Intermittent Starting problem

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Hi everyone,

Have read some other posts relating to this but not sure if I have understood them correctly!

We seem to have some sort of starter problem. Sometimes the car will start, sometimes it won't. It doesn't seem to make any difference whether we have just used the car or if it has been left overnight.

If you turn it over, the starter or something else clicks but it won't turn over. We can start it by jumping it, down a hill, could the starter be sticking?!

Have looked, or at least got someone to hold the black relay box when starting, and it clicks once and then stops.

Sorry it's a long post, but we are a bit puzzled!

The car is a Daihatsu Fourtrak Forester 2.8TD.

Thanks,

John

Intermittent Starting problem

Hiya mate! Could be a couple of things really but always try the cheapest and easiest first! It could be the starter solenoid sticking but it could just be a loose earth connection. Check the tightness of the wiring at the rear of the starter motor, you never know it could be something as simple as tightening the nut on the cable. Good luck mate!

Intermittent Starting problem

Hi again, thanks for the replies.

Will check the wiring today and have a go at rocking the car when it next won't start!!

cheers again,

John

Sounds like sticky starter to

Sounds like sticky starter to me. If so there will be a times when the starter 'jams' up (the cog that engages with the fly wheel to start the car is thrown into position, but the starter doesn't turn & the cog gets jam'd into place).
Try puting the car in 5th (hand break & ignition off). Push against the car to make it rock vigourously back and forth on the transmition. This can losen the cog, so it releases (and turn the starter slightly maybe, to a better starting position).
A second type of 'sticking up' is when the starter has a 'dead' spot. Whenever the starter ends up on this spot, it will refuse to cooperat next start up.
A emergency procedure for this can be to get some one els to turn the key while you use a length of bar (a crack bar, or long wheel brace maybe) to hit the starter body. The shock can be enough to 'free' the starter off.

Any veiws expresed in this thread by me are purely from my own experience, and (sometimes) falible memory. Hope my comments help, but please don't take them as gospel.