Engine starting issue (3.5 rover)

[289Eady]

Hi all

So, I picked up my BRA289 (3.5 rover v8, with twin plenum) on Saturday and annoyingly it wouldn't start (hadn't don't that to date). It was just making a clicking sound - my first thought was that the battery had gone flat.

Tried jumping it , but it wouldn't do anything - just clicked and nothing - same as before.

Then tried turning a few more times on the key, and low and behold it turned and fired into life (it was not on jump leads at that point).

My current thinking is that it could be dodgy connections and/or starter issue? Has anyone had a similar issue, and/or could point me in the right direction (hopefully!).

Cheers
Mark

[SJ]

clean up the battery terminals sounds like a bad connection, or flat battery

[Migge]

Or the selenoid

[Roger King]

Bad earth. Been there several times in my youth. The test is to turn the headlamps on full. Then try the starter again - if the lights dim significantly, your battery is flat. If they don't, you have a poor engine earth and it's wiggling time.

[289Eady]

Thanks all. I was searching around after I posted this as well, and bad battery seemed to pop up quite a few times. I will give it a good charge tonight and see what happens.

I remember trying the headlights, and they came on ok (though it was daylight, so couldn't really tell)...I didn't, however, try to start the engine whilst they were on. I will try that as well.

I forgot to mention that I took the terminals off and cleaned them up...so if it is not the battery, then I am going to have to do some more digging (and wiggling, as you say!!).

Cheers (and fingers crossed it is a simple fix)

[Colin Newbold]

Bad earth Mark. Run another just to check.

[Roger King]

Thanks all. I was searching around after I posted this as well, and bad battery seemed to pop up quite a few times. I will give it a good charge tonight and see what happens.

I remember trying the headlights, and they came on ok (though it was daylight, so couldn't really tell)...I didn't, however, try to start the engine whilst they were on. I will try that as well.

I forgot to mention that I took the terminals off and cleaned them up...so if it is not the battery, then I am going to have to do some more digging (and wiggling, as you say!!).

Cheers (and fingers crossed it is a simple fix)

Did you build the car? If not, check that there is a substantial (braided) earth cable from the engine to the frame, best located under the head of one of the starter bolts. And also check that the battery earth makes a strong connection to the frame. I weld a large nut, 1/2", to the main chassis tube for this purpose.

Roger

[289Eady]

Thanks again - useful pointers. As you may have guessed, I did not build the car, so do not have/know the history. I will run another substantial braided earth cable and see if that fixes the problem.

In the meantime, I did put the battery on charge last night, and the charger did appear to indicate that it was particularly low...

Hmmmm!

[StewbieC]

I had a similar issue and it turned out to be a duff battery.
Battery showed fully charge and voltage dropped through the floor on starting resulting in the clicking noise from the starter motor. I proved it out by connecting a jump start pack and it started fine and after fitting a new battery all was well. But I admit my issue wasn't intermittent, it was every time.
What made it worse was it was one of them Optima Gel batteries that cost a flippin fortune. Good old lead acid one fitted now.