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[Shackeng]

Away from home and TD failed to start. Not battery, ignition lights all on, but when key turned to start position nothing happens, no click, lights do not dim. Suspect solenoid failure unless someone has a better suggestion. 

[robson]

I am not sure where the solenoid is but you could jump over this to see if it will then start

[Shackeng]

Not with you R.   

[The Red Baron]

I think as in battery volts direct to the starter.
Edit. You got a hammer Chris.give the solenoid a good tap or two and try the key again....

[Shackeng]

I think as in battery volts direct to the starter.
Edit. You got a hammer Chris.give the solenoid a good tap or two and try the key again....

.                       
Tried that first off Jon, well I hit with a sand iron!
Too inaccessible to get to jump leads on to the starter.
Still waiting for the breakdown truck after 2 hours. 
 

[The Red Baron]

Bugger. Sorry your stuck.
All fuses ok?. Loose connection maybe.

[Shackeng]

I've checked the connections but not whether power is getting there. I need to get it in the garage where I have tools.  I can't see any relevant fuses listed.

[TD]

Are you still stuck Chris?

If so and not a million miles away from home, could pop over and give you a lift home 

[Shackeng]

Are you still stuck Chris?

If so and not a million miles away from home, could pop over and give you a lift home 

Cheers mate, many thanks for the offer. Am now back home. Breakdown guy arrived and did as suggested above, getting power straight to the 'trigger wire' as he called it, started straight away (2.45 hrs after calling them!) and drove home into the garage. Tried the starter, worked perfectly, so am suspecting a dodgy solenoid as opposed to a broken connection. So, do I temporarily jury rig a wire to the trigger wire in case of further problems, and hope for the best, or fit a new solenoid? Hmmm, new solenoid ASAP I think.
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions and offers of help, as I have come to exppect on OOF.

PS. It makes me think that a useful item to carry, in any car, would be a suitable piece of cable with a crocodile clip on one end and a metal probe on the other, for this sort of problem.

[STEMO]

Are you still stuck Chris?

If so and not a million miles away from home, could pop over and give you a lift home 

Cheers mate, many thanks for the offer. Am now back home. Breakdown guy arrived and did as suggested above, getting power straight to the 'trigger wire' as he called it, started straight away (2.45 hrs after calling them!) and drove home into the garage. Tried the starter, worked perfectly, so am suspecting a dodgy solenoid as opposed to a broken connection. So, do I temporarily jury rig a wire to the trigger wire in case of further problems, and hope for the best, or fit a new solenoid? Hmmm, new solenoid ASAP I think.
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions and offers of help, as I have come to exppect on OOF.

PS. It makes me think that a useful item to carry, in any car, would be a suitable piece of cable with a crocodile clip on one end and a metal probe on the other, for this sort of problem.

Nah.....only if you own an omega, Chris.
So..that's cable with croc clip and probe, crank sensor, hbv. Anything I've missed? 

[Entwood]

I think as in battery volts direct to the starter.
Edit. You got a hammer Chris.give the solenoid a good tap or two and try the key again....

.                       
Tried that first off Jon, well I hit with a sand iron!
Too inaccessible to get to jump leads on to the starter.
Still waiting for the breakdown truck after 2 hours. 
 

There's your problem .. poor choice of club, should have been a wedge... 

Glad to hear you are now back home, if I can be of any help just yell.

Nige

[Nick W]

Cheers mate, many thanks for the offer. Am now back home. Breakdown guy arrived and did as suggested above, getting power straight to the 'trigger wire' as he called it, started straight away (2.45 hrs after calling them!) and drove home into the garage. Tried the starter, worked perfectly, so am suspecting a dodgy solenoid as opposed to a broken connection. So, do I temporarily jury rig a wire to the trigger wire in case of further problems, and hope for the best, or fit a new solenoid? Hmmm, new solenoid ASAP I think.
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions and offers of help, as I have come to expect on OOF.

So bypassing the car's wiring to the solenoid means the car starts. Surely you should be investigating the WIRING, rather than condemning the solenoid? Hell, if you want to indulge in swapnosis rather than diagnosis, replacing the ignition switch would be a much better bet.

[Shackeng]

Cheers mate, many thanks for the offer. Am now back home. Breakdown guy arrived and did as suggested above, getting power straight to the 'trigger wire' as he called it, started straight away (2.45 hrs after calling them!) and drove home into the garage. Tried the starter, worked perfectly, so am suspecting a dodgy solenoid as opposed to a broken connection. So, do I temporarily jury rig a wire to the trigger wire in case of further problems, and hope for the best, or fit a new solenoid? Hmmm, new solenoid ASAP I think.
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions and offers of help, as I have come to expect on OOF.

So bypassing the car's wiring to the solenoid means the car starts. Surely you should be investigating the WIRING, rather than condemning the solenoid? Hell, if you want to indulge in swapnosis rather than diagnosis, replacing the ignition switch would be a much better bet.

Which I certainly shall be, however, from similar experiences in the past, admittedly on much earlier cars, I think it suggests a sticky solenoid, rather than a poorly connected wire. However, many thanks for your helpful comment.

[omegod]

Whoa there, I had exactly the same on a calibra and it was the ignition switch, all the dash lights then bugger all when giving the key the last turn, worth looking at for a £10 part. I went straight for wiring but missed the easiest bit   

[Shackeng]

Whoa there, I had exactly the same on a calibra and it was the ignition switch, all the dash lights then bugger all when giving the key the last turn, worth looking at for a £10 part. I went straight for wiring but missed the easiest bit   

Cheers OG, I'll also keep that in mind, as I had the switch out a couple of years ago to replace the tumblers.