Starting Issues

mavrik2k3 · June 21, 2016

Hi..

Just wanted to run this past a few owners, I'm sure it would have cropped up in the past with someone else. Car is a 55 plate X-Type 2,0 D

Whilst on my hols the car would not start, a distinctive click coming from the starter motor.. With no means to jump or bump start the car I had to call out the AA, he first tested the battery and although it was reading good voltage, it was low on amps ( half what there should be ) So tried a boost start and still got the click. he then tried to rock the car in gear, still no joy. then wacked the starter motor with a metal bar whilst I was attempting the turn it over..still no joy. He said it was the starter was jammed. I got a bit of a tow and it started. As I was out on hols and no tools to do the starter myself I was towed to a local Jaguar specialist garage. They changed the starter motor for a new one. £300 later I collected the car the next day.

After one day of a bit of site seeing, the car again failed to start with the 'click' again, stranded I called the AA out gain, and told them that under the previous guys instruction I had the garage change the starter motor..the AA guy that turned up done a few extra checks after I had told him the starter motor had been changed, battery weak on amps. but again would not start from his boost pack, he checked the earth on the side of the engine. Still no joy and he again pointed the fault to the brand new starter motor. I was again towed to start the car and the AA guy spoke to the garage, they was miffed and said it would be a rare thing to have a new starter fail, but agreed to change it at no extra cost. They rang me the next day to say they had been testing the car and still itermittent fault of 'clicking' and said it could be the positive cable from the battery to the starter, I declined their offer to order one from Jaguar and fit, as the bill would have been I would guess another £300, for a a job I can do myself.

I have fitted a new battery, and await the delivery of a second hand cable....I was expecting to find a relay for the starter, but I cannot find one, just a 30 amp fuse,,am I just missing finding the relay or is there not one to find?

So just wondering if anyone else has had simalar problems as what I have had and anything else worth checking?

Regards Ken

JOE-DOT-COM · June 21, 2016

hi

the battery feed goes straight to the starter motor

the starter will be of a pre engaged type

in other words the relay/solenoid is actually on the starter motor itself, big lump on the side of it

what it does is the solenoid has two purposes one to engage the starter to the flywheel and then once engaged it makes a very heavy duty contact and power up the starter

so if your hearing the click that means the starter is trying to engage.

what you could try is check you have battery voltage at the starter, you need to check you have voltage while you are trying to start it, if you have then you could have a bad earth on the engine, no earth and the starter has no return path.

if its a bad earth, easiest way to proove it would be to get a jump leads, use the black at one end and go to a good earth, like a bracket bolted to the body in the engine bay and the other end of the black jump lead, clamp it to something on the engine, like a engine mount or bracket, so your making a earth path from the body to the engine

if it starts then you know its a bad earth

its a common problem on modern cars, on olden days cars i had this happen on a car and when i tried to start the car it used the throttle cable as a earth and melted it

cheers

joe

mavrik2k3 · June 21, 2016

Cheers for the reply and info Joe.

I have purchased a new battery, and whilst awaiting delivery of the second hand positive cable I have taken off the earths and cleaned up the contacts on both cable and mounts.. before doing all this the car did start up on the key, but it's always the places where you dont have the luxury of a hill that it will let me down ! so may as well do what I can to see if the problem is solved with the 3 jobs done.

I will update on progress and all being well a good result.

Regards Ken

gareth roberts · April 26, 2021

Hi ihave a 2005 diesel x type, running perfectly parked up last night ok .This morning will not start, all lights on dash working, battery charged, checked fuses under bonnet, when you turn ignition key there is a clicking coming from around the fuse box and a large junction connection next to fuse box.No sound from starter motor.engine light on dash stays on.Has anyone any ideas before i call a mobile mechanic or have it towed to garage.I have little practical mechanical experience