Since the very very close lightening strike in January the lads Punto has been iffy at starting.

If you put your hand at the back of the engine, the starter energiser wire seemed a big wobbly like a loose connection.

If the wire was wiggled it behaved it self for a while.

The lad suggests it may be linked to wet/damp weather.

Anyways I have the Car for a few days.

Got it up in the air, disconnected earth, removed alternator and it's bracket so good access to the starter solenoid.

Heavy lead off for access to the energiser wire/connection.

How do you swear in Italian ???

What a stupid way of doing it !!!

Large ring eyelet connection fits over the main lead terminal so is insulated. Eyelet held onto its contact by the plastic bit, and the contact holding "spring clamp" seen in the picture....ffs !!!

Anyways will clean the eyelet which is not too bad.

Will take off the starter to make sure energiser contact system is good and clean, then reassemble.

The battery quick release system is equally as odd.

Will be fitting an extra earth lead from battery to engine and body.

See the ring contact terminal that the spring in the plastic bit pushed against the loom energiser wire eyelet to make contact for the solenoid energiser wire....what a crap method just waiting to loose/iffy contact....ffs !!!!!

Crap idea !

The energiser wire contact ring is below the main battery lead terminal post.

Seems it had a replacement starter before 49k miles....who ever changed it probably just fitted a new remanufactured starter motor, has it suffered an iffy starter before I wonder.

Anyway, clean up all parts, terminals for re assembly tomorrow...

It's all back together and works fine, but I will be making a brass spacer rather than relying on the still wobbly connection.

The solenoid has a nutted terminal to do with the energiser connection ring but do not want to undo the nut, for an eyelet connection and wire, just in Case that buggers up the solenoid, which means a new starter, with the crappy energiser connection method.

No numbers on the solenoid, but starter is a bosch.

Bosch UK are crap at customer service, waste of time asking them anything....