Need a little help urgently please - car not starting

Neil_Sedaka

I drove to the local shop today and when I came back to the car it wouldn't start.
I can hear a click, but it will not even attempt to turn over.

As it had been raining heavily, I sprayed the dist cap, starter contacts, coil and plugs with WD-40, although I doubt they were at fault as I'd imagine the car would at least try to crank.
I tried to jump it of a 2L car with it's engine running, but still only the "click".
Had to leave it there as I needed to collect kids from school and ran out of time.


My thoughts are:

Starter motor - do they give in slowly over time, or just stop dead one day?

Poles on battery need cleaning - when I jumped it from the other car, I put the jump leads onto my battery clamps, so it's possible the current did not get through? (my clamps were tight, I did check that)

Loose or corroded earth strap somewhere?

The car is a 1998, 1.4L manual, petrol Golf.

Thanks for any input.

Ronnie Beck

Normally if it's the battery thats dead the cabin lights etc. will be fairly dim. If not and won't start on jump but starts on a push probably the starter.



You could try tapping it with a hammer as someone turns the key.

Neil_Sedaka

Didn't get a chance to try and push start it (thank you onlookers, you know who you are!)

Cleaned battery poles and checked any earth straps I could find.
Tried jumping it again but still just the "click"

Gutted to say that it's now being towed to a garage! Empty pockets are just around the corner

Muckie

Sounds like a starter motor alrite.

Reconditioned replacement should do the trick.

Neil_Sedaka

Garage got it sorted, said the starter was the problem and rather than causing me the expense of a new or reconditioned unit, they "cleaned a lot of gunk from it and it's fine now"
2 hours labour at €55 per hour, plus €30 for towing it up the road = €140


Now I appreciate the fact that they tried to sort me out with a cheap fix, but 2 hours labour!
I could get a starter from the scrappers for 20 - 30 Euro and fit it myself in under an hour, without workshop comforts.

Maybe I'm being unreasonable, I don't know! That said, I'm glad to have the car back running.

You're thoughts please?

bigtimecharlie

They probably ran into the second hour (by 10 minutes) so still 2 hours by them.

Neil_Sedaka

bigtimecharlie wrote: »

They probably ran into the second hour (by 10 minutes) so still 2 hours by them.

Yeah that's definitely possible, though I'd expect that from a main dealer and not a local garage.

Jimdagym

Keep an eye out for that spare starter motor. You may well need it soon.

Neil_Sedaka

On reflection, how could a starter be fouled up with muck and oil?
I thought it had a seal either end and the garage made no mention of perished seals!
It could have been the solenoid I suppose and they just spoke in layman's terms to me.

Can't get the thought out of my head that they sussed and fixed a dodgy connection in minutes and left the car sitting there all day.
I really need to find a local mechanic I can trust!!

jimmyw

Neil_Sedaka wrote: »

Didn't get a chance to try and push start it (thank you onlookers, you know who you are!)

Well technically you should not push start a car with a cat because you could be putting unburnt fuel through it and damaging it, so you should count yourself lucky .But as we know thats in an ideal world.

Neil_Sedaka wrote: »

On reflection, how could a starter be fouled up with muck and oil?
I thought it had a seal either end and the garage made no mention of perished seals!
It could have been the solenoid I suppose and they just spoke in layman's terms to me.

Can't get the thought out of my head that they sussed and fixed a dodgy connection in minutes and left the car sitting there all day.
I really need to find a local mechanic I can trust!!

I assume the garage means the shaft that the pinion runs on was gummed up, so there is no seal on that. Well I cant say how long it would take to free up a sticky pinion shaft, maybe quickly, maybe not. I understand your scepticism about garages , but sometimes you might have to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Esel

Neil_Sedaka wrote: »

..when I jumped it from the other car, I put the jump leads onto my battery clamps...

Just for future reference - don't do that! There is a risk of the battery exploding, and that's not good to say the least.

