Starting Problems!!

[peterzs]

Just shows how you can get fixated on a fault only to find its something else.

Started off with my ZS Derv not starting.

Checked the positive lead from the battery to the starter motor and sure enough I could move it, not tightened up enough, so undid it and it crumbled away in my hand.

So a new heavy duty crimped connector required, couldnt find one, so used an old earth lead and pinched the one off that. All connected up and turned the key and nothing.

Then I remembered that the push on connector on top of the starter motor can give trouble. So pulled the connector off, emery cloth to clean it up, reconnect it and it fired up OK. Sorted.

Then it wouldn't start, sluggish on turnover, charged the battery up as its not used daily, fully charged says the charger, starts but still sluggish.

Tightened the positive lead, and it started easier, but soon got sluggish, to not starting.

Goggled it and found that the plunger in the starter motor can get tired. My ones done 104,000 so I suppose the newness has worn off.

Bought a new starter motor and now the engine whizzes over, like it has never done since I bought it 8 years ago.

So that slow turning over motor, might not be because of the battery, leads etc

[stamford]

Good to hear Pete! Mine still won't start (mk1) but decided to check the wiring and rework it. Mine is totally dead, no power at all.

[grimmy]

Nice one Peter .always satisfying when you get to the bottom of a niggly problem like that.

[Dan1971]

Well done young man ....

[peterzs]

Cheers Guys.

Scared the whats it out of me when it spun it over, so fast and powerful!!

The battery I pulled out and replaced because I thought it wad dead or dying, still charges up with the green dot in the window!!

Live and learn I suppose, just dont assume its a dodgy battery when it goes chug, chug in the morning!!

[M17TT180]

I found with the v6 that it has a lazy start, a couple of turns before it fires, thought it was an issue but seems every v6 I've had has been the same. The k series ones fire immediately.

[peterzs]

This is what they reckon on the Derv Starter causes the problems, but I got my new one from eurocar parts £86 odd with the discounts.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-ZR-ZS-2...-/251286741325

The difference in spinning it over is immense, I always thought the higher compression caused the slow turn over. This new one spins it up and its firing straight away.

Before it always took a couple of turns of the key to fire it.

[p_b82]

My starter died last year as well Pete... or is that nearly 2 years ago now... I forget!

coupled with a dodgy alternator, and it had been eating batteries..... took a while to trace both!

[peterzs]

was that when we had to push it Pete??

Time just seems to merge one year into another!!

[p_b82]

Only time my car has had to be given a push start when when the clutch hydraulic popped, and so we started it in gear, but that wasn't enough to get it to fire.

Learnt that day that I can just about run as fast an L-series in second gear idling.... though my mate did dab the brakes as I jumped in the (open) passenger side! lol