Technical Brava won't start but it's not the started motor???

[wasimkham]

Hi,

I have a Brava 1.6 N Reg and it won't start. It push start's ok but it doesn't start from the key. The battery is fine. I changed the starter motor twice and still no luck.

When i turn the key, it doesn't make a sound, no clicking, no nothing. The lights come on though.

What could the problem be?

Thanks

 

[bridges]

Hi,

I have a Brava 1.6 N Reg and it won't start. It push start's ok but it doesn't start from the key. The battery is fine. I changed the starter motor twice and still no luck.

When i turn the key, it doesn't make a sound, no clicking, no nothing. The lights come on though.

What could the problem be?

Thanks

Ignition fault.
Possible causes are, the ignition barrel, the wiring, fuse or relay.


The starter motor has 2x live feeds to it.
1 is a heavy duty live wire from the battery direct to the starter motor. check this is ok it should always be live.

The second live wire is a remote wire it is much thinner. This needs to be live also before the starter will spin. This wire comes from the ignition and is only live when the key is forced against the spring action of the barrel. At all other times it is dead.

you can test the wires using a multimeter or more handy, a light up screwdriver type thing.

If the car is out of gear you could use a piece of wire to transfer current from the main live feed to the thinner ignition feed wire, the starter should spring into life. Be careful if you do this as you will have a live wire. It would be much better to test using a tester.

 

[Duggers2000]

Alternatively, you could try 'hot-wiring' the car using the wires from the ignition barrel. If it's the switch in the barrel itself that's knackered you can always fit a push button switch on the dash - proper race car style!! and easier than replacing the whole unit and then having different keys etc.
Had the starter motor switch fail in a ingnition barrel before and just got a cheap switch from Tandy and re-wired it.

Worth testing and inspecting the wires first - as Bridges suggests. If you 'hot wire' it you will need to choc-bloc the wires back to the ignition barrel if it's not that.

Good Luck

 

[fishpond47]

I'd start at the easy thing first, check the battery connections are tight.

I'v been having the same problem and it was just the battery connections, who the ell though about putting coloured plastic bits on the connecters wants shooting.