1.7 engine doesn’t turn, can hear the starter click

[dbello]

Hi,

Car ran fine, stopped for 5min and afterwards the engine didn’t turn anymore. Everything electrical is ok, can hear the fuel pump priming, battery is ok. When I try to engage the starter, nothing happens, just a loud click.

I’ve seen a couple of threads mentioning starter issues when there’s no click but, what does it mean when you can hear it?

Other than the starter, any other ideas?

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

Click means relay is working, so it means either starter motor has no power (could be earthing gone bad) or the motor itself is gone. Are the fuses OK?

 

[Van_Dammesque]

Is is the normal behaviour when you start the engine after a few miles of the Puma?
Give it a few minutes the next time it happens and give it some throttle and see if it starts.

Also check the battery.

 

[dbello]

Battery is ok. Forgot to mention but, used FORSCAN, there’s no DCT codes.

Fuses *seem* to be ok but I’ve recently read a thread mentioning one fuse blowing in a weird place that wasn’t initially visible, might have to remove them all just in case.

Where’s the starter motor ground placed?

 

[mmc757]

The simplest answer is almost always the correct one.
In this case, these symptoms are almost always either the battery or battery cables.
You said the "Battery is ok" but how sure are you about that?

First, try a traditional jump start. If that works, than you have a weak battery.
If that doesn't work, then next try jumping around the battery cables by running a jumper cable directly to the starter.
If that works, than its your positive cable.
Those cables can corrode under the insulation and reach a point where they have enough continuity to turn on electronics but not enough to turn over the engine. Its pretty common for old cars.

 

[yippeekiay]

Please don't forget the old sticky starter - give it a wee tap with a hammer. Never know, it might work afterwards.

Used to always happen on my old MG Metro if I remember correctly - albeit a long time ago. :roll:

 

[dbello]

After a lot of troubleshooting and not finding any solution, tried to start it one last time before calling a tow truck and it just started like nothing had happened, resurrected from the dead 3 days after it stopped working, can I hear an amen?

Used every day since and 7 days later it stoped working again with the same issue (came back from a drive, tried to drive again 30min afterwards and kaput).

@mmc757 good shout! Checked voltage and used jumper cables to another running car, didn’t connect cables straight to the starter, might try that. Didn’t have space to push jump start it at the time also.

@yippeekiay I’ll try that as well!

 

[mmc757]

Yeah, that sounds like a loose connection or a failing cable.