Starting issue - auto outback

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:22 pm

hye guys i need to pick ur brains now

the other day my starter motor died, and battery went flat...

story goes that for a very long time the crank has been quite slow and it eventually just didnt crank at all

yesterday i got a hold of another starter motor and put it in... for the first few starts it worked fine..as it should. then took for a 5 minute blat....turned off...started....starter motor showing signs of a flat battery again,

if i keep turning the key it will eventually crank over as it should

now the battery is new, its getting just under 14 volts at charge which is normal, the starter motor is getting good current... but still wont crank properly...

ive even REAPLCED the starter motor for another ej one as the first one just shit itself and wouldnt turn at all even in ur hands

nmow ive tried everything.... putting battery directly on starter motor, earthing, new leads,, the works,,,, even with the current battery connected and, AND a jump from another brand new battery it STILL wont crank properly......

the only way i can start my car atm is buy turning the key on and off untill it eventually gets a good crank

is it posible this starter motor i grabbed is a manual one?? is there a difference between manual and auto? is something wrong somewhere else???

i need help here caus its my only car atm and i need it to be functioning properly and not being dodgy like this

cheers
dave

Post by **Alex** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:38 pm

wonder if something like the ignition barrel terminals are dirty.

My mate had a similar problem when his ecu was playing up.

Just sum more ideas to toy with.

Alex

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:40 pm

no the starter motor is getting full signal from barrel, its just not cranking, and all the lights dim, even with 2 new batteries connected

FROG · Post by **FROG** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:57 pm

What Month 98 Is Yours?

FROG · Post by **FROG** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:58 pm

Or Better Still Pm Me Your Vin

FROG · Post by **FROG** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 4:13 pm

yep auto is different to manual and about three hundred dearer too btw

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 4:43 pm

yeh thats y im not buying a new one...

turns out the solenoid on mine is gone

dave

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 5:20 pm

D3V1L wrote:yeh thats y im not buying a new one...

turns out the solenoid on mine is gone

I've got the same problem with my L - I'm guessing its the starter motor, it always cranks over as if the battery is flat for the first couple of cranks, if the motor fires and dies it will crank as normal for a little bit before going back to "flat mode"

I also get a flat battery after 2 or 3 days of the car sitting there, my battery is admitedly old but shouldn't be doing this anyway - I thought it may have been my Head Unit draining the battery but found out yesterday that it is not the head unit (pulled fuses and came back to car with completely dead battery).

Friday I'll swap out the starter for the one in the parts car and see how it goes from there...

Hope you get something sorted, there's nothing more frustrating that trying to start your car and nothing happens!

Cheers

Bennie

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 5:24 pm

its shitting me off now. ive put a new solonoid on my started motor so that works fine but my battery keeps acting as if its flat...when its not!! its got plenty in it, the alternator is charging it at a very adequate level, but im still lost. ive done everything i can think of now. im hoping my brand new very expensie battery has not shit itself ...grrr. that would just not make my day

dave

GOD · Post by **GOD** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 5:49 pm

Have you measured parasitic load? Or is it possible that the starter or starter solenoid is shorting to ground? If the lights are dimming, there must be a fair bit of power sinking somewhere.

Dane.

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 6:31 pm

ive got an EJ auto starter here if u wanna try out on weekend

Subafury · Post by **Subafury** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:20 pm

i thought thats just how ej starter motors worked- first time crank like battery is flat and then fires hard into life. all the ones ive heard start up are.

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:32 pm

no matt...i get half a crank, then stops moving,,, then turn key again, half a crank then stops moving...i have to repeat this untill it finally gets into motion

seems like i have half sorted it...seems to be goin ok now,,,, now to work out why my big assed expensive battery has decided to play up

dave

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:34 pm

Subafury wrote:i thought thats just how ej starter motors worked- first time crank like battery is flat and then fires hard into life. all the ones ive heard start up are.

youve heard mine start yes? it does nothing of the sort

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:36 pm

Matatak wrote:youve heard mine start yes? it does nothing of the sort

hahahaha i never heard what he goes on about xcept in brenny's caus of bad comnmection

dave

vincentvega · Post by **vincentvega** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:42 am

less than 14V is not normal charge voltage.

go get the battery load tested at a battery shop. sounds like its stuffed.

liberty92 · Post by **liberty92** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:10 am

check the battery lead to the starter and your earths

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:37 am

Matatak wrote:youve heard mine start yes? it does nothing of the sort

But you're using an EA starter yes? Because of the adaptor plate and EA gearbox?

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 11:50 am

vincentvega wrote:less than 14V is not normal charge voltage.

go get the battery load tested at a battery shop. sounds like its stuffed.

just under 14 volts is actually perfect charge when all accessories is on, ie: stereo, spotties, everything. with everything off 14.2 is the charge rate which is spot on according to all availiaible sources

(i have 2 auto sparkiesm and several mechanics)

but yes....it sounds like my battery has dropped a cell, which i have seen once before on a new battery

pissed me off caus i dont have the receipt for the warrenty

bloody expensive battery

dave

FROG · Post by **FROG** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 11:54 am

try them out for warranty anyway most batteries are date stamped, be worth a go anyway
good luck Dave