Car won't start - making clicking noise - NCT Tomorrow

chrislynch8

Ok,

So got the car service yesterday and was using it this morning. Happened to leave the key in and turned on without starting the engine for an hour or so and now the car won't start, making a clicking noise when I try to start.

I tried using jump leads to but I still couldn't start it, maybe I'm doing that wrong??

Red from good car to bad car
Black from good car to body to bad car
Start good car and leave for a few minutes
Try to start bad car and it wouldn't start

How long should I leave the good car running to get a charge into the bad car?

The Bishop Basher

See if you can borrow a voltmeter somewhere. Quickest way to check your battery and see if it's charging.

pa990

chrislynch8 wrote: »

Ok,

So got the car service yesterday and was using it this morning. Happened to leave the key in and turned on without starting the engine for an hour or so and now the car won't start, making a clicking noise when I try to start.

I tried using jump leads to but I still couldn't start it, maybe I'm doing that wrong??

Red from good car to bad car
Black from good car to body to bad car
Start good car and leave for a few minutes
Try to start bad car and it wouldn't start

How long should I leave the good car running to get a charge into the bad car?

Is it a diesel?

Try using a trickle charger
Try push starting
Try leaving jump leads connected for longer.
Try putting jump leads directly onto battery

Hellrazer

Red on good car to red on bad car battery.
Same with the black.

Rev the balls out of good car-well rev it a bit to keep the volts up.If the battery is really flat beyond the point that a jump will get it going you might not save it and a new battery is needed.

What year is the car?
How old is the battery?

flutered

it sounds like the solenoid on the starter is acting up, try tapping the small object on top of the starter with a hammer or a large spanner, try this a few times, if this not work try putting the car in first gear, release the handbrake, get a few mates with you and try pushing the car forwards for a few feet, if either of these does not work then you need professional help.

Mycroft H

pa990 wrote: »

Is it a diesel?

Try using a trickle charger
Try push starting
Try leaving jump leads connected for longer.
Try putting jump leads directly onto battery

Plus one to this.

It shoud start fairly promptly when jumped though.

greasepalm

why are you assuming red is positive on both cars? fatal mistake and costly when it does not go by colour,+to + on other vehicle and - from good vehicle to good earth on other vehicle,dont use crap leads get heavy duty ones.

Hellrazer

greasepalm wrote: »

why are you assuming red is positive on both cars? fatal mistake and costly when it does not go by colour,+to + on other vehicle and - from good vehicle to good earth on other vehicle,dont use crap leads get heavy duty ones.

Show me one car on this earth that doesn't have red as positive.
In all my years in the trade I cant say Ive ever seen one where red wasn't positive.

Renegade Mechanic

If the battery is five years or older, Id fire it out tbh.

greasepalm

astra cant remember what year ,he did red to red and black to black and tried starting it and caused a lovely stink,altenator,loom and battery needed replacing,since from then i look for + and - on batteries.
when i find another will let you know also.

Renegade Mechanic

greasepalm wrote: »

astra cant remember what year ,he did red to red and black to black and tried starting it and caused a lovely stink,altenator,loom and battery needed replacing,since from then i look for + and - on batteries.
when i find another will let you know also.

Actually, I cant belive ive forgotten this.... A few years back, I made a similar mistake on a '94 one I had. Brown was actually earth and was just about confusable with red in the dark. The wires going to the positive terminal were all black! Tried to charge an iveco for a while one night before starting it. After 15 seconds or so I pointed accusingly at my mate with the van, thinking the dirty git had literally sh*t himself. In hindsight it was the smell of sulphur. The next indication was the lights in my car getting dim quickly and I realised what Id done... The car stalled right then and I had to use a rag to grab the leads. There were no sparks whatsoever when I connected them initially! Oddly, after ten minutes my car started, albeit slowly and while the large Exide jeep battery went into two more cars since before biting it, three days after the gaff, the altenator decided to retire:o

So actually it is possible. Use the signs if possible folks. Also, Positive pole is the larger,of the two.

chrislynch8

Hi all,

Thanks for all the responses. The car is a 01 Yaris, the battery is about 3 years old. The lights & radio still worked but they wouldn't use as much as trying to start.

