Hey Guys.

So, the car has never shown any signs of having this sort of trouble, although I assume they don't. Anyway, I was using the car all yesterday and all was fine, and this morning it will not start. Its a Stilo JTD 115 and does absolutely nothing when you turn the key in the ignition, just makes a clicking noise. The RCL works and the ignition lights come on for the checks it just will not start.

Can anyone help me asap?

Locate the starter engine and tap the solenoid medium/hard with the wooden shaft of a hammer etc.

Try again.

where is that located?

Have no idea, but it's powered with the fattest live wire from the battery, so you can trace it down from there. Must be around the flywheel somewhere, and that is between the clutch and engine.

Other workarounds:

1. Put the car in 1st gear. No handbrake... Get out and push it 5-10 cm. You will then alter the starter's internal position. Try to start it again. If it starts, your starter is counselling the grim reaper.

2. You could try roll-starting you car. Turn on ignition, let the "plugs" glow, and roll down the street. Put the gear in 2nd and drop the clutch. If it starts, your starter is finito. Neither engine or cat likes this very much though.

I'd start with a voltmeter on battery terminals (best with 2 people)

If the battery volts stay at close to 12 volts then you have a
bad earth / bad connection somewhere relating to the starting circuits but if the voltage plummets then you've got a duff battery

Also useful to read voltage from engine to battery positive whilst turning key.

Argonought said:

I'd start with a voltmeter on battery terminals (best with 2 people)

If the battery volts stay at close to 12 volts then you have a
bad earth / bad connection somewhere relating to the starting circuits but if the voltage plummets then you've got a duff battery

Also useful to read voltage from engine to battery positive whilst turning key.

Click to expand...

True, but the "click" mentioned sounds very starter related. Have changed quite some starters on several Unos and Ritmo Abarths.

Definately start with the battery - my car has done this before. I found that the dash and all the LCD's dimmed when trying to start, more so after a few attempts. Then the penny dropped so I got the jump leads and a colleagues suzuki swift.

Morty Mort said:

Have no idea, but it's powered with the fattest live wire from the battery, so you can trace it down from there. Must be around the flywheel somewhere, and that is between the clutch and engine.

Click to expand...

http://www.spangerum.com:7080/navi?...INT_MODE=0&EPER_CAT=SP&WINDOW_ID=1&GUI_LANG=3

Ta daaaa..

PNL said:

http://www.spangerum.com:7080/navi?...INT_MODE=0&EPER_CAT=SP&WINDOW_ID=1&GUI_LANG=3Ta daaaa..

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Oooohh! Phil to the rescue. :slayer: Thanks mate. My description wasn't too far off then.

Morty Mort said:

Oooohh! Phil to the rescue. :slayer: Thanks mate. My description wasn't too far off then.

Click to expand...

Well I thought you were going via Africa at first so I added the pic..

Cheers for the info guys. Got a mate to come round and it wouldnt jump off leads, so had to bump start it (which worked) and its in the garage being checked over by a friend.

Oakley28 said:

Cheers for the info guys. Got a mate to come round and it wouldnt jump off leads, so had to bump start it (which worked) and its in the garage being checked over by a friend.

Click to expand...

Sounds very like the starter motor - just as the symptoms described in your first post.

Did you hit it aswell? That often works for a month or so, then it dies completely.

Either overhaul (take some time), reconditioned (half price good as new), scrapyard (no guarantee) or new (bloody expensive).

Morty Mort said:

Sounds very like the starter motor - just as the symptoms described in your first post.

Click to expand...

Sounds like it but doesn't follow it will be the starter motor (seems quite a rare failure on the Stilo :chin

The clicking could just as easily be a supply relay or the solenoid itself clicking out due to a poor connection (poor earth being most likely I'd have thought).

Should be traceable quickly enough as long as the problem isn't intermittent

how expensive would you say for a new starter motor?

Oakley28 said:

how expensive would you say for a new starter motor?

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Can send one from here... £850 GBP + shipping. FIAT will have to import it from Italy first though, so give it a month.

Get one from the scrappy.

or..

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/Car-Parts/Electrical-and-Lighting