What were the indications that were pointing at the starter motor? I would
expect this to be a click from the relay and solenoid as you turn the key to
start, no cranking, but the ignition warning light dims significantly. If
the warning light didn't dim at all (or you didn't get the warning light
when you turned on the ignition) then you weren't even energising the
starter - could be ignition switch, relay, solenoid ar any of the
interconnections depending on how many clicks you heard.
You don't say the year, but generally it is the inertia starters as fitted
to pre-68 cars that lock with the flywheel and have to be rocked free, I
have never heard of a pre-engaged starter doing it (which isn't to say etc
etc). If the starter was jammed then you should have heard a 'clonk' as it
freed.
If it's done it once it will almost certainly do it again. My V8 started
intermittently chattering the solenoid on cranking a while ago, and very
intermittently doing nothing at all. Very difficult to track down as it was
so infrequent, but eventually it came to stay, which at least allowed me to
trace and fix it. At one point I was sure it was the starter itself, but it
turned out to be a corroded connector on the solenoid.
PaulH.
http://freespace.virgin.net/paul.hunt1/
(or if that URL doesn't work try )
(http://194.168.54.52/paul.hunt1)
-----Original Message-----
From: Martin C. Jones <M.C.Jones@staffs.ac.uk>
To: mgs@autox.team.net <mgs@autox.team.net>
Date: 18 November 1999 16:20
Subject: Sort of breakdown
>After paying at a petrol station at the weekend, I returned
>to my MGB, turned the key - no response. Indications seemed
>to point to the starter motor. I rocked her to and fro in
>fourth gear, tried again and hey presto she fired up.
>
>My question is:
>
>Can this happen as a one off or should I check out the
>starter motor? I seem to be OK with it this week so far.
>
>Regards,
>
>Martin
>
>
>
|