Breda,
re:
"The advice I received last time was to start with checking all the
connections"
Good advice, to be sure, but you were also advised to check/replace
your starter solenoid (I know, because I advised it ;)
Put a voltmeter across the the lead on the starter solenoid that connects
to the battery. Put the other lead of the voltmeter to ground. You should
see 12V+ (make sure battery cutoff is ON). If, when you press the starter
button the voltage goes to near-zero and the starter doesn't turn you have a
short in the starter. If the voltage doesn't drop and the starter doesn't
turn either the solenoid isn't making contacts or the starter is an open
circuit. Disconnect the big wire to the starter. Place the voltmeter leads on
the two secondary (large) terminals and set the volmeter to resistance/ohms or
"continuity." You should see large/infinite resistance or no continuity. If,
when you press the starter the resistance drops to near zero--or you have
continuity--then your solenoid is OK (at least for that try) and the starter is
an open circuit. If the resistance remains high the solenoid is at fault.
I (still) think it's the solenoid. At any rate, it's a cheaper and easier fix
than removing/rebuilding the starter. If you car has over 100K miles it
won't hurt to replace the solenoid anyway. A solenoid can fail intermittently
(at first) which might explain why "checking the connections" seemed to
work (i.e. coincidence).
If you don't have a voltmeter you can get good voice coil type for about
$10 and for these types of diagnostics they work as good or better than
a DVM.
bs
--
***************************************************************
Bob Spidell San Jose, CA bspidell@comcast.net
'67 Austin-Healey 3000 '56 Austin-Healey 100M
***************************************************************
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Breda O'Sullivan" <conbreda@eircom.net>
> Guys,
>
> I posted a question a while back, regarding starting the car, i got some
> good advice, however the gremlins are back,
>
> The problem is as follows,
>
> When pressing the starter button. All that can be heard is the solenoid
> clicking on the engine side of the bulkhead,
>
> The starter does not attempt to engage.
>
> The advice I received last time was to start with checking all the
> connections, and this seemed to cure the problem. For about a month. .
>
> I have turned on the headlights to full beam, and when pressing the starter
> button they do not dim, this
>
> Would indicate to me the starter is not getting any power ( I am correct ?)
>
> Or should I take out the starter for refurb?
>
> Would appreciate help.
>
> Thanks.
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