Topic: Won't start, possibly starter motor (Read 4529 times)

Jayrich872001 · « **on:** 18 January 2017, 10:04:40 »

Bought my omega last weekend, went perfect for 2 days then developed a huge oil leak, oil all over the front of the engine and the plenum pipes, I popped out to get some oil and came out from the shop to find the alarm going off, unlocked the car and now when I turn the key all I get is a single click (I assume from the starter). Any ideas? TIA

X30XE · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 January 2017, 10:10:35 »

Assuming auto? Could be selector switch on the transmission failing to contact properly. Try putting it in neutral rather than park. Put the handbrake on first tho

Jayrich872001 · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 January 2017, 10:14:39 »

Yeah, sorry should have specified auto, I'll give it a go when I get back, pretty sure the recovery guy tried it but worth a try. Cheers.

cam.in.head · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 January 2017, 16:35:37 »

Went to look at a realy Nice omega in telford back end of last year.low mileage and a darker silver than star silver. £3000 from a trader. This wouldnt be the one you got would it ?

Jayrich872001 · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 January 2017, 19:23:21 »

Still no start in park or neutral unfortunately. I'm assuming its the starter motor.

And no cam.in.head, mines gold. Not my personally choice of colour buy for what I want it for it was cheap enough to spend a bit of money on getting it how I want it.

Nick W · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 January 2017, 19:41:46 »

Quote from: Jayrich872001 on 18 January 2017, 10:04:40

Bought my omega last weekend, went perfect for 2 days then developed a huge oil leak, oil all over the front of the engine and the plenum pipes, I popped out to get some oil and came out from the shop to find the alarm going off, unlocked the car and now when I turn the key all I get is a single click (I assume from the starter). Any ideas? TIA

Battery. Get it tested.
While you're at it, check that the click is from the starter, as assuming these things will lead to a trail of expensive work/new parts that don't fix an easy problem.

minifreek · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 January 2017, 07:55:17 »

Could also be worth disconnecting the Powersounder too, located under scuttle on N/S....

Battery does sound like its flat with the alarm going off and just a click, but its gone flat very quickly....

Doctor Gollum · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 January 2017, 08:42:35 »

Quote from: minifreek on 19 January 2017, 07:55:17

Could also be worth disconnecting the Powersounder too, located under scuttle on O/S....

Battery does sound like its flat with the alarm going off and just a click, but its gone flat very quickly....

Fixed

Kevin Wood · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 January 2017, 12:33:36 »

Check the crimping of the large leads entering the battery terminals too. These get loose causing poor charging and the resistance also causes starting issues. The dead give-away is that they start to get warm.

There should be a grounding strap from the engine to the chassis and up to the battery negative terminal. It connects just under the air conditioning compressor. Check this is sound.

Try connecting a jump lead from another vehicle, negative to the lifting eye on the engine and positive to the battery + terminal. This will eliminate the battery and possibly the grounding strap.

Try connecting the smaller solenoid terminal on the starter directly to the battery +ve terminal WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN "N"! See if it turns over then. If that works, you have high resistance in the ignition switch or gearbox selector at a guess.

Starter motors are normally super reliable on the V6, so makes sense to check everything else thoroughly.

johnnydog · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 January 2017, 15:04:46 »

The starter motor was suspect a couple of years ago on a 3.2 I have. It had been stood for a few months. I eliminated any possible battery issues. It had your symptoms of a 'click' from the starter. Initially, it would start with a long piece of hard wood on the starter motor and giving it a tap with a lump hammer, but you need the help of a third party to turn the key.
However after a few days, it wouldn't start at all.
I changed the starter motor and it's been fine ever since.

Jayrich872001 · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 January 2017, 15:16:26 »

Hi all thanks for the replies, the battery is fine, been tested and perfect. Got someone coming tomorrow to have a look at it. Hopefully be running for the weekend. Good news is iv found my oil leak and sorted hopefully

Jayrich872001 · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 January 2017, 15:39:21 »

Just given the starter motor a whack while someone flicked the key, started getting a single click every time the key turned sometimes a second click, I'm assuming this is a good indication the starter is stuck??

