General seicento won't start

[cerriden]

Hi, just registered here. My seicento (2002)1100 won't star since last Wednesday night's thunderstorm. Don't know if two are connected, please don't laugh I'm no mechanic! Lights come up but only the tiniest cough when I switch the ignition key. I've tried jump leads. When the other car is attached with engine running its engine sound changes when I try my ignition as if it is sucking huge amounts of energy out of the other car, but nothing happens.
Can anyone very kindly offer an opinion?

 

[oadamo]

put a multimeter across the strater motor and so if you get power when you turn the key. or if you dont have a multimeter just give the starter motor a whack lol.
adam

 

[fingers99]

Try replacing your battery with a known good one (to eliminate the battery) and run a single jump lead from the battery negative to a solid part of the engine/gearbox.

If it starts with the first, your battery is fubared. If it starts with the second, you need to clean up all the earth leads between engine/box and engine bay. Physically undo them, give a good wire brushing, coat with vaseline, re-assemble.

If neither work, get back to us.