Please help before i torch my car

[dunova]

I broke down about 2 weeks ago-it was in gear when in neutral and i couldn't select 3rd 4th or 5th gear. Also, the RAC man tried starting the car and we heard the starter 'clicking' and then saw smoke coming from the starter motor area.

I've just finished fitting a new gearbox, clutch and starter motor in and it's not even turning over. I think something electrical may be screwed, because when i turn the ignition on only sometimes the fuel pump goes. When i hear the fuel pump and turn the key i always hear one click on the starter motor and then nothing. If the fuel pump doesn't make a sound then i dont get anything from the starter motor.

Does anyone know if the electrics between the starter motor and fuel pump are connected in any way? Does anyone have any ideas?

I dont think the engines seized because it can be pushed forward when in gear and the engine turns over. It's also not 'in gear' when in neutral anymore.

I can't select 5th gear either, but i think the linkage just needs adjusting. Please help or give me some idea's because otherwise i may just torch the car. I've had enough :roll:

[burgo]

have you tested how much your battery is putting out??

[dunova]

Yup battery's fine. It seems to me that there is a loose or burnt out connection somewhere.

When i turn the ignition on, it only sometimes makes the fuel pump go and if the pump does go then i get one click out of the starter motor then nothing. If the fuel pump doesn't go when i turn the electrics on then i get nothing at the starter. It's got me stumped :?

Do you think it was a wire that caused the smoke i saw when the RAC bloke was there? Because i've fitted a new starter and there's just nothing there??? I hate cars sometimes.

[nathan.]

Will it bump start?

[burgo]

my guess is a dodgy relay somewhere

[jay]

the fuel pump wont prime (buzz) everytime you turn the key because it may not have lost pressure yet especally if you try the very close together, the gear problem sounds like you have the linkage set in the wrong place,was the box in neutral and the lever in neutral when you matched the linkage?

[dunova]

No i think the box was in 4th :? Oops, that's not difficult to sort though.


the fuel pump wont prime (buzz) everytime you turn the key because it may not have lost pressure yet especally if you try the very close together

That's good to know, i didn't know that and thought it did it everytime.

I tried to bump it but didn't get much speed because where i live it's all hills, so if it doesn't start i'm screwed so i stayed on a flat area. I think it may have fired once but that's all.

What relay would it be though? I've been told to check earth straps and i'm just about to go out and check them. Thanks for the help

[dunova]

Okay, just been out playing with the car. The earth strap to the gearbox is abit dodgy because when i moved it about the fuel pump relay was flicking on and off. However, i've got it positioned so it's earthed and now every time i turn the key i hear the starter motor click but that's it. I think that's the solonoid going but nothing happens.

What does this mean? It's a new (reconditioned) starter, surely it should all work? Could it be the engine is somehow jammed or is it the starter? I think the engine's fine because it will roll when in gear (and turn the engine over) and it is free when out of gear, so all seems okay.

[Dod]

Try the relays, could have some melted wires due to the starter not being able to turn the engine. If the relays dont work, take it to a car electrition and let them deal with it, a lot less work for you and less chance of messing anything.

[nathan.]

if your earth strap is dodgy then the starter wont work properly. It needs a good earth as there is a big current draw through a starter.

[burgo]

i think your gonna need a mate to help you on this one. try getting a multimeter and see how much power is getting to the starter solenoid when the key is turned.

[dunova]

Just been out there again, my gearbox earth is completely fooked!!! Bodged it back together again and i had abit of life out of it! The starter sounded quite rough though and didn't last too long, prob because the connection was dodgy. I'll get a new earth strap tommorrow and see what happens. It may have also sounded rough because its a new starter???
Hope there's nothing else wrong with it :?

Thanks for the help

[Will F]

Make a new earth strap. its so easy! lol
Even if the connection is slightly ropey, it causes all sorts of probs...

[Aragorn]

try a heavy jump lead (>25mm) beteween battery -ive and the block

or if u dont have a heavy lead use 2 normal ones with both attached to the negative battery or good chassis earth and both connected to the block somewhere

[Nick]

i don't even have an earth strap !

[dunova]

If you didn't have an earth strap your car wouldn't run :|

[5toprjepog]

i dont know if this is any good as this happened on my motorbike and this is what happened to mine. Could it be the bearing that the starter motor spins into as if the starter motor is slightly wonkey it wont engage but will click or the spring mech may be jammed to open and need a slight hit to get it to relese and that would also explain why it worked once once it had reset and not again because its stuck out again.

[Nick]

If you didn't have an earth strap your car wouldn't run :|

runs fineish, noticeable worst after a friend changed my gearbox the first time... i think it was then that the earth strap got misplaced.

Also, Epo never had one, and his car had starting problems in summer only.

I went to get a new Fan belt from vaux today and they didn't have noe in, so they said they'd fit one on on saturday free of charge :idea: :roll: lol, so i'l get em to look at the Earth strap problem too

[5toprjepog]

Go to halfords the belt(s) will cost several pound then its easy to fit dependinhg on the engine you want to fit it to.