car has an intermittent prob and won't start. Battery seems to have enough oomph. Lights are on and when I turn the ignition key nowt happens - can't hear anything either. If I put the car in 1st gear and rock her - with the ignition off - then try again, it tends to start. Not a constant problem, just every now and then. Just had annual service and garage said that they had checked the connections to the starter and greased them. Any thoughts please?
no starting problem?
Dec 01, 2003
11 Replies
What kind of car? Do you hear the fuel pump? If you don't, it could be signs that the contacts in the fuel pump relay might need re-soldering.
Volvo 440 - Renault 1.7 petrol engine
Does tapping the starter with a hammer (tap is not a gentle word here) make it work?
might try that next time, hopefully not tomorrow when its dark and cold when I leave for work.
1.7's had starter problems.... M.Marelli thing........Renault 21 had same prob....... the brushes are rear acting and quite small....easily replaced..... also the armature bearing at the rear wears and then the field coils get rubbed..... Or maybe solenoid switch.... strange when you rock it it works.....may be a jammed pinion.
re-soldering.
Or just starter motor brushes wearing out?
Cheers, Peter.
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did not start tonight, wed, just heard a faint click from the engine bay. tried again - without rocking the car - and it started . will investigate weekend when it is daylight and I am at home!
======================Get down there with a voltmeter and actually see if the starter is getting any juice... BUT since you can rock the car and it (usually) starts that sugggests to me that the the started is STUCK in the gears of the flywheel...and can not spin up...
Next time it happens take a hammer and hit the starter and see if that has the same effect as rocking the car,... AND you may also want to turn your headlights on THEN TRY TO START THE CAR,,,major dimming of the lights would indicate that the starter is pulling plenty of electrical power ...which leads me back to the starter being stuck in the teeth of the flywheel... ...bad Selonoid maybe...
If you could hear something then I would say check to see if you have not lost a "few" teeth in the flywheel and the starter has nothing to come in contact with...
Check if you are really getting power to the starter Check the selonoid itself and practice rocking the car...
Lots of luck... Bob Griffiths
Burger that for a game of soldiers! Spent his Sat morning on her. Been trying to find the starter motor and the solenoid on my 440 Volvo. Tis well hidden from above the engine bay and almost impossible to see. From below, using ramps, tis virtually as bad with an exhaust heat shield in the way plus other bits of plumbing and engine/steering/frame parts. Can easily tell that it's a Renault engine designed to use in the U.K. Anyway have tried the religious approach. Sprayed it liberally with holy water (WD40) and pray that it will start each time. Have to take it to my local friendly grease monkey in the holidays methinks Thanks for the help anyway folks.
Gotta local gent from near Beverley who has a barnful of old Volvos to put a better starter motor/solenoid in. Cost £65 in all inc loan of car for the time being. Also did the front 2 doors central locking which was ify.
result - my car starts every time without a shove. I am happy.
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