Dead as a dodo

[MacD]

Hello
Battery strong but when I turn on ignition ........ Nothing! Everything else working lights horn etc. The car has been off the road for a few months There were no problems beforehand and the battery had been disconnected for its time off road and charged.
Any ideas what is wrong.?
Thanks
Macd

[Trickydicky]

Have you checked for a spark at the plugs or the King lead?

[The vast minority]

Define nothing

No oil light, no cranking, or really nothing?

[bmcecosse]

That's it - does 'dead' mean no cranking - or just no engine starting? Do the headlights go dim/out when you turn the key? If no cranking - check all connections, and turn the starter with a spanner to see if it's jammed..... If cranking. but not starting - is the petrol pump ticking? Does it start on the handle ?? You need to give us some clues!!!!

[Budgie]

This happened to me last summer in so much as having the car for over eight years with no starting problems , put her away one evening all was well, went to start her a few days later , nowt, like yourself, everything worked but no engine cranking over! So after a long while of swearing and checking and double checking what I thought was everything, it came to me all of a sudden "check the cable to the starter motor" hey presto, the cable was loose and had only been starting the car for years probably, by a wing and a prayer, so a quick tighten of the nut , after placing a lock washer in place first, and way hey bang she started no problem.

[MacD]

That's it - does 'dead' mean no cranking - or just no engine starting? Do the headlights go dim/out when you turn the key? If no cranking - check all connections, and turn the starter with a spanner to see if it's jammed..... If cranking. but not starting - is the petrol pump ticking? Does it start on the handle ?? You need to give us some clues!!!!

Hadlights bright starter free petrol pump ticking Won't start onthe handle. Can't see anything wrong with connections!

[The vast minority]

So you still won't tell us if the engine cranks,
Should we guess?

[MacD]

No cranking!

[biomed32uk]

If everything else away from the engine is working, lights, horn etc then it may be the earth strap to engine, it's actually towards the rear of the gearbox between it and the body of the car. Well worth a check there.

Did you say no oil light either?, as that earths out via the engine as well, so may again point to the above.

[bmcecosse]

Will it crank if you push the rubber button on the starter solenoid? Or - bit more exciting - bridge the two terminals across with a good heavy screwdriver ?

[MacD]

Magic!
Car fired into life......and started from key thereafter.
Many thanks to all who helped.

[bmcecosse]

The solenoid needs a good earth path - or maybe it was just lazy......