baz2000

Hi my s2k struggles to start in the mornings a lot of the time, it cranks over a fair few times before it fires up but it usually always starts.

I went out in it the other day and was driving non stop for about 30-40 minutes, then parked up at the shops and got back in the car about 15 minutes later and it wouldn't start, it sounded dead, it was doing a half assed crank, I checked under the bonnet and decided to leave it for about 20 minutes and then I tried again and it started, so I quickly went home haha

My dad has tested the battery at work on their tester and said the battery seems ok but doesn't look like it's getting charged properly or something is draining it, I think it's a 330amp battery and he said it was at 230amps, I drove the car the night before taking the battery off to make sure it started. Does anyone have any idea what the problem could be? All I could think of was alternator, earths or try a better battery. Thanks for any input.

Nick Graves

Terminals corrode, so do battery earthing straps, bridge rectifiers go bad and starter motors eventually wear out, effectively shorting the battery.

It could be any one of those things. Or some of them.

baz2000

Ok thanks mate I'll have a look, my starter motor makes that horrible screech sound when I start it sometimes, it's done it for years haha

Nick Graves

That's usually the solenoid or the lever & pinion.

It's a sod to get to, but a clean & lube & checking the solenoid contacts and commutator/brushes would be a start.

Actually, I'd start with the low-hanging fruit & check/clean the cables from the battery outwards, because I'm lazy.

lovegroova

Has some 'mercan hacked Graves' account?

baz2000

Thanks for the help, I'm doing an oil change etc on Thursday so I'll check the cables etc then

Nick Graves

Trudat. Probably the fault of the new telephone module in the Regendo - it now has an American accent.

Nottm_S2

check the earth strap

does it turn over slow? i am assuming its all well serviced, plugs, valves etc?

i read about how CRFs wont start well if the valve clearances are bad.. if you turn it over with the lights on do things dim drastically?

baz2000

Sometimes it does turn over very slow like it's really struggling, other times it cranks over faster and sometimes it starts pretty fast, when it's cold or hasn't been used for a day then it can be very slow starting.
Plugs were last changed about 2 years ago and oil is changed once or twice a year, I'm actually checking the valves on Thursday when I do the oil, filter and belt.
When you say strap do you mean the one that goes straight from the firewall to the battery?

Nottm_S2

if its turning over slowly either your battery doesnt have the grunt, your starter is dicky or the starter has a dodgy connection to power

if itll turn over slowly and normally inconsistently i'd reckon its connection. of course that could be inside the starter, no smoke without fire and all that...

​​​​check every earth from battery to engine, there is one near the starter i believe which earths the engine/gearbox