Doctor Gollum · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 January 2017, 16:08:13 »

Usually points to a duff battery on the Omega...

For peace of mind carry out Kevin Woods excellent charging and alternator test and report back...

Jayrich872001 · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 January 2017, 16:10:05 »

Quote from: Kevin Wood on 19 January 2017, 12:33:36

Check the crimping of the large leads entering the battery terminals too. These get loose causing poor charging and the resistance also causes starting issues. The dead give-away is that they start to get warm.

There should be a grounding strap from the engine to the chassis and up to the battery negative terminal. It connects just under the air conditioning compressor. Check this is sound.

Try connecting a jump lead from another vehicle, negative to the lifting eye on the engine and positive to the battery + terminal. This will eliminate the battery and possibly the grounding strap.

Try connecting the smaller solenoid terminal on the starter directly to the battery +ve terminal WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN "N"! See if it turns over then. If that works, you have high resistance in the ignition switch or gearbox selector at a guess.

Starter motors are normally super reliable on the V6, so makes sense to check everything else thoroughly.

______________
Kevin I have checked all the crimping, all looks OK, as for the ground strap on the battery I'm assuming it will be the orange wire. It all looks OK. The battery has been tested and is all fine. What would I use to connect the smaller solenoid terminal to the battery? Many thanks

Doctor Gollum · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 January 2017, 16:11:59 »

See my last... How has the battery been ruled out? Any way other than the method I suggested is generally inconclusive.

Jayrich872001 · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 January 2017, 16:15:51 »

Battery was tested by the recovery guy as he tried to jump start it initially, he then used a tester to check the battery wasn't duff using a multi meter.

Jayrich872001 · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 January 2017, 16:17:29 »

We have tried jumping it during recovery and the recovery guy checked the battery using a multi meter.
I'll pull the other car up and retry. Anything is worth a go.

Jayrich872001 · « **Reply #17 on:** 19 January 2017, 16:36:24 »

Just tried it no luck, not even getting a click now.

Doctor Gollum · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 January 2017, 17:53:11 »

Quote from: Jayrich872001 on 19 January 2017, 16:36:24

Just tried it no luck, not even getting a click now.

Put a set jump leads on it and see what happens...

But first, follow this...

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=90619.0

... to the letter and report back exactly how healthy your battery is

Jayrich872001 · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 January 2017, 18:40:01 »

Will pop out tomorrow and get a multi meter. Thanks for the help, determined to have it back running this weekend

Jayrich872001 · « **Reply #20 on:** 20 January 2017, 16:31:31 »

Right good news, battery is fine, tested the voltage from the battery, all good, also the starter has a permanent live and a switch live when I turn the key, managed to get it fired up this morning by giving the starter a really good whack but it won't start on its own so have managed to get a new starter and the car is off to have it replaced, managed to get the bolts unattached that hold the starter in but the bugger won't come out without taking an engine mount off, luckily my cousin has a unit so its off down there shortly to have new starter put on so should be back on the road tomorrow, still a long way to go but I will take pics of it each time I do anything major, as doing a complete overhaul of the interior, leaving the exterior as is as it is a good condition on the exterior.

Doctor Gollum · « **Reply #21 on:** 20 January 2017, 18:00:29 »

Well, at least you've saved a few quid not needing a battery... Starters on these are normally bombproof, but there's always an exception

Job jobbed hopefully ;y

Jayrich872001 · « **Reply #22 on:** 24 January 2017, 20:55:33 »

Its alive at long last, new starter and fired straight up, now on to sort the next problem. Thanks all for suggestions and advice.

Carfix · « **Reply #23 on:** 25 January 2017, 10:48:20 »

Just had the same problem on my 1999 2.5 CDX.

