Intermittent starter not turning, just a click.

[MattBlackMinibus]

2.5 normally aspirated banana on a '99.

Getting more frequent now,
turn the key to start the van, and just get a click.
try it again and it goe, or maybe third time.

I had the same on my last van, a Nissan Vanette (quiet at the back please ).
I replaced the starter with a brand new Bosch starter,
and it began happening again a month later,
took the motor back, got another, same again,
took it back, got another, same again!
Sold the van.

So here's the question ...

Could it be because I always start the van with my foot on the clutch?

(which I do out of habit to avoid being in gear and hitting the car in front or wall etc.
(which I've never done and would prefer to avoid))

May this cause excess clutch dust to be thrown into the starter?

[rover]

1st, its got bugger all to do with having your foot on the clutch, that will take drag OFF the starter

2nd, where is the click coming from? From the starter solenoid itself? Or starter relay by the battery?

Rover.

[MattBlackMinibus]

Cheers Rover.

I don't know ... I'm always sat in the van at the time!
Bit of an awkward one that really, as intermittent faults usually are

[vellas]

Most likely the earth contact on the starter is corroded. You will have the smaller starter on a '99 Transit, I'm not sure how that one is earthed. On the older starter the earth cable goes onto one of the four mounting bolts that hold the starter onto the backplate.

Also the battery could be flat. It might not be holding enough charge to turn the motor.

[Brixton Bus Company]

Mine does the same occasionally, and I'll be cleaning the solenoid in spring.

I have a little hammer that knocks into gear when it happens again

[MattBlackMinibus]

I'll check the earth and clean up the contacts, cheers villas,
but when it goes it spins over lovely. Deffo not battery.

Are these solenoid easily serviceable then Brixton?
I'll happily pull it apart to clean it all up if it's fairly straight-forward.

[Eggski]

I've had that problem and i've got the small starter motor.

Because mine was having problems starting and having to turn over for a long time before starting, it was managing to lossen the nut on the front leaving the cable loose, when the cable was in the right place it would crank but when it was loose it would just click.

Hope that helps.

[paddy1977]

Hi, clicking sound and little else in my experience was always a bad earth, a bad battery or combination of both. Follow the negative leads and perhaps unscrew, clean and reattach etc.
Something similar but perhaps different is occurring with my '99. Seems more likely to happen on frosty mornings, i turn the key and the starter makes a loud empty tearing noise, like its missing the flywheel. Years ago, had similar issue and it was a tooth missing on the flywheel so when the starter kicked in it had nothing to spin. Not sure if this is same with my now '99?? Any ideas anyone.

[anddyy]

is this click problem most likely to be a bad earth, cause mine is doing the same but when it starts ive noticed the other night that the headlights flash

[sidspop]

Get a new lead made to go from the battery negative, straight to the block where the gearbox bolts on. Remove a bolt, stick a thickish starwasher under the head, and refit.
Clean the battery contacts also, while you have got your hands dirty.

I reckon this will work. It did for me.

[anddyy]

cheers will give it a go, looks like another busy weekend playing with the smiley

[sidspop]

Just a thought, while you are ferkin about, take off the cable between solenoid and starter, and clean contacts. I use small wire brush in a drill. Contacts are brass usually. Stick some springy washers under nuts on these as well. You need to get good electrical contacts, and the star washers eat into the terminals.