Newbie electrical gremlins

[morch]

Hello folks,

I'm a newbie having purchased my 1999 2.0l petrol 406 Glx a few months back. It has just 20K miles on it having spent quite a few years of its life doing just a few hundred miles per year.

I really like the way it looks, the comfort, the handling and the automatic wipers!

Less good are the electrical gremlins...

It wouldn't start one day after it stalled and I noticed the battery was a puny little thing. I happened to be very close to a scrappers so I went in and bought one from a Vectra, which the guy said was good and big enough. It started.

All was well until the same thing happened a few weeks later - stalled then refused to start (just a click and a wisp of white smoke from down the front of the engine near what I think is the starter motor). RAC man tightened up the earth connection to the battery (which he said was good), and off I went.

Its happened a few more times since and I've realised its a warm start thing. For example recently the car was sat for a couple of weeks and started first time. I stopped for petrol 10 miles later and then it wouldn't start. Just a click. I waited till it cooled down and then it started right up.
I don't know if this is connected but one day there was a delay of a few seconds after turning the door key before the central locking operated and the interior light flickered quite a bit.

Any suggestions as otherwise I love the car?!

Thanks,
morch

[steve_earwig]

Hi there, welcome

a wisp of white smoke from down the front of the engine near what I think is the starter motor

Looks like something's up with the connections to the starter motor.

. RAC man tightened up the earth connection to the battery (which he said was good)

"Don't know what it is so, for lack of any smart ideas, I'll loosen this bit and tighten it again so I look like I know what I'm doing"

and off I went.

Because it had cooled down.

I'd be heading straight for the connections on the starter motor. I'm not sure if the lock issue would be connected but then I can't remember if the positive connections are fed from there or straight from the battery.

[frog]

First check all the wiring. There is a very thick wire coming directly from the battery. There is a thin wire coming from the ignition, apparently that is ok otherwise you wouldn't hear a click. There is also an earth strap connecting the solenoid with the motor housing, its connection may be corroded.

Before working on the starter motor, make sure to disconnect the battery first. And before disconnecting the battery, let the BSI go to sleep peacefully: pop the bonnet, shut the door and wait 3 minutes before you disconnect the battery. Similarly, don't reconnect it with a door open. (See http://406oc.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t= ... ep#p240438 .) The thick wire coming from the battery has no fuse, so scraping it along any bare metal part ( = ground) with the battery connected gives fireworks!

If all else fails, I think it is the end-of-life for the starter motor

[morch]

That's great info -thanks.

I'm away with work now but hopefully I'll get to it this weekend.
-I'll let you know how I get on, thanks for the advice.

morch

[morch]

Sorry I never got back about this; Life got in the way...

I carried on with it for a while and then just took it to a local garage I use. He fitted a new starter motor for about £100. He also said he had to replace some melted wiring!

No problems since.

Thanks for the advice.

morch

[frog]

Thanks for your update! Nice to see that we were indeed on the right track