Willl not start - any ideas

Post by **ayr41** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 3:29 pm

I have tried to get a neighbours 10 year old Toyoto Celica going, she used it yesterday but today it would not start just clicks very slowly and it will not turn over so first thoughts was the battery, put meter across and 11.96v put on a fast charge for an hour and no joy, tried jump leads and still no joy, any ideas as I have left the charger on overnight, have doubts if it is the battery which is about two years old. Thanks Stephen.

Post by **PSL184** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 4:09 pm

11.96v is certainly not enough to start it but it should improve with jump leads. Make sure you have the "doner" car running at a fast idle and give it a min to put some charge into the dead battery before you try and crank it over. A bad earth connection will also give a low reading and prevent starting.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 4:24 pm

Slow churning does indeed mean poor battery/bad connections. maybe take the battery indoors and warm it up!

Post by **PSL184** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:38 pm

Good grief

Post by **billlobban** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:48 pm

Maybe make it a cup of tea while your at it

. No seriously try jumping it direct or as near as possible to the starter motor solenoid and get as good an earth as possible maybe not on the battery terminal itself but on the chassis or engine. If that fails do indeed take it indoors and if possible charge it overnight.
Weather colder than this we used to start diesel generators by lighting a fire under them (do not try this at home)

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:54 pm

Burning oil rag in the inlet used to work well for cold diesels!

Post by **Dean** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:57 pm

Crank it over a few times with the starting handle....

Post by **rayofleamington** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:58 pm

What type of jump leads did you use? If they're less than 16mm^2 then they may not start a bigger engine.
Earth should be from good battery to engine block of poorly car.

Does it make any difference when you tried to jump start? If not then the problem was a poor jump lead connection, or the poorly car problem is not battery related.
It's possible to get poor starting / solenoid clicking if the ground lead from engine to body is not making good contact.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 6:02 pm

Does the engine look as if it would fit a Minor ? If so -tell the neighbour it's scrap - and hoist the engine !

Post by **billlobban** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 6:07 pm

What's up Roy? you replacing the Stanley Steamer's engine?

Post by **rayofleamington** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 6:14 pm

the Stanley Steamer's

Now don't get me started... a steam car is about the only thing left on my wish list!

Post by **ayr41** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:12 pm

Think we have gone slightly off TRACK on this, thanks for all the sugestions sounds like it could be a bad earth will try first thing in the morning, sounds like it could then be a call to Fred Dibnah?

Post by **Dean** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:14 pm

You got a very big chimney you want bringing down too?

Post by **billlobban** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:15 pm

rayofleamington wrote:. a steam car is about the only thing left on my wish list!

Ray think of all that coal not to mention the ashes and getting up at 4 in the morning just to light the boiler

(Sorry Ayr we get a bit carried away at times)

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 8:24 pm

Aye - but the ashes are great for gritting the road! Not so bad at 4am - I did that last sunday - at least the roads are quiet!

Post by **billlobban** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 9:06 pm

Were you coming home from the disco?

linearaudio · Post by **linearaudio** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 9:27 pm

Slightly back on topic, (but yes, I would love a steam car, such graceful silent power!) I would heartily recommend anyone to get one of those yellow jump packs. Mine was a cheapy one, given to me secondhand, and it never ceases to amaze me how much power it kicks out, and for so long between recharges! It's even started reluctant Case tractors (the model that won't pickup unless the engine is spinning unreasonably fast!). Also handy for checking bulbs, fans horns etc without having to look for bits of connecting wire!
Don't assume the battery to be any good at 2 years old- a lot of them out there die at that age, and they don't seem to fade with a warning nowadays- just curl up and die one inconvenient morning!

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:01 pm

No - I was on my way to light up!

Post by **Dean** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:17 pm

Where's "Light Up" bmc... I've checked google maps without any success?

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:33 pm

In Morayshire

In the firebox!