Car will not start :-(

[mark912]

Oh dear... must be Electrical me thinks..Allegro 1500 manual..

I went to start it and it's totaly dead. Battery is good and I also had added some jump leads to my van and still dead..
So rule out the battery issue there is enough there..

She does NOT crank over.. it really is turn the key and nothing, not a sound nothing trying to work nothing..

So my thoughts.. I have power to the coil when I turn the key.. I can't be in two places at once to do any more testing..

I was concerned it might be either the key and barrel or this block in the engine bay that some meaty wires go to ( just on the inside of the off side wing ) wire goes to the starter motor ??

my thought was to get a thick wire and just go from the battery to the starter motor and see if that turns.. so then I know 100% it's not the starter.. I have looked for a solinoide but can't find one.. unless this block thing I am on about is it..( square block on the inner wing off side with the big wires to the starter )

??????????????? the other day I turned the key and it did the same tried it 2-3 more times and then it worked.. just thought how odd. now she's not playing game.. I can't see this being anything other than some basic Electrical item not working..

any ideas any one?

[tractorman]

A bit of tracking and a bulb on a lead will tell you a lot!

Here are some basic pointers!

If I remember correctly, there were two alternative solenoids fitted to the 1500 engines - the seperate one, which was either on the inner wing or a bracked to the starter motor and the pre-engaged starter, with solenoid as piggy back. The seperate one had a square end, with two big terminals (one from the battery and the other to the starter. They often had a button between the terminals - with early ones, you could push the button to manually operate the solenoid. Later ones had a "button", but it was solid. There will be other leads (for power to the ignition and light switches etc and another from the ignition to operate the solenoid). Check all connections are sound before doing tests!


1. Do the warning lights come on when turning the ignition on?
No - check feed to ignition switch and, if OK, suspect the switch

2. If lights come on, do they stay on when trying the start position?
No - probably a bad connection between battery and switch (or earth)

3. Do you get a click from a solenoid if lights stay on?
No - probably solenoid or switch faulty: check power is getting to solenoid with test bulb
If solenoid clicks then either solenoid contacts are bad, starter is bad or terminals need cleaning.

4. Do wipers work with the ignition on?
Yes - ignition switch is OK (no probably means switch is faulty, but check wiring to switch first!)

This isn't a definitive check list, but it's a reasonable place to start (sorry no pun intended!)

[Wicksy]

Don't know the Agro circuit but Princess of same vintage has ignition switch to starter relay to solenoid.
Suggest you find the relay, see if it clicks when you select start and if you have a meter check the out put. You may find that there is another identical relay that you can substitute, the heated rear screen relay for example, may be identical and will rule out a falty relay.
If it's a pre-engaged starter the solenoid sits piggy back on the motor and the contacts are notorious for gradually wearing and at high mileage they make contact at first intermittantly and then not at all - a manual will give you all the relevant data but it souds like a solenoid to me.

[Majicmark]

Sounds like you have early inertia starter with separate solenoid on inner wing.The solenoid needs a good earth where it mounts to the body,will either be two screws or bolts holding it on remove & clean the mounting face of solenoid &body.You can bridge the two large terminals with a screwdriver or similar this in effect links the battery straight to the starter.It will create a hefty spark so be warned , but it wont do any damage.If solenoid is faulty and you bridge this the starter will now turn. Don't keep the solenoid bridged too long as you will draw a lot of current & therefore create heat. The small terminal on the solenoid is the ignition switch feed &should be live when engine cranked on key.As already suggested test with a bulb to see if correct supply there. Hope this helps

[mark912]

what I thought too but couldn't find one.. in the end I taced the wires back to a sort of block .. took it apart and wire brushed and filed every thing clean again.. refitted it all with new copper washers and grease.. seems to have sorted the problem once and for all ..I did a quick check on the start motor by shorting i out so I knew the motor worked..

got there in the end thanks. She starts on the button all the time now