starter probs

[thebeach2008]

hiya all
i have a m reg 95 smiley 2.5 non turbo diesel transit, all been well except that i dovr the car fine yesyerday but when i went back out all i am getting is a clicking sound from what seems like the starter, i done the haynes test and it will start if i take a lead from the small solinoid terminal on the starter and make it live on the battery, any ideas what the fault is , also if i wired this up as a perminant connection and put in a push button start would this cause any promlems (im only thinking if i cant track down the fault this would be a quick fix) until i can find the fault is this a heavy juice circuit or is normal wire ok(i take it its just a normal 12v circuit as the wire that connects to the small solinoid is only thin)
any advise would be great
many thanks gary

[bazw]

starter relay ( not the solenoid on side of starter) may have died or the ignition switch on column may have died , i would look at those , do you have a multi meter to check the volts at the connections ? if not make up a test light with a bulb to see if theres volts ( theres normally a pic of one in haynes)

dont think it can be the solenoid as it works when you power it

you could put a push button on for now till you trace it but make sure it and the wires are heavy enough to take the load

[thebeach2008]

hi thanks for the reply, i guess you mean the starter relay in the fuse box, can i test it with one of the other relays or do i need to buy and try,(is it a specific starter relay) when you say a wire heavy enough to carry the load , would a wire the same thickness as the thin wire that connects to the small solinoid connection be big enough, i take it i dont need to use a thick jump lead type of thickness (the previous owner wired in a inhibitor switch with normal house hold wire (blue/brown), but i disconnected it so i know its not this, would the houshold wire be ok as i guess that can take 240v)
thanks again for your help
gary

[thebeach2008]

i have just listened to the starter relay in the fuse box and it clicks when i turn the ign key so i guess that its operating ok

[bazw]

yep as long as its the same as what runs to it it will be ok , i once came upon a car that this was done to and it was done with bell wire , odd that it went up in smoke the first day it needed a good crank to get it going lol

[SirKit Breaker]

i have just listened to the starter relay in the fuse box and it clicks when i turn the ign key so i guess that its operating ok

All this proves is that the circuit is OK that feeds the relay. A relay can pull in OK when it is energised, however it is not uncommon for the tips to burn out and / or break off due to them switching the load of the starter solenoid constantly.

When you turn the key all you are doing is putting 12volts and a couple of amps through the relay coil, when the coil pulls in, it closes the mechanical contacts in the relay, it is these which are causing the power not to get to the starter. Change it, they are fairly cheap.

Cheers........Howard

[thebeach2008]

hi thank you both for your help, im lost when it comes to electrics, if i do a temp by pass i will make sure its a good size cable, but i will swap the relay 1st, am i right in thinking its in the fuse box haynes says its relay i, mines a black one i keep hearing that are yellow.