JohnnyUK Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 So, after a 5/6 week layup, on trickle charger, 6mth old battery. I thought I would take the Tip S Boxster on the essential trip. Braved the alarm going off, disconnected the charger, all std stuff. Handbrake on, in P, foot on brake, and......... Nothing but a solid Click from the engine bay(starter presumably) cycled through P & handbrake, locked and unlocked again, via remote this time.... Battery looks ok as roof would come down smoothly. So, starter stuck? Never had that issue before when left for a few weeks. Anything else to consider before I pull the cover off? Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 Tap with a hammer to the starter motor? Can you turn the engin over a small amount in neutral, could be the starter ring is blocking the starter drive from engaging. Could be starter motor has failed and only solenoid is working. Basically start with the starter motor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sa utah Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 Sure the battery is properly charged ? Or hasn’t failed? I tried starting one of our cars a few days ago. Battery had been on charger for 3 days previous. CTEK. looked fully charged according to the lights on the CTEK Wouldn’t start. Ordered a new battery from ECP. Started first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyUK Posted April 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 18 minutes ago, ½cwt said: Tap with a hammer to the starter motor? Can you turn the engin over a small amount in neutral, could be the starter ring is blocking the starter drive from engaging. Could be starter motor has failed and only solenoid is working. Basically start with the starter motor. Will do the tap when I take the cover off... Thought the Tiptronic needed to be in park... Will read the manual. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyUK Posted April 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 7 minutes ago, sa utah said: Sure the battery is properly charged ? Or hasn’t failed? I tried starting one of our cars a few days ago. Battery had been on charger for 3 days previous. CTEK. looked fully charged according to the lights on the CTEK Wouldn’t start. Ordered a new battery from ECP. Started first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 Check all the heavy duty leads for a good connection, ie battery and leads on the starter motor, plus seloniod. Bad connections tend to show up after a long park up and the battery will be properly be a bit lazy in letting go of its starting amps. Put the lights on, turn the key if the lights dim but stay on a possible loose connection. If they go out flat battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyUK Posted April 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 Will get a multi tester from the son. The roof opens fine, the frunk too, but will check it. Don't want to spend another £90 just yet! Even the old battery generated some response from the starter. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyUK Posted April 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 2 minutes ago, Hewy said: Check all the heavy duty leads for a good connection, ie battery and leads on the starter motor, plus seloniod. Bad connections tend to show up after a long park up and the battery will be properly be a bit lazy in letting go of its starting amps. Put the lights on, turn the key if the lights dim but stay on a possible loose connection. If they go out flat battery. Thanks.... Will look at that tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sa utah Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 The roof and bonnet catches take very little to get them going. Turning over an engine requires a lot of current. A duff battery on an underused car is my guess. From experience. Hope you get it sorted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edc Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 If the car isn't even cranking then the battery has got to be suspect and checked. If it's spinning but not firing then the fuel pump. I've also read the gear selector switch can go bad so it doesn't sense it is in P even if the lever is so this preventing it starting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyUK Posted April 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 17 minutes ago, edc said: If the car isn't even cranking then the battery has got to be suspect and checked. If it's spinning but not firing then the fuel pump. I've also read the gear selector switch can go bad so it doesn't sense it is in P even if the lever is so this preventing it starting. Yep, agree with the selector situation... Not sure how to check that. Suppose I need to try and jump start from another car first. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sa utah Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 If the battery is duff you won’t be able to jump start it either. Again. Ask how I know ! Good point on the selector switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sa utah Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 Check this out for the switch location Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topradio Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 2 hours ago, sa utah said: The roof and bonnet catches take very little to get them going. Turning over an engine requires a lot of current. A duff battery on an underused car is my guess. From experience. Hope you get it sorted ⬆️This! The ancillary electricals working is no indication of a good battery, the starter motor takes almost everything the battery has to turn it over. The fact that you are getting a click indicates that it's not the ignition switch/immobiliser etc. I would put money on it being a duff/discharged battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyUK Posted April 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 1 hour ago, topradio said: ⬆️This! The ancillary electricals working is no indication of a good battery, the starter motor takes almost everything the battery has to turn it over. The fact that you are getting a click indicates that it's not the ignition switch/immobiliser etc. I would put money on it being a duff/discharged battery. Thanks. Disappointing if so, as the trickle charger has been connected all the time the car is parked up, and the battery is new. How can you tell if the charger is working? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyUK Posted April 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2020 Well, opened the engine bay, nothing obvious to see there. Did the tap starter lightly with a hammer trick.... Yep, I know!🙄... Borrowed the neighbour's jump leads ... Just the nice solid click.... Neighbour comes over to look .. try again and vroom vroom! There was a big spark at the starter he says.... ! Tried to replicate.. getting vroom but no additional fireworks... Will try again in a day or two. Obviously I need to check the connections! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edc Posted April 19, 2020 Report Share Posted April 19, 2020 Have you tested the battery? A big spark from the starter is clearly not right. It sounds like something has potentially chewed the insulation to the starter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyUK Posted April 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2020 1 hour ago, edc said: Have you tested the battery? A big spark from the starter is clearly not right. It sounds like something has potentially chewed the insulation to the starter. Not tested the new battery as such... No access to an proper battery tester. Didn't run the Boxster for long, and didn't try to charge the battery from the other car. Will leave it off the trickle charger for a couple of days and try again... Honestly believe it is the starter... Just a pain to remove the plenums etc to get access. Will probably take the starter off and give it a clean... The brushes must be worn to the bone by now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyUK Posted April 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2020 Just now, JohnnyUK said: Not tested the new battery as such... No access to an proper battery tester. Didn't run the Boxster for long, and didn't try to charge the battery from the other car. Will leave it off the trickle charger for a couple of days and try again... Honestly believe it is the starter... Just a pain to remove the plenums etc to get access. Will probably take the starter off and give it a clean... The brushes must be worn to the bone by now. When you say chewed, I did have a sodding mouse in the boot about Christmas time! Caught it in a trap, then set some in the garage. Have cought a few... But not seen any more evidence in the car. Have driven the car a fair bit since the mouse episode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyUK Posted April 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Update... Not battery, starter solenoid was stiff, likely from 5 week layup. Did not remove as planned, cleaned connections and checked earth strap... All ok for now. ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 8 minutes ago, JohnnyUK said: Update... Not battery, starter solenoid was stiff, likely from 5 week layup. Did not remove as planned, cleaned connections and checked earth strap... All ok for now. ! Well done. Worked the problem and got a cost effective solution, for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyUK Posted April 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 17 minutes ago, ½cwt said: Well done. Worked the problem and got a cost effective solution, for now. For now!😊😊 I laughed at the "tap it with a hammer" suggestion... It worked... I guess technology has not moved on that far after all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 13 minutes ago, JohnnyUK said: For now!😊😊 I laughed at the "tap it with a hammer" suggestion... It worked... I guess technology has not moved on that far after all! Starter motors haven't changed that much over time and the 'tap' has worked for years! I watched an AA patrolman do just that to my wife's car about 20 years ago when it wouldn't start after a night out. Frustrating wait, but quick fix. Never had a problem with it again while we owned it. 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edc Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 I used to have a sticky starter on an old Fiat Punto. I carried an old broom stick in the boot for this 😎 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EXY Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 3 hours ago, edc said: I used to have a sticky starter on an old Fiat Punto. I carried an old broom stick in the boot for this 😎 Handy, plus if you can't get it going the wife can fly the broomstick to go get help. Sticking starter motors can also be temporarily unstuck by giving the car a 'rock' but not through the windscreen. Put the car in a high gear and either rock it side to side or push it slightly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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