can anyone help, my car has had its battery for 5 years so I was expecting it to go soon, when I thought it had I replaced it, the car worked fine then was left over night in the morning it wouldn't even turn over so I asumed it was the starter motor, later on I tried again it turned over but never started and even when I took the key out it was still turning over and has drained the battery would this still be the starter motor? also if it is does anyone know round abouts how much it would be?
Possibly, but can't speak for this specific starter. Some/most Fiat starters have a bolted on solenoid and a two winding pull in. Key energises first coil, solenoid moves forward and activates main contacts, plus a second helper coil to put extra pressure on the main heavy duty contacts. It may be the solenoid is not moving freely keeping the main contacts closed, or, possibly you have an ignition switch/circuit problem, with a leakage or short, equivalent to keeping the key turned to the spring loaded start position. Wiring a 12V bulb across the feed from the ignition switch to chassis will tell you which is the case. Note the starter has a feed direct from the battery to the heavy duty lug. It makes a nasty splat if you unbolt it and it shorts to chassis. You could also have a short or insulation breakdown between the big from battery lug, and the smaller from ignition switch, push on blade. If the starter stops when you remove the small blade then it's probably a problem at the ignition switch end, if it keeps running at the starter end. Cost of repair depends whether you go to a rip-off merchant (main dealers also expensive) or a small local well recommended, self employed auto electrician. Replacing either the starter, or ignition switch, is over a hundred quid with labour and VAT. Removing and servicing a starter (which few would do nowdays) just under the hundred. Replacement starter from a breakers yard about 25-30 quid.
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