Always put the negative clamp on an earth point away from the battery.

jimmyw

Esel wrote: »

Just for future reference - don't do that! There is a risk of the battery exploding, and that's not good to say the least.

Always put the negative clamp on an earth point away from the battery.

Yeah to think of it as the flat batt should have only one jump lead (+) connected to it, the other being made at a bolt etc...

I also read that the correct way is after connecting up the leads, is to leave the good battery's engine running for about 5 min without trying to start the flat one.Then to switch off the good one, and try to start the flat one.After it starts, leave running for another 5 min before disconnecting all leads in reverse order.

I never heard of this method before, as it claims it may damage some delicate electronic devices I suppose in either vehicle?

I dont if its rubbish or not.

nct tester

Neil_Sedaka wrote: »

Garage got it sorted, said the starter was the problem and rather than causing me the expense of a new or reconditioned unit, they "cleaned a lot of gunk from it and it's fine now"
2 hours labour at €55 per hour, plus €30 for towing it up the road = €140


Now I appreciate the fact that they tried to sort me out with a cheap fix, but 2 hours labour!
I could get a starter from the scrappers for 20 - 30 Euro and fit it myself in under an hour, without workshop comforts.

Maybe I'm being unreasonable, I don't know! That said, I'm glad to have the car back running.

You're thoughts please?

Were these guys wearing balaclavas and a striped jumper?? yeah they helped you out but i think they took advantage of your situation. i'd never darken their door again no matter how badly i was stuck.

Neil_Sedaka

nct tester wrote: »

Were these guys wearing balaclavas and a striped jumper?? yeah they helped you out but i think they took advantage of your situation. i'd never darken their door again no matter how badly i was stuck.

I had stopped using them a couple of years ago for what I considered p1ss taking with labour time and hourly charges on a good few occasions.

The mechanic I used a couple of times recently (sound enough bloke and reasonably priced) was not available at the time.
Plus, the garage with the bandits was only about 3 or 4 hundred yards up the road from the car at the time.

As you say, never darken their door again

willow2013

€55 per hour now thats a rip off...

Neil_Sedaka

willow2013 wrote: »

€55 per hour now thats a rip off...

Yeah and has already been said, it could have been €55 per hour or part of

nct tester

Neil_Sedaka wrote: »

I had stopped using them a couple of years ago for what I considered p1ss taking with labour time and hourly charges on a good few occasions.

The mechanic I used a couple of times recently (sound enough bloke and reasonably priced) was not available at the time.
Plus, the garage with the bandits was only about 3 or 4 hundred yards up the road from the car at the time.

As you say, never darken their door again

well at least you got going, which is the main thing, and you know who not to give business to in future. they'll reap what they've sown eventually.

willow2013

Time to name and shame the garage if ya ask me

Neil_Sedaka

willow2013 wrote: »

Time to name and shame the garage if ya ask me

I would, but I'm not sure it's allowed. Mods?

shamwari

Neil_Sedaka wrote: »

I would, but I'm not sure it's allowed. Mods?

The price quoted does seem at the higher end of the scale but still below main dealer rates.

BUT if they told you their price structure up front, and you gave them the go ahead, then paid up, and they got your car working in a situation you freely admit you were pretty much stuck, then in fairness I don't think you have much too complain about.

Neil_Sedaka

There was little communication really.

I rang them in the afternoon and they said "were looking at it now, seems to be the starter motor, give us a ring back about 5pm"

I got a call at about 4.45pm to say the car was ready.

I called in to collect it and was handed the bill.

Muckie

Neil_Sedaka wrote: »

There was little communication really.

I rang them in the afternoon and they said "were looking at it now, seems to be the starter motor, give us a ring back about 5pm"

I got a call at about 4.45pm to say the car was ready.

I called in to collect it and was handed the bill.

Ah that auld punch to the stomach(wallet)feeling not nice.

Well may do your best to avoid them in future.