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MG MGF Technical - Late minute hols, but MGF woun't like to start !

Hi,

now Sir Lucas and his gremlins got me again.

Errrr !!
Went to the car this morning, fold down the hood for a lovely ride to work.

Pushed key in.
Turned key, disengaged immobilizer on blipper... all as usual.
Turned the key to start.
Starter Motor kicked in and turned quick as usual, ... but for half a second or what only. Then stopped and this was to less to let the engine run.
At first I thought I had released the key to early.

Tried to repeat starting, but ... nothing else then a silent click of the relay in the engine bay and nith bright shining dash lights.

OK, this happened already once. Was a few weeks ago. I waited for some minutes. Fiddled at the ECU connector, kicked the Starter solenoid with a hammer. Once twice to make sure it will help.
Another start activation with no success and so I had use the Smart car to get to work.

This evening still no success. Same procedure with the hammer to the starter solenoid.

However, I measured 11.82V at the battery and this feels a bit low, I think ??
It's the first battery from 1999.
I just took it out of the car and put it to the battery charger.

Will see what it does tomorrow morning.

Dooh, the time until the Alps ride will get quite short. Hope I get it fixed until thursday.

Regards
Dieter
Dieter K.

Dieter

I had the exact same symptons AND YES it was the battery - fitted a new one and all is fine again.

Ted
Ted Newman

Ted, I remember.

My battery is now 'cooking' at the charger with app 4.5 Amp 'eff.' going in.
It started loading 2 hours ago with 6 Amp. 'woobling up and down by app. 1 Amp.

I've no experience with battery chargers.
Would have expected less load current if the part would be in good condition.

The battery is still the original 'no service' P/N YGD100950 Yashua-battery. There's a green shining kind of inspection glass on top (green for good?).
A printed sticker says with green/black/red dot options:
Check the manual.... ;)
Assume the red shine should tell 'bad' though.

Anyway, just won a 2nd hand starter at ebay for 50 EUR. (auction 7902889474).
May be I can get it on Sunday. (300km ride near Bremen with the Smart car ... Errr!!)

I better see for a replacement battery tomorrow in any way. Nearly 5 years might be old enough.

Regarsa
Dieter
Dieter K.

Sympathies !!

Have you solved it ??

Did you try to Jump Start it with the Smart Battery ??

My "F" goes in the shed for the winter. Soon it would have the same start failure problem to be solved with a couple of hours on the charger. A battery conditioner from B&G (40) was the answer. It is a small charger which automatticaly kicks in when it senses a voltage drop.

Geoff F.
G. Farthing

Thanks :)
Couldn't jump start, cause the MGF is standing in the garage with front ahead. On the other hand, of course I'd done that.

However, problem put down now finally (by 80%) to the starter soleneoid.

Why ?
The last hours so far:
Charged the battery over night and took it to the car this morning.
Installed, turned the key .... nothing else then yesterday. (Battery now at 12.6V)

Kicked in the first gear, went out and pushed/pulled the car to stress starter gear if engaged 'failure wise'
Start check... nothing...

Got out ... took the hammer and bashed the solenoid ... careful toc, toc, toc.
Start check... nothing...
Start check... nothing...
Start check... nothing...
4th Start check... Dooh, Wrooommm !!!
Engine out, another start check.... Wrooomm !

OK, that's fine :) Looks like troubles with the solenoid 'intermittant' failure.
Drove to parts supplier (A.T.U. germany) to get a new battery. For *pre-caution*, cause the old is already 5 years old.

Got one Varta Super Blue Type D24 (170mm width) 62Ah for 110 EURO.

Installed, start check ... wrooom... worked.

Went for whitesun shopping with the wife :)
1nd shop ... out/in, starting ... wrooom.
2nd shop ... out/in, starting ... wrooom.
3rd shop ... out/in, starting ... NOTHING !!
Out with the hammer to bash the solenoid.
Toc, Toc.
1. Starting ... nothing
2. Starting ... wrooom.

I think, I got it.
Now owner of a nice new expensive battery, and an intermittant faulty Starter :) and second hand starter motor located in Bremen.

