xr6t

Folks,
the EA is playing funny buggers. Got home from work tonight, all working fine, fantastic actually. An hour later had to leave the house and it wouldn't start at all. All dash lights operate as per usual but when I go to start the car I can here the relay kick in but all the charge is discharged somewhere before it even gets to the starter motor which doesn't tick over at all.

Any suggestions before I call a mobile auto elec?

Steve

Moran

How old is your battery My car when I first bought it had a dodgy battery I could start it in the morning drive to work then come home at night but when I went to go out agin the battery would be flat.

A friend had a simliar problem which turned out being the alternator belt being loose he would start the car and the alternator light would go out, but when he turned the climate control and the headlights the extra load on the alternator caused the belt to start slipping and not charge the battery.

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1988 EA Fairmont Ghia 4.0l (1996 EF) with EA Injection Single drivebelt conversion , Borg Warner T5 5 speed.
"Factory Specifications are optional"

AusXH

Could be the solinoid on the starter, does it go click every time you turn the key?

Check that the wires are making proper contact to the solinoid (its mounted on the starter motor which is on the passenger side of an EA I think) and are done up properly. Also make sure the battery terminals are on tight.

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PVTXR01

xr6t

Yeah, checked the solenoid and it's all fine. This used to be the case. I've had the wiring come loose before and I simply connect it and away I go, but that has since been replaced and fixed. I checked this first and all is fine there.

It almost feels like the charge is dissipating somewhere before it even gets to the starter. There is plenty of charge there, all other electrics work fine.

Steve

AusXH

Checked all the fusable links? Do you hear the fuel pump when you turn the key to on?

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PVTXR01

xr6t

Yep, checked all fuses and relays. ALl are fine.

Yep, can hear the fuel pump. It comes on when the key is in acc mode, start the car, huge click/discharge sound, then nothing. Back to acc setting, all is fine, fuel pump comes on again, then the same thing.

Steve

Bitrat

Had a similar problem once. A bearing in the starter motor had collapsed and was shorting out the rotor against the casing. Changeover starter motor required.

SiX_iN_a_RoW

check the earth strap that is bolted to the rear of the power steering pump. A guy had left mine off before and I had the same dramas as you...sounds like a bad earth

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Lets go find that Hotdog tree I planted

Lowered EF Futura
Black Steelies ( too cheap to buy proper mags )

xr6t

Bitrat, will have a mechanic over tomorrow to check it out. I used an EL to jump start it and it almost started but it failed again. So it's not the charge. Well maybe, watching the needle on the battery indicator, it sits around 14v and then just drops off to the left when trying to start it.

Six_in_row, I've had the power steering pump replaced about a month ago. Don't know if that's caused what your suggesting but just checking under the bonnet I don't know exactly what I am looking for. Can you give me some more detailed description of what you are suggesting.

Steve

SiX_iN_a_RoW

ok if you look at the power steering pump (blue theing with pulley on front on the left side of engine in case u didnt know ) there is a nut on the back of it and it will have a black cable coming from it, make sure its nice and tight...i.e if you can wiggle the cable around tighten the nut up

__________________
Lets go find that Hotdog tree I planted

Lowered EF Futura
Black Steelies ( too cheap to buy proper mags )