7 non starter

[ianf99]

Can anyone please advise?

 

I have acquired a TR7 that hasn't been started for many years. I have changed the plugs and leads put in a new battery given it a oil and filter change, flushed the cooling system and changed the hoses.

 

Now the time has come to try to start her up, but nothing!! All I am getting is a clicking from the glove box, nothing from the engine bay what so ever!!

 

Any ideas as to what I should target next would be most welcome!!!

[jemgee]

Could be starter motor seized but more likely bad power/earth connections. Try putting in 3rd gear and rocking back and to. Used to work on Minis when they always jammed the bendix.

 

Have you checked clutch isn't seized as well?

[ianf99]

Hi Jemgee, Thanks for your reply.

 

I would imagine the clutch is most certainly seized with the amount of time it has been sat, However the clutch pedal is as fee as a bird... No preasure behind it at all! Would a seized clutch stop the engine from turning over???

 

I have had the starter motor off and from what I can tell it moves freely. I do have a spare that I will try though just to make sure.

 

The Earth's may be a way to go. It's a bit like a needle in a haystack with this one as I have no idea of it's history or what state it was in when it was laid up. The only reassurance I have is that it was free to good home and so the previous owners had no real need to hide anything sinister and said it was working okay when they stopped using it.

Edited May 6, 2011 by ianf99

[jemgee]

Sounds like your clutch is not doing anything. If you take plugs out and put in neutral and then in gear and rock car back and forth you could see if propshaft is moving. If in neutral and propshaft moves then its likely to need clutch and gearbox attention. Also see FAQ's on ways (fairly brutal) to free jammed clutch

 

Suggestions from past answers on the TR7/8 forum to this common question:

 

“The way I've freed off stuck clutches in the past is to warm the engine up, switch off then engage 1st and making sure there is nothing in the way turn the key and start the engine. As it accelerates jump on Brakes and clutch together, never fails, also never fails to frighten all around!"

 

“You can try getting the revs up to a speed that the car will go in gear without the use of a clutch (you need to be in a safe wide open place for this) and then gently sliding the car into gear (if it grates you may need to adjust the revs to achieve this) as the car moves forward brake hard - the car will stall but sometimes it will break the clutch free. Can't stress enough this is potentially dangerous so you should make sure you have the car in a wide open space with nothing to hit or get hit by. The sensible and safe way is to take the clutch apart, also if you are not very careful you may damage the gearbox so take your time and if in doubt don't!”

 

“Put rear axle up on stands, put in gear, start and warm, apply brakes with the clutch depressed (length of wood is useful). Warm up engine, stop engine, put in gear, with clutch depressed start engine - need space for the car to drive and brakes off.

I had a really stubborn one that I eventually freed by a start in gear followed by a lot of hard accels and breaking with the clutch depressed. Luckily I have a car park at the end of my road so I had the room.”

 

“1. Start the car in gear by turning the engine over via the key with foot off the brake and handbrake not applied.

2. Then apply a light pressure to the accelerator pedal to rev the engine (to prevent stalling) and hit the brake pedal hard (the choke full on will probably be enough).

This can all be done in a matter of seconds and approx one vehicle length.”

 

“I tried all of the above when my clutch used to stick, the best way is warm up the engine first, raise the back end with a trolley jack so the back wheels are off the ground, engage gear, start engine, apply a few revs, hit the foot brake. Repeat 2 or 3 times and the clutch will free, easy!”

 

 

 

 

Spare working starter is way to go!

Edited May 6, 2011 by jemgee

[allenforster]

Hello Ian,

 

My suggestion would be to first find out whether it is an electrical or mechanical fault. To check that the starter motor works and that it is phsically capable of turning the engine you might try shorting out the starter motor solenoid or applying 12V directly to the starter motor (after the solenoid). If you have never done this before or are of a nervous disposition it might be best to get help with this - there will be sparks! The starter motor will probably turn at this point (along with the engine). Make sure that the car is not in gear or you will run yourself over. Make sure that you haven't got any part of your body in contact with any part of the engine that is going to rotate. You only need to do this for a split second (there will be sparks, metal will get hot).

 

If the starter motor turns the engine then its an electrical fault. (look at relay, solenoid, earth, wiring issues)

 

If you get sparks, things get hot, but the engine doesn't turn (remember 1/2 a second max)then its a mechanical issue (something seized) or more probably the starter motor is duff.

[traveleze]

howdo,

i had the same "clicking" on my TR...

 

It turned out to be a faulty solenoid on the starter motor.

 

I'd try this first if you have a spare

 

steve.

[ianf99]

Okay thanks guy's. That gives me a few things to tackle.

 

I thought I'd start with the solenoid. I have taken them off both starters. The first problem is that they come off in a way the meant I couldn't really see how they were positioned inside the starter motor casing so I'm a bit stuck on how it goes back together?

It looks like the original starter motor is far better than my spare, but the solenoid on it is in a terrible condition when I compare it to the spare so I'm going to try for a solenoid swap first.

[ianf99]

And hey presto it's back together! lol

 

I had a good look through a Haynes manual and found a picture of how it fit's back together... Yippie.

 

Now all I need to do is wait for the rain to stop and put the starter back on. lol

[ianf99]

It's taken a while, but finally today I have turned her over by the starter! Yippie

 

Now all I have to do is get the firing order sorted and hopefully it'll start up!

 

It was a dodgy solenoid on the starter... I put a spare on the original starter and it's now turing fine!

 

Thanks for all your help so far!!

 

Ian.