It's a nice weekend, isn't it
:o)

Thank you for your sympathy :)

Cheers
Dieter
Dieter K.

Theory added to the upcoming event in advance.
http://www.mgfcar.de/starter/replace.htm
*under construction*

I wonder about the look of the starter motor gear.
May be the short rattling noise I heard in the last month just when the engine turned over could be put down to bad disengaging starter gear ?

Dieter K.

Hi Dieter,

Sorry to hear about your problem, though better now than in a few days time, stuck up in tha Alps! :-)

Oliver had the same problem earlier in the year, and had to do the same thing - new battery and starter solenoid. He also was stuck on the drive, with his other car behind it on the slope, and had to get the MG towed out of the way.

Hope the change over goes alright.

See you Thursday.
Regards
Tony
Tony

Went all right :)
Got lend a second hand complete Starter from Scotty today.

He visited me this afternoon at my mothers home in the north. Together with another 'bunch' of 8 MGF :)
They had cake&coffee and Steffen and I did the starter in.

However, as usual, the help from workshop manual .... Err forget it ;)

btw, the second hand one didn't just work, put needed an 'initial' solenoid kick. I went down home this night and had several stops and starts. Nothing more to wory about. I goes fine and the mad rattling noise while the old starter gear cut out has gone as well.

Will host some pix of the works tomorrow.
This is from _the other_ ;). You know some of them, or will see in the Alps.
http://www.mgfcar.de/event/2004_wietze/wietzeDSC03099.jpg
http://www.mgfcar.de/event/2004_wietze/wietzeDSC03100.jpg
http://www.mgfcar.de/event/2004_wietze/wietzeDSC03101.jpg
http://www.mgfcar.de/event/2004_wietze/wietzeDSC03102.jpg
Dieter K.

Dieter,

We have never been 'introduced' on this board and this is off topic,but do you know the place Kassel-Wilhelmshohe.I stayed near there at a girl's friend place in the mid 8o's it was very beautiful.

Simon
Simon

Do we learn that the primary failure was a low battery which results in a solenoid failure.

Perhaps you should have broken down in the Alps and enjoyed some of the best hospitality in the World

Enjoy it.

Geoff F.
G. Farthing

Hi guys,
Im having problems in starting my mgf.HELP!!!!
The problem as happened once b4 about 2weeks ago....
Went to start up car after already been out 4 run in it,but nothing......
immob kicked in,switched off on fob as usual,but just wouldnt turn over.
When this happend last time i was at a filling station,at the pumps...doh!!locked up the car and left it for about half an hour,went back to it and boom started up.
Took it to my local MG dealers and they said it was the connections to the starter got all green stuff on them,cleaned them up and tested ok.
But guess wot......

HELP PLEASE.....
Tracie

Geoff,

No, in my case it wasn't. Didn't trust in the old battery in any way. That's why I just changed to a new one.
I'm a silly DIY guy, and works costs are Zero :)
The simple swap to another starter motor was from the same reason. Just to save time.
Those who know the old silly Dieter can imagine what will happen now ...
:)
NO, not the hacksaw, but a sensitive look inside to the parts and research for cheap repair alternatives.

Tracy,
I think your dealer has well done in this way with cleaning connections before simply changing expensive parts.
*no ripp off*, but good customer care. IMO
My recommendation 4you would be, if it happens again, ask for a replacement Starter Solenoid.
A knock on the Solenoid with an umbrella or similar will almost be the first aid to let it work again.

The problem your dealer will have is:
There's no replacement solenoid listed in his EPC files for current availiable starter motors. (NAD10050). Only a expensive complete Starter Motor.

However, I bet the older P/N Solenoid BAU5703 will fit aswell to the newer Starter P/N.

I promise, I'll find it out !! :)
-------------
Bookmark and check frequently in the next weeks/month for updates :) http://www.mgfcar.de/starter/replace.htm
-----------

Regards
Dieter
Dieter K.

This thread was discussed between 28/05/2004 and 31/05/2004

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