Over the past few months the starter would randomly not start at the first turn of the key. You could hear a loud click so I guessed the solenoid was playing up but it would fire up on the second or third turn of the key so it never left me stranded. So I decided to ignore it.

The car battery is brand new and fully charged (regularly trickled charged using my CTEK battery charger/conditioner).

However, once the cold weather arrived this started to get worse untill a complete failure last week. No amount of key action would get it to fire. I tried the time honoured trick of hitting the solenoid/starter.....nothing. Luckily the car was stranded outside my house.

So, I replaced the starter and the engine now fires up as normal. Result. I guess 19 years service from the original starter is not bad

Replacing the starter was a bit of a pain (a good article in the maintenance section helps) as I am not as young as I used to be.

I have managed to loose one of the engine mount nuts into the sub-frame!!!! Anyone got any spares? Engine mount lower nut.

The big problem was getting the car off the street and onto my drive to do the work. It's a big car to tow and with no power steering. The wife was not happy!

Now my other Omega (1998, 2.5 Elite) is starting to play up with the exact problem.

Jayrich872001 · « **Reply #24 on:** 25 January 2017, 12:40:41 »

Yeah replacing the starter was by no means fun, luckily my cousin has a unit and tow truck so wasn't huge problem to move it. I don't know if I'm gonna regret buying it yet, got it back home and worked out the HBV has failed, I kind of guessed the rocker cover is leaking oil so got both of those still to sort, but I can't complain too much, iv set the total amount I'm using to get it through its MOT and as long as no new problems should go through without too much more money. Got both HBV and rocker cover gasket ordered and still spent less than £400 for the car and getting it sorted.

terry paget · « **Reply #25 on:** 25 January 2017, 13:03:14 »

My 2000 2.5CDX estate had the same problem 2 months ago. I changed the starter before it failed completely thank God. Seems like the starter motor is bompproof. but the solenoid and contacts are not. I think I kept the old starter planning to clean the solenoid, but have not yet done so. I wasn't sure the solenoid was the fault until I replaced the starter.
i

Carfix · « **Reply #26 on:** 26 January 2017, 11:10:51 »

Yep, I have also kept the old starter too with a view to refurbishing the solenoid.

Bet that never happens and the starter migrates to the back of the garage to join all the other unfinished "projects"

I am now looking at changing the starter on my other Omega (it's just started to do the "click" thing). I really can't pluck up the courage to work under a car again until the weather gets better.

Carfix · « **Reply #27 on:** 03 February 2017, 23:49:30 »

Further to my previous post.

My second Omega (1998 2.5 Elite) died with a faulty starter motor this week. Turn the ignition on and "click", further attempts and still no go. (Battery is fully charged using a constant trickle charge using a CTEK charger/conditioner).

Over the last two weeks it had been getting progressively harder to start with a few "clicks" and non starts but it would eventually fire up. Then I had a complete non start no matter how many times the ignition switch was turned (again battery charge is good).

Luckily this time this happened on my drive but two failed starter motors within two weeks must be some sort of record?

However, with the knowledge of replacing a starter still fresh in my mind this one was done within a couple of hours. Result

And just in case, I did check the starter motor off the car and it was defective (as was the first one I took off my other Omega).

terry paget · « **Reply #28 on:** 04 February 2017, 06:56:43 »

The last starter I fitted to a V6 was one I had salvaged from a car I had scrapped, but it was quite a fag to salvage it. I see they are available on e-bay for under £30, making the effort of salvage and storage dubious. Isn't it a joy running a mass produced car with used spares available at sensible prices, and having the internet to locate them!

Carfix · « **Reply #29 on:** 04 February 2017, 11:28:13 »

I also have a good local independent motor factors but I agree that the internet has made sourcing parts much easier.

My main focus is now running and rebuilding two MG Maestro's. The parts availability is not that good now but ebay has been a invaluable.

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