Some while back I had some issues with a clicking starter, it was on old s/h unit so I replaced it with a genny ford one picked up cheap you know where. Seemed to help but then the problem came back so replacement ignition switch all cleaned up. Better for a while but came back. Re routed the earth cable and replaced the live cable from battery to starter but ....
So, I've just tried another almost new starter and if anything its worse. I've checked the two secondary cables on the starter and they seem sound but without then connected I realised there is a relay clicking in the dash somewhere. So, if this is duff would it cause the solenoid type clicking that I'm getting. If so whereabouts under the dash is it and what does it look like as I have some spare relays but I'm not sure what they are for.
BTW When I get the 'clicking' the volt meter is dropping quite a bit as you would expect
and the battery is a heavy duty item that was new a couple of months ago.
Starter relay?
Re: Starter relay?
There are some relays on the drivers side kick panel, underneath the dash panel to the right of the steering column.
There should be three relays, black is the flasher relay, red is intermittent wipe and a smaller black one with a clear top with a fuse in it is for the heated rear window.
There isn't a relay for the starter.
Have you checked the earth from engine to bulkhead and the battery earth to the engine block. You could also make up and fit new connectors to the secondary cables as I find these quite often are the problem.
There should be three relays, black is the flasher relay, red is intermittent wipe and a smaller black one with a clear top with a fuse in it is for the heated rear window.
There isn't a relay for the starter.
Have you checked the earth from engine to bulkhead and the battery earth to the engine block. You could also make up and fit new connectors to the secondary cables as I find these quite often are the problem.
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illbo
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Re: Starter relay?
I've got a big green relay and a big purple relay in the driver footwell. Forget for there for precisley, I think one was main ignition or something. Not very helpful, but it might jog some-ones mind.
Try benchtesting the starter. You can test each of the solonoid and motor quite easily that way. Clamp the thing doen though as they have loads of torque and expect lots of sparks
Try benchtesting the starter. You can test each of the solonoid and motor quite easily that way. Clamp the thing doen though as they have loads of torque and expect lots of sparks
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tony2.1
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Re: Starter relay?
The green & purple/pink relays you refer to are for the injection system & fuel pump on a 2.8 & not related to your problem so you can safely ignore them.
When you say that you have replaced the ignition switch, do you also mean the plug in wiring section on the back of it?
I would also be tempted to remove the starter again and get someone to carefully turn the engine over by hand for you while you look as best you can and/or possibly even (very carefully) feel the teeth on the ring gear of the flywheel - if they are badly worn, broken or missing this will also cause the problem you describe.
When you say that you have replaced the ignition switch, do you also mean the plug in wiring section on the back of it?
I would also be tempted to remove the starter again and get someone to carefully turn the engine over by hand for you while you look as best you can and/or possibly even (very carefully) feel the teeth on the ring gear of the flywheel - if they are badly worn, broken or missing this will also cause the problem you describe.
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Peter-S
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Re: Starter relay?
I have a relay in the dash roughly behind the ashtray mounted on the reverse of an upright. I can hear and feel it clicking when I turn the ignition switch. Is this non standard?
Perhaps it relates to the alarm system that was defunct when I bought the car. I'll have to see if I can trace the wires.
Might be nothing to do with the starting issue though.
Perhaps it relates to the alarm system that was defunct when I bought the car. I'll have to see if I can trace the wires.
Might be nothing to do with the starting issue though.
Re: Starter relay?
I think that's for the electric aerial. I will check but I'm sure the wires from the aerial go to that relay.
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tony2.1
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Re: Starter relay?
That is indeed where the electric aerial relay is mounted, if it is that, it will only be about one inch square & will have a bare metal cad plated finish. Amongst the wires coming out of it will be at least one white one.
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tony2.1
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Re: Starter relay?
Sorry, meant to add - having said that, if a previous owner did away with the electric aerial, they may hav considered the mounting location ideal for an alarm's immobiliser relay - which if fitted and faulty, will indeed cause the starter to fail to the point where eventually it ceases to work at all, as this is the most common circuit to tap an immobiliser relay into.
If the relay is being used for that then you should be able to trace the wires back to the area behind your ignition switch where they should have been wired inline with the starter wire.
If the relay is being used for that then you should be able to trace the wires back to the area behind your ignition switch where they should have been wired inline with the starter wire.
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Peter-S
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Re: Starter relay?
It is a Ford metal clad relay. No white cable but two reds, a brown (earth), and a yellow/black that is seemingly part of the starter motor circuit that comes live on the final ignition position. I connected a basic circuit tester to this cable and it gave a continuous circuit on one of the small starter motor cables. Didn't have time to trace where the reds went as I'll need to take half the dash out.tony2.1 wrote:Sorry, meant to add - having said that, if a previous owner did away with the electric aerial, they may hav considered the mounting location ideal for an alarm's immobiliser relay - which if fitted and faulty, will indeed cause the starter to fail to the point where eventually it ceases to work at all, as this is the most common circuit to tap an immobiliser relay into.
If the relay is being used for that then you should be able to trace the wires back to the area behind your ignition switch where they should have been wired inline with the starter wire.
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tony2.1
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Re: Starter relay?
Most odd!!
Mind you, on relection, I'm trying to think if there was a white out of the relay, as I know there is a white from the back of the stereo. So forgive me, but I may be (quite literally!) getting my wires crossed there!! - Always a lot more difficult from memory & without the object in front of you! That is definately meant to be the aerial relay though, so unless someone has tried to utilise it as some form of immobilising relay, then it shouldnt have any bearing on your problem.
Mind you, on relection, I'm trying to think if there was a white out of the relay, as I know there is a white from the back of the stereo. So forgive me, but I may be (quite literally!) getting my wires crossed there!! - Always a lot more difficult from memory & without the object in front of you! That is definately meant to be the aerial relay though, so unless someone has tried to utilise it as some form of immobilising relay, then it shouldnt have any bearing on your problem.
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SpikeCapri
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Re: Starter relay?
Did you ever find a solution to this Peter? I have had a starting problem for some time now and after renewed determination I have found that the clicking noise I used to think came from the starter infact comes from the metal clad relay behind the ashtray. I have tracked the noise and can feel the relay clicking.
Just did a search on here relating to my problem and this thread came up. Apart from mine being a 2 litre it seems the same issue.
Just did a search on here relating to my problem and this thread came up. Apart from mine being a 2 litre it seems the same issue.
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Peter-S
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Re: Starter relay?
Hi Spike.SpikeCapri wrote:Did you ever find a solution to this Peter? I have had a starting problem for some time now and after renewed determination I have found that the clicking noise I used to think came from the starter infact comes from the metal clad relay behind the ashtray. I have tracked the noise and can feel the relay clicking.
Just did a search on here relating to my problem and this thread came up. Apart from mine being a 2 litre it seems the same issue.
The relay is a bit of a red herring. As far as I can tell it is for the electric aerial as suggested. I no longer have the aerial so it wasn't obvious to me. It clicks with the ignition as it switches when the ignition is turned on and you can hear it as it not buried too far back in the dash.
But, in answer to your question, I resolved the problem fairly recently. I traced it to an old defunct car alarm! More details at the end of this post:
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=39289