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[Greenbay packer]

Hi Folks,
I've been experiencing an inconsistent starting issue with my 1996 V6 recently and would be grateful for any advice given.

Sometimes it starts up with no problems but on other occasions when I turn the key I can get either nothing happening or at best a 'click', which I've assumed was coming from the starter solenoid. I thought this was most probably due to the starter playing up so I removed it and had it refurbished by a local company - new brushes and a new solenoid were fittted. I did test it off the car before giving it to them and it did turn over at the time, but pretty slowly, so as it was off the car and was the original unit I thought reconditioning wouldn't hurt.

When I got it back and refitted it the car started immediately and has been fine for two or three weeks since then. On Thursday, however, I had the same thing happen again - either nothing at all when the key was turned or at best a click. It did eventually start so I got home ok, and its been fine on the few occasions I've used it since then but it seems there is still a problem somewhere.

Any suggestions and advice would be much appreciated.

[Terbs]

I have the same problem....sometimes the car starts as normal many times, then occasionally it just clicks. Usually starts on second or third time of trying, then can be faultless for ages. Then out of the blue, click, click, then starts. Been like it for ages now, into years, even.... 

[Doctor Gollum]

Pause between each step when turning the key.

If you just slam it straight to start it skips.

Long term fix is probably a new ignition switch.

[johnnydog]

I have previously had similar issues with two 3.2's - put the key in, ignition on, pause for a couple of seconds to let everything 'energise' etc., then turn the key to crank and nothing (not even a click). I could turn the key back and forth between the ignition and cranking position but nothing, then all of a sudden it would crank and then fire.
On both occasions it turned out to be water ingress into the solenoid of the starter motor resulting in corrosion. The position of the starter motor is such that water that drains from the scuttle on the offside can find its way onto the starter motor solenoid and through the joint in the solenoid body depending on the angle the car is parked.
An overhauled starter motor by a well establish auto electrics place cured both with a replacement solenoid.
With mine there was no 'click' ; they were just 'dead'. A click suggests power is getting to the solenoid / motor but not enough to wizz it over, or it's 'sticking'...but I thought that happened more with olders cars when I was a lot lot younger...!

[TheBoy]

Also check the 0v straps from engine to chassis for corrosion.

Otherwise, if it clicks, most likely starter solenoid, if it doesn't, ignition switch or range switch.

[Andy B]

has the wiring to starters degraded over the years on an Omega like it used to on a Senator? I ended up by-passing the inhibit on my 24v Senator due starting issues caused by iffy degraded wiring.

[Greenbay packer]

Pause between each step when turning the key.

If you just slam it straight to start it skips.

Long term fix is probably a new ignition switch.

Thanks, I'll try that next time and see what happens.

[Greenbay packer]

Also check the 0v straps from engine to chassis for corrosion.

Otherwise, if it clicks, most likely starter solenoid, if it doesn't, ignition switch or range switch.

Thanks, I'll have a look at the straps.

As mentioned, the starter has just been overhauled and had a new solenoid fitted so I'm hoping/ assuming it is ok if the job has been done properly (a well established local company with a good reputation did the work so I've no reason to suspect otherwise.

[Doctor Gollum]

I have previously had similar issues with two 3.2's - put the key in, ignition on, pause for a couple of seconds to let everything 'energise' etc., then turn the key to crank and nothing (not even a click). I could turn the key back and forth between the ignition and cranking position but nothing, then all of a sudden it would crank and then fire.
On both occasions it turned out to be water ingress into the solenoid of the starter motor resulting in corrosion. The position of the starter motor is such that water that drains from the scuttle on the offside can find its way onto the starter motor solenoid and through the joint in the solenoid body depending on the angle the car is parked.
An overhauled starter motor by a well establish auto electrics place cured both with a replacement solenoid.
With mine there was no 'click' ; they were just 'dead'. A click suggests power is getting to the solenoid / motor but not enough to wizz it over, or it's 'sticking'...but I thought that happened more with olders cars when I was a lot lot younger...!

A twenty year old car is a twenty year old car regardless

[johnnydog]

Maybe I should have clarified it a bit better - I remember 'rocking' my cars in the 70's /80's back and forwards quite regularly to free off the starter motor from the ring gear, but I don't recollect ever doing this on later cars..... possibly due to them being pre-engaged?

[Greenbay packer]

Also check the 0v straps from engine to chassis for corrosion.

Are these braided straps and where are these located on the V6 please? I've been under the car and cannot find any braided straps unless I'm being blind or completely missed them. I did locate the big brown earth from the battery to the engine block and gave that a good clean. I'm starting to wonder if the fault is just the battery - it seems to hold a charge ok but there seems to be a big drop in voltage when the ignition key is turned, to 9v, 8v and sometimes as low as 7v. But then again I guess a bad earth could cause this. The starter has been reconditioned and has a new solonoid so I've no reason to suspect that.

[Doctor Gollum]

Front of the engine to the subframe. Bolts to the block on a front corner iirc.

[countrywoman]

If it drops below 10V on cranking then the battery is fobard

[mong00sehun]

i had the same issue, some cable was loose around the fuse box in the engine bay. my mechanic tightened the screw or something. there is a tip. wait for the dark, and with friend or someone  who try to start the engine, and you for some spark around the fuse box.

[Greenbay packer]

If it drops below 10V on cranking then the battery is fobard

That's what I was thinking, but I wasn't sure if an earthing issue could also cause this? I've never had car a battery before that seems to hold charge ok but loses a lot when the engine is turned over. The battery is old, and previously from my SIII land Rover, so it gould be a bad cell or cells but it's still holding 12.52V across the terminals and it hasn't been used for two weeks so outwardly it appears ok. Hooking ther car to a donor battery as if jump starting does seem to give it an extra boost, so again that suggests the old battery, but just trying to eliminate any earthing issues before buying a new one and so far have only been able to find a few small earth straps just below the fuse box and one much larger one attached to the engine lower down on the same side.

[TheBoy]

If you are seeing 10v on the actual batt terminals (rather than batt clamps) its probably tired or not fully charged.  A cheap drop tester would show for sure.

[jimjimanta]

I had a similar problem.
the cause was the grounding in the brain.
it brought a weak current.

[Terbs]

Grandson just been under the car derusting and painting. Car wouldn't start, just clicked, but this time totally refused to start. Battery ok. So he went under to check the braided earth strap on the front of the engine, and lo and behold, its knackered, to the point of broken in half. Now hoping he has a strap from one of his vauxhalls spare. If not, can you buy straps and make them the right length.
*Update...just found some on fleabay, some made up and some in lengths where you need to put terminals on. Is it essential, that the braid must be the exact same width as the original or is there tollerance.

[cam.in.head]

the same or thicker is better . do not go thinner guage !

[Terbs]

Thanks