Starter Motor clicking

[futsysmids]

The starter motor is clicking when I try to start the car. After I have stopped trying to start the car the red and green lights on the internal mirror flash alternately.

This has just started happening tonight. Let me explain.

The car has not been on the road for a month, I have been having the paintwork done. The weather has been crap, so it has been hit and miss when it has been sunny.

The car has been mot'ed and the final lot of paintwork was being done today. The car was started and driven in position for painting then left out in todays hot sun.

I went out around 7pm to start the car. Nothing put a clicking sound from the starter motor. Undid the battery leads and wiggled them about and retightened them.

Tried to start the car again - no joy. Hit the starter motor with a hammer a few times and still nothing.

Any ideas?

Do i have a dead starter motor or something else?

Car has been running fine for 2 years previous.

 

[Miffy]

have you checked the battery condition?

 

[bigasotonuk]

Hi,
Red & Green light flashing in the mirror is an indication of flat fob batteries.
How sure are you that the car battery is,nt flat? As my C230K was locked and laid up for 4-5 weeks and the car had to be jump started as the battery was flat.

 

[futsysmids]

yes. the battery is fine. tried to start the car with lights on main beam and there was no drop in brightness.

 

[bigasotonuk]

You say the starter is clicking is it the solenoid on the starter clicking? as i believe there is a relay in the circuit as well.
You could try bridging the solenoid to the starter motor to prove the motor is ok.

 

[Miffy]

risky but take a feed direct to the starter to bypass the solonoid and see if that turns it

 

[roofless]

sounds like a flat battery but if your sure it's good then the solenoid or poor contact from the battery to the solenoid .........mine did this last year & as per markmifsud i put a jump lead from the battery to the starter with the ignition on to start it [only for a sec or two till it starts] & get the car home then fitted a new starter

 

[D1gger5]

MArkMifsud's test points to Starter Solenoid circuit (solenoid, wiring, connectors,relays) if it works or else battery/engine earth if motor does not click and/or spin.

 

[futsysmids]

Thank you to everybody who helped me out over this.

It turned out to be the battery. Having not been run for the best part of 6 weeks, the battery had drained.

Green Flag arrived - straight away said battery. Plugged it into his booster pack and away it went. No trouble since.

Should have known. Silly I.

Thanks again to all.

 

[Miffy]

glad you sorted it, thanks for letting us know the outcome

 

[bigasotonuk]

Glad its all sorted out for you, do put a charger on the battery, to top up the battery charge though.
When I got my C43 I had to put my C230K 1997 (1996 build), in my mates uncles drive way after 5ish weeks my battery was completely dead, charged it up and it was OK, and the battery is still OK two years later, so don,t think to yourself that you have circuit draining your battery or a duff battery as you have,nt.
The battery on my car may still be the original Bosch one for a 1996 build car thats pretty good going, but even if it was replaced the battery has still lasted my ownership of 8 years, and 115,000miles!