500 Taken to Halfords had 3 new starter motors and still not working

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500 Taken to Halfords had 3 new starter motors and still not working

Don't confuse the cam belt and alternator belt they're two different things, but at 5 years old yes better to replace it(cam belt), try asking Fiat for a price up here in the north east they came out cheapest as they said "it's a fixed price service item" if it's the alternator belt it should last some time before total failure, I take it, it still makes the noise even after new starters?
Annoyingly I have no idea as when I went back to it about 5 hrs later (so that the car was cold) to drive back from the library it wouldn’t start so I’m not even 100% sure if the new starter fixed the noise
 
Just as a point of reference I was quoted £340 for cam belt and water pump. It’s a false economy not to do both at the same time by the way. I’ve actually got a mobile mechanic that I use who is now doing it for £100 and I supply the parts which are around £50.

It’s beyond my capabilities but is quite a pricey job so it might be worth getting prices from a few places.
 
For a couple of weeks every time I started it (usually in the cold at night) there was be a screeching sound for couple of seconds and then it stopped. This is why I believed it was the fan belt going and wanted to get it fixed before having to drive home this weekend as didn’t want to risk it snapping on way home. Also just been thinking that I did struggle to start it once after I’d left it for a while a week or so back. I know that frost will kill a battery quicker than anything and so this could have also contributed?

Ok.. the noise:

The starter relies on a LOT of electrical power to ..

Spin..and throw its starter gear:driving engine

So the gear is feebly throwing out..not engaging properly.. hence the screech


Your clicking..then nothing

Thats probably a flat battery :eek:


So garage should be able to test with a GOOD battery :)
 
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Hi, boyfriend's been to the garage this morning for me as I was in uni, they've agreed to put the old starter back in (as I'd had no trouble starting it before I took it in) and have also said that it now needs a new battery. Have paid £75 for new battery which will be fitted today along with the old starter motor so hopefully that gets the car working. They had tested my battery and said that it was dead and have also said I can have the fiat branded starter motor fitted on Monday. He showed my boyfriend the original starter motor and the ones they had tried and the new ones weren't long enough to start the flywheel.
 
Hi, boyfriend's been to the garage this morning for me as I was in uni, they've agreed to put the old starter back in (as I'd had no trouble starting it before I took it in) and have also said that it now needs a new battery. Have paid £75 for new battery which will be fitted today along with the old starter motor so hopefully that gets the car working. They had tested my battery and said that it was dead and have also said I can have the fiat branded starter motor fitted on Monday. He showed my boyfriend the original starter motor and the ones they had tried and the new ones weren't long enough to start the flywheel.

Name & shame the disgusting Cowboys!!!!:mad::mad::mad::mad:
 
How ridiculous that they just changed the starter motor as the first thing. It’s quite obvious that it was the battery and I’m just an amateur. Does your car have stop/start? If so, £75 for a fiat branded battery or any battery is far too cheap. You need a bigger different type of battery for stop start cars. Best check with them.
 
How ridiculous that they just changed the starter motor as the first thing. It’s quite obvious that it was the battery and I’m just an amateur. Does your car have stop/start? If so, £75 for a fiat branded battery or any battery is far too cheap. You need a bigger different type of battery for stop start cars. Best check with them.
Thankfully it's an older model so doesn't have the start/stop feature, very luckily as I don't think I would been able to afford much higher at the moment.
 
Ask for a discount on the battery a premium one I just bought Varta brand is only £45 they owe you that for messing you around AND the earth strap will still need investigating for peace of mind, if it starts ok you could get you dad to look at it or replace it as it's so cheap and fairly straight forward for a diy person.
 
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I think (from the descriptions) you have one of two, or two issues.

Firstly and most likely, the battery is knackered. If the dasboard lights up but the engine is slow to crank over (or clicks, or is completely unresponsive/lights dim) then you need to charge up or replace the battery (if it's too far gone/damaged).

Halfords is quoting for an HCB063 battery, which they sell for £70 in the shop, not £75.

Your car will work fine with that, even if you have S&S... but if you have S&S the battery ought to be an 096AGM. These have higher capacity, so your S&S will like that battery more. The HCB063 is great while it's in new condition but a year or two from now, it'll degrade a bit and lose its Mojo.

On the other hand, if the battery discharges frequently (through lack of use) your battery life will be short anyway, so there's no point in fitting a twice-the-price 096AGM for now, only for it to go flat often and then die the same way. Just keep buying new HCB063s.

Secondly... if the engine turns over and squeals, it could be a starter/flywheel problem but that sound is metallic/fingernails on the chalk-board, not a sound like "squealing tyres", which is the Auxillary (aux' aka "fan" aka alternator) belt.

If your b/f or anyone needs to work out which it is for sure, get them to *carefully* squirt some WD40 onto the inner run of the belt as the engine is running (don't stand in line with the belt or you'll get a face full of WD40). If that keeps it quiet for a few days, then that's the culprit.

If your belt is loose (press down on it while the engine isn't running.. :D If it has any "give" in it... more than 1cm could be too much... it is more likely to be the belt. If your belt looks old, dry, cracked or very shiny on the inner face, then it's also likely to be the belt.

With any luck, it's the original factory belt and it's just dry and withered a bit. A new battery and (in your own time) a new belt will sort it.

The cam-belt is a different animal .. it lives under the black cover and also drives the water pump. Change it, its tensioner/pulley and the pump when the weather's warmer).



Ralf S.
 
Will definitely be asking for a discount and also for the old battery back so that my dad can check it. And yeah that's the plan as long as I can get it running and filled up with petrol (hopefully it'll start again at the petrol station) I'm taking it back home tonight and will then let my dad or our local garage take a look
 
The original battery in my car was a Halfords one Hb012 however on their system two other ones were coming up but they suggested that we get the exact same one that was already in there as that had been working before?
 
Thats bad news.. :(

Did they not get it back together in time?
Nope, have apparently also blown a fuse on it aswell which isn't arriving till tomorrow to be fixed. Hopefully will get the car back Monday after the new starter motor has been fitted and the fuse and the battery ��
 
Nope, have apparently also blown a fuse on it aswell which isn't arriving till tomorrow to be fixed. Hopefully will get the car back Monday after the new starter motor has been fitted and the fuse and the battery ��

Ok..deepbreath..

Blowing a fuse suggests either:
1:a major fault ( which it didnt have when you 1st gave them the keys)

2:they have shorted out something while doing their ' part swaps'..

Unlikely as they SHOULD have isolated the batterys power

Either way.. you shouldnt have been left with no car..after driving there ok earlier that week.

Charlie
 
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