Help - car wont start

shifty_uk · 12 Jan 2012 at 17:47

Went to take my other half to work earlier, turned the key and...nothing.

All the dashboard lights came on but the engine didn't make a sound.

Connected the battery up thinking it was that, again absolutely nothing happened. Stuck a battery reader on it and it says the power is fine. So it's not the battery.

Tried turning the key with someone else smacking the starter motor with a wooden stick(saw it on youtube), not a thing happened

Sprayed WD40 on all the connections incase it's the wet weather but nothing.

I don't have home start and all the garages are closed obviously so I'm at a loss. I really needed the car for this evening aswell, so frustrated and annoyed as it worked fine last night.

Any ideas?

saitrix · 12 Jan 2012 at 18:43

Tried push starting? I get a feeling it might be the starter motor, what car is this anyways?

shifty_uk · 12 Jan 2012 at 18:46

Facelift Clio, I haven't because its facing inwards on the drive nearly against the wall. Don't really have anyone to lend a hand at the moment either because of the timing.

acemastr · 12 Jan 2012 at 18:48

Sounds like immobiliser, doesn't sound mechanical at all

shifty_uk · 12 Jan 2012 at 18:52

The dashboard isn't giving any indication of the immobiliser and I've tried my spare keys incase it was something like that.

Incase this helps - I've tried the car numerous times throughout the night continuously, on the odd occasion when I turn the key I hear a clunking noise from the engine?

saitrix · 12 Jan 2012 at 18:54

shifty_uk said:
The dashboard isn't giving any indication of the immobiliser and I've tried my spare keys incase it was something like that.

Incase this helps - I've tried the car numerous times throughout the night continuously, on the odd occasion when I turn the key I hear a clunking noise from the engine?

Can you get someone else to try and turn it over so you can work out where the clunking noise is coming from?

shifty_uk · 12 Jan 2012 at 18:58

I imagine its just the starter motor trying to turn over.

shifty_uk · 12 Jan 2012 at 19:18

Got someone to help me rock the car back and forth on the drive there. Also took it to the end of the drive and pushed it forward in gear. No luck. When we rocked it back and forth a couple of times it did give that click click click noise as if something was trying to fire into life but nothing.

red eye · 12 Jan 2012 at 19:31

shifty_uk said:
The dashboard isn't giving any indication of the immobiliser and I've tried my spare keys incase it was something like that.

Incase this helps - I've tried the car numerous times throughout the night continuously, on the odd occasion when I turn the key I hear a clunking noise from the engine?

clunk sound like the starter motor solenoid trying to engage, tap it with your wheel brace/spanner you might be lucky and get it working for a few more days

Mickie · 12 Jan 2012 at 19:38

could get a mate over to see if jump leads work, could still be the battery even though you may have 12v, you might not have the amps

shifty_uk · 12 Jan 2012 at 19:56

Mickie said:
could get a mate over to see if jump leads work, could still be the battery even though you may have 12v, you might not have the amps

I've had the headlights on and they don't flicker or dim at all when I try turning the ignition.

I just know this will end up costing me £100+labour to get the starter motor replaced. If there was anything else I could do I would but I'm not sure where to start.

I'll get a tow and the AA chap out tomorrow, that's all I can do by the sounds of it.

red eye · 12 Jan 2012 at 20:01

have you tried tapping the starter in case its a stuck solenoid?

shifty_uk · 12 Jan 2012 at 20:02

Tried thumping it with a wooden pole.

red eye · 12 Jan 2012 at 20:15

has to be metallic to shock it free, you must have a wheel wrench in the boot, a spanner will work.

shifty_uk · 12 Jan 2012 at 20:23

Really? I assumed any sturdy object hitting it with force would work? I don't want to go smashing it tonight and causing noise for the neighbours but I'll give it a try first thing tomorrow! Does the ignition have to be turned whilst I hit it?

Oh and the other day before I left for the gym, I noticed the car had a delayed start which was weird. This has probably been coming.

red eye · 12 Jan 2012 at 20:35

no ignition, the idea is by tapping it a few times the shockwaves frees the solinode.

And yes, I did't believe it would work when I was a little apprentice

red eye · 12 Jan 2012 at 20:37

shifty_uk said:
Oh and the other day before I left for the gym, I noticed the car had a delayed start which was weird. This has probably been coming.

if the battery good then it could be that the starter is dead. how old is the battery and has it ever been flat?

shifty_uk · 12 Jan 2012 at 20:45

Ah right, I'll give it a go, cheers!

The battery to my knowledge has never been changed, the car is 9 years old. My neighbour tried hooking it up to his portable battery pack and it didn't kick in. He then connected it up to his charge reader and it said it was running at full capacity. Could there still be an issue with the battery not giving the engine enough charge to start?

As I said, the lights don't flicker when I turn the key, the air con, CD player and all electricals work fine.

Dogbreath · 12 Jan 2012 at 21:07

Have you checked the connections on the starter solenoid? (both the high current ones and the smaller trigger wire).

SB118 · 12 Jan 2012 at 21:08

Use a screwdriver to short between the positive supply and the solenoid trigger, see if spins over.