Kzj70 electric start troubleshooting

[lc27]

Hi gents
Went in the morning to work no issues, car started in one touch as usual
Tryed to start the car few hours later and the switch just turn, no resistance no noise nothing. The car has all working in terms of stereo lights etc.
The voltage gauge goes to half position and a red light on the left side.
It’s like the battery went flat, but in the past when that has happened at least you hear the noise of the starters trying to go. This time is nothing at all

Any help how to start the troubleshooting?

 

[Ben]

It does sound like a flat battery and I think I would be testing that first!

Do you have a multimeter you can measure the battery voltage with?

If the battery is indeed OK, I'd be checking all the earth leads next and the wiring going from the battery to the starter motor.

 

[Chris Boorer]

As above check those obvious things first sounds like battery has dropped a cell also after checking those check fuse for starter and relay

 

[lc27]

Thanks guys
Did check voltage in the batteries and going to the starter and all good 12v
I did check also the earth to the engine and also good
Push the car downhill and started not issues
But nothing when turning the key.
Starter gone?
Do they go like that as a blink on an eye?
Thanks

 

[Iwan]

There's a starter relay which is situated on the passenger side inner wing. There's a possibility that's faulty maybe? The low power from the key goes there and it joins the bigger power wires that activate the starter.

You could take the smaller wire that's on the starter off and test if it's getting power as the key is turned to "start".

A good way to eliminate the relay..

 

[StarCruiser]

12v is very low voltage for a vehicle battery. It should be higher than that really.

Try testing the voltage across the battery terminals when starting. If it drops well below 12v then the battery is faulty. You could also try a jump start using good quality thick conductor jump leads from another vehicle as quick easy tests. Alternately if the battery is fine (which was my first thought as you said all else works ok) try taking a temporary + from the battery to the coil of the start relay, if nothing try the same to the start contact on the starter.

If still nothing then the fault is in the starter. I’m not sure if 70 series suffer with burned contacts like the 80 series but if you open up the starter solenoid you could find burned contacts. There is probably a repair kit if this is the case. There is for the 80 series.

 

[lc27]

Thanks guy did the jump and nothing.
No even a noise, however lights, stereo etc works fine
Did try to started on sat, nothing Sunday nothing. Did another push and started.
Brought the car to the garage. On Monday I went to drop the car keys to the mechanic and the bastard started. I left it there since they said they are doing some troubleshooting but so far all components checked and seems to be ok.
The only downside of this come back is that makes the car unreliable.

 

[Shayne]

Next time it wont start i'd smack the starter motor with a hammer , unscientific maybe but if it cures the problem then you have found the cause .

 

[StarCruiser]

Exactly where I was going next and a perfectly acceptable ‘old school’ method of diagnosis.
This has all the hallmarks of starter contacts or stuck motor brushes. I would be inclined to remove the starter motor to the bench and open up the solenoid first but before that even try testing for 12 volts on the starter solenoid wire, the skinny one and check it’s connection.

 

[Ben]

You can buy starter motor rebuild kits quite cheaply which come with all new contacts and a new plunger and its a very simple job to rebuild one.

http://www.repairkitsuk.com/1.html

 

[lc27]

Hi gents
More help needed. I changed the starter and the problem went away for a while, but I think was just coincidence. The issue started to arise again, most of the times I double turn the key and the car start, however has been a couple of time that does nothing for a while and then eventually start Again(after few hours)
When it’s start it does perfect with no hesitation, (well has a new starter after all).

Same as before is like no electricity is sent to the starter, everything else is fine(I mean lights, batteries etc)

I wan_t24 sorry the ignorance any picture on how the relay looks like? Any other thing to look at that can behave in this way?
Cheers

 

[Chris Boorer]

Ok if you have a spare piece of wire and a spade terminal , unplug control wire off starter motor and plug the piece of wire onto the terminal and feed the wire up to battery Dont Connect to battery. Now with ignition in the on position, touch the wire onto the positive side of battery, and see if it turns over every time, and starts, best to be done when it usually doesn't start. If this option works every time then it will be poor wiring ,relay or ignition switch, to narrow that down start with swapping the starter relay, to eliminate that the next would be the wire, then ignition switch. I would be doing these checks before spending any more money by the way before doing these checks also check battery while trying to start as this will give you a better idea hoe battery is under load , and after the first check make sure you plug the control wire back on good luck and keep us posted

 

[StarCruiser]

If the battery is fine (which was my first thought as you said all else works ok) try taking a temporary + from the battery to the coil of the start relay, if nothing try the same to the start contact on the starter.

If still nothing then the fault is in the starter. I’m not sure if 70 series suffer with burned contacts like the 80 series but if you open up the starter solenoid you could find burned contacts. There is probably a repair kit if this is the case. There is for the 80 series.

Did you do these tests? Did you check for 12v at your start contact (skinny wire) when it was not starting?