Someone mentioned tapping the starter motor or the solenoid - what does it look like.

I've gotten a Car Battery Charger, so hopefully that will sort it out.

Just to rule out all other issues - is it OK to connect the battery from my Corolla to the Yaris and see if that starts?

Chris

JohnDx

You may find this useful;
http://www.wikihow.com/Charge-a-Dead-Car-Battery

Bruthal

chrislynch8 wrote: »

Hi all,

Thanks for all the responses. The car is a 01 Yaris, the battery is about 3 years old. The lights & radio still worked but they wouldn't use as much as trying to start.

Someone mentioned tapping the starter motor or the solenoid - what does it look like.

I've gotten a Car Battery Charger, so hopefully that will sort it out.

Just to rule out all other issues - is it OK to connect the battery from my Corolla to the Yaris and see if that starts?

Chris

Clicking solenoid is usually a battery problem, or problem with connections onto battery not being tight. There is enough power to energise the solenoid coil and close its electrical contacts which is the click you hear, but not to turn the starter motor.

A good contact is needed from jump leads to battery terminals when attempting jump starting.

As said, cheap jump leads are useless more often than not. Its usually the actual cable connections to the clamps which are poor, and the clamps themselves flimsy, and sometimes the cable is actually only connected to one half of each clamp, complete rubbish.

chrislynch8

Bruthal wrote: »

Clicking solenoid is usually a battery problem, or problem with connections onto battery not being tight. There is enough power to energise the solenoid coil and close its electrical contacts which is the click you hear, but not to turn the starter motor.

A good contact is needed from jump leads to battery terminals when attempting jump starting.

As said, cheap jump leads are useless more often than not. Its usually the actual cable connections to the clamps which are poor, and the clamps themselves flimsy, and sometimes the cable is actually only connected to one half of each clamp, complete rubbish.

I've the battery off now and charging, I gave the terminals a good clean with sand paper and will clean the connectors in the car also tomorrow. Once i've it sorted and connected in the car should I put something on to protect the connectors, grease or Vaseline???

The jump leads are cheap they would have come with one of those kits that you pick up that include a couple of cheap spanners, flashlight, etc. I'll pick up better ones over the weekend I thinks.

Bruthal

chrislynch8 wrote: »

I've the battery off now and charging, I gave the terminals a good clean with sand paper and will clean the connectors in the car also tomorrow. Once i've it sorted and connected in the car should I put something on to protect the connectors, grease or Vaseline???

The jump leads are cheap they would have come with one of those kits that you pick up that include a couple of cheap spanners, flashlight, etc. I'll pick up better ones over the weekend I thinks.

I dont myself anyway. Once the connections are clean and tightened, that should be enough.

kermitpwee

Hellrazer wrote: »

Show me one car on this earth that doesn't have red as positive.
In all my years in the trade I cant say Ive ever seen one where red wasn't positive.

Austin A35 mate and a lot of classics

BohsCeltic

Had the same problem with my car, replaced the positive terminal and all was good, a cheap €3 fix

chrislynch8

Took the Battery out and charged it over night. Cleaned the terminals on the battery and the connectors. Everything working a charm now.

Passed the NCT - though it would fail on the Headlights as they were cloudy and my mechanic could polish them for me. You know the horrible yellowy colour. Anyway a quick search online and found a post about using Toothpaste and a damp cloth. magic, a quick 5mins rub on both headlights and they look as good as new.

Mechanic would have charged about 50 quid...

Happy Days.,

Also I'm going to pick up a good pair of Jump Leads, what diameter cable would be suitable? I was looking at 8mm and 16mm