Technical ignition didn't respond just once.

[devakanth]

Hi all,

Something strange happened last night with my Uno Diesel. I will explain it below. Would be great if somebody could make an educated guess. I'll try to be as detailed as possible.

I drove my Uno to this restaurant and parked it just nearby. I walked out and bought food and came back and sat in it. I switched the ignition on just halfway (so that the heating coil light is on) and waited till the heating coil light switched off. I noticed that I had forgot to switch off the indicator when I had parked. so I switched that off. Once the heating coil light was off, I gave a twist to the ignition and there was this click sound (some electrical relay making contact) but the engine didn't respond. The lights in the dashboard were all coming up so I concluded that the battery was fine. But the engine didn't start. I switched it completely off and tried again. Still the same click.

I waited for around 30 seconds and tried again. but still it didn't respond. tried 5-6 times. no luck.

Just to make sure that all electrical connections were alright, I switched on the blower. it was working. then I tried the ignition again and the engine started just fine as if nothing was wrong with it.

After that I went home and switched off the engine and tried starting it again. and it worked fine.

Any ideas why this strange behaviour could have happened and should I show it to the mechanic? how will he reproduce the same problem? now it is working fine. I am worried that it will behave the same way sometime and I will get stuck somewhere.

Devakanth

 

[Chas Uno]

This sounds like an earth problem or faulty starter motor to me. If you hear a 'clicking' noise each time you try and turn the ignition then that sounds like starter motor solenoid is working fine. What is happening is that there isn't enough power to turn the starter motor. Check the leads from the battery to the motor, and make sure all the connections are clean and free of corrosion.

Alternatively, it could be the starter motor jamming. When it does the fault you mentioned, do all the lights on the dashboard go really dim? Is the battery holding a good charge? If the battery is fine, then it's either an earth problem or sticking starter motor.

If it does it again, try putting the car in gear and then getting out and gently rock the car back and forwards. Then get back in the car and try and start it. Sometimes this will free off the starter motor.

But first check the battery is holding charge and then check the leads from the battery. Don't forget the earth lead too.

Hope this helps!

Chas

 

[alexGS]

I agree with Chas, especially that a loose/corroded battery terminal will give confusing symptoms like this (the current flow from switching on the blower may have been sufficient to re-make the contact).

Sometimes the corrosion on battery terminals can be almost invisible but enough to cause a problem. I recently bought a 'T' shaped tool which has a 'male' and a 'female' wire brush. It works very well - a few quick twists and the terminals are clean and shiny, much quicker than trying to use sandpaper etc. though this will work too.

-Alex

 

[devakanth]

Thanks Chas and Alex,

I think you people are geniuses! Your diagnosis could be absolute right. Normally when I go out of town for official tours of more than 7 days, I disconnect the battery so that it doesn't get drained out because of some leakage somewhere. I don't tighten the connection too much as it becomes difficult when I have to remove them. Probably that is what must be causing the problem. I will tighten it as soon as possible.

The car hasn't given any problem after that night.

Thanks, you guys.

Devakanth

 

[e_cag]

Hi!

Another approach based on experience to your problem:

Worn ignition barrel can cause exactly what you described. If it happens again, try twisting the key not till the end. Once i couldn't start my bros Uno, i tried several times, o luck. Then he came and started it easly. That is what i learned from him. With the worn ignition barrel, you probably passed the point of ignition.

Hope you don't have such problem anyway.

 

[premrajeev]

:worship: Wow!

I knew it would be the loose battery wire! Or a loose fuse in the fuse box !! My other car is having the same problem, just sorted out..

 

[devakanth]

luckily the problem hasn't occurred after that.

Devakanth

 

[påtide]

Hello!

I have this same problem, except my car don't want to start anymore.

Full story.
The last ten days my car has made this click sound. I have had to turn the key several times before I got the car started. On tuesday I was at a gas station and decided to check this problem out, and tried to remove some oil inside the distibutor cap, on the "thing" that the carbon brush touches when "closed".

However, today was the next time I was going to use the car. And now there is no ignition at all, and I have tried to turn the key lots of times today.

As with this previous example, I take it for granted my battery is fully charged. The lights are fine, no problem.

I bought a new "starter" two years ago. But can the brush be "worn" out? Should I change this?

I don't see this being an earth problem either, due to the fact that I've got the car started the last ten days or so...

 

[devakanth]

It could be a starter switch problem. I also hear a click sometimes but when I turn it off and turn it on again, it starts. Maybe your starter switch (where the ignition key is) got spoilt.

Just a guess.

Devakanth