Wierd Starting Problem

Site Subscriber Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 318

Very confusing one so bear with me Smile

After shopping at sainsburys on sunday night went to fill up with petrol, started as normal leaving the car park and drove the 200yds to the filling station. After filling with fuel there was no life from the starter, all other electrics were still ok but when key was turned to position 3 nothing happened (not even a click from the solenoid).
Bump started no probs and drove it back home. Tried to start again and still nothing, had a look at the connections to the started as best i could in the dark and fiddled about with them but could see nothing obviously wrong, tried to start again but still nothing.

Monday morning decided to try it again before I faced the train to work, and it started 1st time no porbs, so took it to work, started fine after work and still no probs on Tue morning or leaving work on Tue evening.
Called by a mates house on the way home parked outside his house, 30mins later I moved the car 50yds or so into his drive. But once in the drive again no life from the starter, tried jumping it off his car but still nothing so not the battery, bumped it again took it for a few miles run and parked again outside his house - tried to start it straight away but still nothing so left it and went to have dinner - about an hour later went to go home and it started 1st time no probs.
Again it started no probs this morning.

So it seems that if you do a really short trip (a few hundred yards) it won't start again but after being left for a while it will come back to life.

Sorry for the long post but I'm very confused by the way it's behaving.

Mr Quoter-vator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 7405

sounds like solenoid is sticking....get a stick (broom handle) and twat the solenoid next time it does it...then carry stick in car til u get it fixed.