Possible starter motor problem

skiddy2k

iv got a volvo S40 year 1996 1.8l (manual) and had a little bit of a problem recently. i switched my car on and drove it to the local petrol pump, car turned on first time with no problems, once at the pertol pump, i turned my car off but the radio was playing for around 5 minutes.

went to switch my car on once filling up 'air in my tyres and the car wasnt starting. all of the lights in the the dashboard were lighting up as usual and when turning the ignition, there was a ticking sound but no effort of the enging rolling over.

now, i assumed that the battery was at fault and even tried push starting the car, but had no joy with this. am right in thinking that if there was a bad battery, the car should start when push starting it?

i was just about to jumpstart the car, and thought id try starting it before i jumped it, and the car started as normal, with no struggle at all.

was a bit baffled by this, and was told that it could be the starter motor. am i right in thinking this? battery is in good condition. any way that i can test it to see if this is the problem? was also told that if it happends again, to get a batton and knock the starter motor a fewtimes, and it'l help bail me out and start the car. is this true?

any advice would be appreciated
thanks in advance,
Skiddy

cath-w

Sounds like the starter motor. An old motorbike of mine had the same problem. Sometimes it started, sometimes it didn't. When it didn't you could hear it ticking.

Check out the prices of recondition ones, or see if you can get one from a salvage yard. I never bothered to replace mine as I eventually got a new bike.

paul_h

Does sound like starter motor failing - the click is the solenoid pulling in. If the car restarted okay after failing to start, the battery must be ok.

If it's the battery, the lights on the dash will dim when trying to start, If it's the starter motor the lights won't dim.

Be careful thumping the starter motor on these, If it's the Valeo type the fixed magnets are glued to the casing - if you dislodge one it will do serious internal damage.

skiddy2k

i was recommended to take the solenoid out and clean up all of the contacts on it as this may make a difference. ill have to give that a shot.

dont think ill find many volvo s40's at scrappy's. tend to be tough motors and there arent many on the road compared to other cars.

cheers,
Skiddy

paul_h

The 1.8 is a Renault derived engine and there are many of the Renault's with the same starters if you want to hunt about - however my advice would be get a remanufactured unit, they are not that expensive for Valeo, and they are like brand new units. You just don't know how much work a secondhand one will have done, fine if you're selling it soon.

Try GSF if there's one near you

http://www.gsfcarparts.com/

I reckon they're only about £65-ish +VAT for a remanufactured. These are not like re-con you normally get, last one I had for a Citroen was like new.

Or try local motor factors, but try to pay less for a re-con.

rizla01

The click you hear is probably the solenoid which shoots forward to make contact with the terminals to turn the starter motor. If these terminals are dirty (Carbonised) then a click is all you will get sometimes and you will have intermittent starting probs especially in the cold/damp.

Cleaning the contacts should solve the prob and spray with a moisture inhibiter like WD40 before reassembly.

A loose connection on the terminal going into the side of the starter motor could cause this too and so too could a loose connection on the battery.

Are you sure that you didn't put too much air in your tyres.:)

Riz

kondormid

Go to the library too, you should be able to hunt down an old haynes manual for it for free I was going to rant about GSF but someone beat me to it, it is a fantastic place for getting cheap car parts for German Swedish or French cars (hence GSF) .

When is its MOT due? You might want to consider taking it in early to make sure it is still worth spending money on before throwing cash at parts.