)

next on the agenda is clean the relay ; is it behind the gloveox ? how do I access ?

before

after cleaning

Post by **mgcjag** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 3:31 pm

Hi Ronaldo.....you hear 2 clicks so the first is the relay operating the 2nd is the relay operating the solonoid(fixed to the starter motor).....the solonoid is not operating the starter motor.....howerer it did but you stalled it......check and clean all the connections to solonoid and starter motor.....disconnect the battery first, make sure your battery is fully charged or there will not be enough power to turn the motor

rolando38 · Post by **rolando38** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 4:55 pm

thanks Steve

at the moment I am charging the battery, I want to make sure there is no issue there
where is the first relay located ? behind the glovebox wall ?

Roland

paydase · Post by **paydase** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 5:08 pm

Not sure it is due to a weak battery because your car did not start when connected to another battery with 13.2V (unless that one was not powerful enough).
But still worth checking

BRM · Post by **BRM** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 6:20 pm

Roland,
Just a suggestion, have another close look at your battery earth cable.

I had a similar problem a while back, battery fully charged, all the car electrics worked but nothing on the starter. I thought it was an earth problem, so checked battery connections and thoroughly cleaned the connection to the body but still the same.

Eventually I removed the earth cable completely and prised off the terminal from the end of the cable. I found it was full of corrosion on the inside between the cable and the terminal although it all looked clean on the outside. Obviously enough current was getting through to work the minor electrics but not the starter.

I made a new cable and soldered on the terminal and it's been fine since then.
Worth a look . . .

PeterCrespin · Post by **PeterCrespin** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 6:27 pm

rolando38 wrote:thanks Steve

at the moment I am charging the battery, I want to make sure there is no issue there
where is the first relay located ? behind the glovebox wall ?

Roland

On the firewall/bulkhead near the wiper motor.

rolando38 · Post by **rolando38** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 6:41 pm

thanks guys
I didn't pay too much attention to the battery cable while it was out...
will look again tomorrow; at least it is now clean on the earthing to body side

the only relay I found close to the wiper motor seems to be operating the washer bottle

iani · Post by **iani** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 8:42 pm

Your starter relay should be on the bulkhead with 5 wires as already mentioned, assuming you have a ballast resistor fitted, if you don't, it might be on the inside of the A post I think.

mark10337 · Post by **mark10337** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 9:47 pm

You may like to check all the connectors on the back of the ignition switch barrel are firmly on. Be careful not to disturb or pull them off though before knowing exactly which goes where.

rolando38 · Post by **rolando38** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 8:07 am

iani wrote: Your starter relay should be on the bulkhead with 5 wires as already mentioned, assuming you have a ballast resistor fitted, if you don't, it might be on the inside of the A post I think.

is this the one ?

I pulled all blades and one was rusty; cleaned it and ... the car did start afterwards !

my explanation tentative : the rusty blade allowed enough Amps to actuate the soleno?d (I heard the second clic) but not enough to actually push forward enough the axle and engage the starter motor ??

before shouting hurrah I will make a few sstarts/stops

anyway many thanks to you all for this unvaluable help !!

iani · Post by **iani** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 8:46 am

That's the one Rolando, it looks like your wiper motor is using it for an Earth, hence the confusion.

Ian

rolando38 · Post by **rolando38** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 7:46 pm

ah that explains my confusion
the car is now at the mechanic's for exhaust change; did'nt fell like tackling it myself as heating will probably be needed and I'm not keen of this technique...

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