Problems starting - just a click

[lew15]

Hi all. Seeking some help. First of all, my van is a 1989 T25 1.9 petrol Holdsworth Villa 3 camper, and this summer it had a new starter motor and battery.

Annoyingly, it's started to dislike starting again. Not every time, but a lot of the time. The starter motor just clicks and nothing else happens. It's very random.

And the weird thing is, the only thing that seems to get it started is to charge the battery up, even just 5 mins with my smart charger and portable battery pack and it starts and runs fine?! The battery shows 12.69V with a multimeter.

The other thing I've noticed is that the oil light on the dash has started to not come on at all when I turn the ignition key. Previously it flashed for a bit as normal, but as of today nothing. No warning lights or anything bad once it starts running.

Any ideas? 

[Aidan]

have you got a spare ignition switch ? Do you know how to hot wire the ignition ?

If the ignition switch is failing (and they do) then you can be getting a current drop at the switch reducing the energising of the starter solenoid, and also the distribution of power to the ignition circuit and all the ancillaries - can also occur if you have corroded battery terminals and connectors so may be worth removing these and cleaning them and giving them a wipe of vaseline. Corrosion of the contacts on the earth crowns and back of the fuseboard can also occur if you have a leaky windscreen, which isn't uncommon

with a spare ignition switch you can easily bypass the one currently fitted and test the starting, if that works then you can fit the new one - ditto if you understand the connections and can hot-wire it jst as a means of testing

we don't post up the instructions on how to hot wire on the forum, even though the scrotes all know how to do it, so as not to make it easy for others to do it. Remember you must use the ignition key to unlock the steering even if you bypass the ignition switch itself to start the vehicle if you want to safely drive it - I always carry a replacement ignition switch as they can fail on a Sunday a long way from home or recovery services, it's one of those things that can mean you can get home, even if you may not be able to fit it fully, and it's safer than hot wiring

[lew15]

Thanks I'll see if I can get hold of a spare ignition switch.

I've checked the battery clamps and they seem fine.

Today I've noticed the oil light comes on for a split second when I turn the key, but then goes out. It doesn't flash like it used to. Could this be a clue? Yesterday it was mostly not coming on at all.

[Mocki]

Either ignition switch or feed to it 

[lew15]

Thanks - will investigate and report back.

I'm wondering though why charging the battery for a few mins (where it must only go from say 99% to 100%) results in it usually starting? If it was the switch surely it would just be broken all the time?

[Mocki]

The difference between 12.8v and 14.5v just making the difference i guess 

[lew15]

Cool, thanks.

While waiting for a new ignition switch I did some investigation with my multimeter. The battery is showing 12.55v this morning. The red feed to the ignition switch is giving 12.54v so I guess that's good. The starter motor live is the same, and the starter motor live earthed to the gearbox earth strap is giving 12.50v. All sound OK?

[Mocki]

But have you checked the voltages with the engine running and under load with and without the engine running 

Alternator or wiring? 
  
 Easy to establish 
  
 Take a voltage reading at the alternator ( using the casing as neg ) 
 If you have less than 14v between the alternator output and the casing , either the blue wire isnt connecting or the brush pack is faulty 
 If you have 14v on the first test Then take another another from the alternator pos using the van body as neg connection , if there is any difference between these two readings clean the earths , both the actual facings on the alternator to the bracket and the gear box nose earth strap , then take another voltage reading at the battery .
 If you have a difference of more than 0.5v between those readings and the readings at the battery it’s connections or wire fault, 
 Clean earth faces and earth leads . 
 Thirty plus year old wires go high resistance , sapping your power with in the cables before they even get to the battery

[pbar]

Hi all. Seeking some help. First of all, my van is a 1989 T25 1.9 petrol Holdsworth Villa 3 camper, and this summer it had a new starter motor and battery.

Annoyingly, it's started to dislike starting again. Not every time, but a lot of the time. The starter motor just clicks and nothing else happens. It's very random.

And the weird thing is, the only thing that seems to get it started is to charge the battery up, even just 5 mins with my smart charger and portable battery pack and it starts and runs fine?! The battery shows 12.69V with a multimeter.

The other thing I've noticed is that the oil light on the dash has started to not come on at all when I turn the ignition key. Previously it flashed for a bit as normal, but as of today nothing. No warning lights or anything bad once it starts running.

Any ideas? 

Hi, I've had exactly the same thing for some time, sometimes it will click, click, click a few times before it'll start as normal, I always thought it was the starter motor on it's way out, interesting that you changed that. Mine too is less likely to do it with a fully/fresh charged battery. Never thought about the ignition switch which has been mentioned, what great advice that was, must look into that.

[lew15]

Interesting! At the moment it absolutely will not start. Yet I know if I pop the charger on for a few mins it will, as it has done for months now. I actually think when I got the starter motor changed earlier this year that wasn't the problem. I'll keep you posted.

[lew15]

But have you checked the voltages with the engine running and under load with and without the engine running 

Alternator or wiring? 
  
 Easy to establish 
  
 Take a voltage reading at the alternator ( using the casing as neg ) 
 If you have less than 14v between the alternator output and the casing , either the blue wire isnt connecting or the brush pack is faulty 
 If you have 14v on the first test Then take another another from the alternator pos using the van body as neg connection , if there is any difference between these two readings clean the earths , both the actual facings on the alternator to the bracket and the gear box nose earth strap , then take another voltage reading at the battery .
 If you have a difference of more than 0.5v between those readings and the readings at the battery it’s connections or wire fault, 
 Clean earth faces and earth leads . 
 Thirty plus year old wires go high resistance , sapping your power with in the cables before they even get to the battery

Thanks. So, I gave it a quick charge and it fired up straight away as always... Alternator to alternator casing is 14.20v. Alternator to body is also 14.20v. I then went inside and checked the battery and it was 14.00v. Not sure if this helps with anything 

UPDATE! The new ignition switch arrived and makes no difference. It continued to click (sometimes) with it in. So I am well and truly stumped...

[Stesaw]

Is the ground strap on the nose of the gearbox intact?
Check the spade terminal and the wire that come from it on the starter motor if thats damaged/corroded could cause issues as well.

[Oldiebut goodie]

Voltage does not mean that there is a good connection - Take off and check/clean all connectors involved. You can see good voltage but current cannot flow due to corroded connectors/wiring.

[lew15]

I'll double check the earths/starter connections (when it's not raining) but what's confusing me is why this only happens every now and again? If it's a bad earth, surely it would happen every time? And why does charging up the battery for a few mins always cure it?

Also, why has the oil light on the dash stopped flashing when I turn the key, and now only comes on once quickly? This is making me think it's something else...  Does anyone know how that module works?

[Aidan]

bod module does a self check procedure when it is powered up, it checks it has the expected connections to the oil pressure switches and power and earth - I'd be checking how well seated the 14 pin connector to the dash pod is fitted and secured and taking a look at my earths front and rear and generally going over the engine bay wiring connections especially the earths and oil pressure switches

poor battery terminal connections may be being nudged better when you stick your jump pack on but are still a bit poor so worth disconnecting and cleaning and remaking, it's easy to do - new batteries are not as well made as they once were imho