ok yesturday i took my car for a drive for about 15mins then i got home left it for and hour or 2 then when i went to start it it wouldnt. all it would do is make a single click noise when i tried to turn it over. but after moving the gear selector around abit it starts. i was thinking it could be the starter motor but i could be wrong. also could any 1 tell me where the starter motor is? Cheers
Sorry to say mate, but u guessed right. Had exactly the same problem, RACV came out, diagnosed, starter motor straight away.
hmmm. try leaving the car in park and rocking it back and forward a bit. try it. if it doesn't work put it in nuetral and roll it a bit and push it into park. then try it. works on my mates VS 5L. makes a clicking noise when you try and start, do that and it starts. may have to try it a few times though.
It shouldn't be a bad starter motor if by moving the gear selector around it eventually starts - that would point to a misaligned inhibitor switch on the gear selector ....or maybe the inhibitor switch is buggered and making intermittent contact. The other thing is that when the ignition is turned to "start", power goes to the starter motor solenoid via the start relay - that may be the clicking noise and it may be the "start" relay that is not working properly. (hopefully as that would be a cheap fix). Good Luck.
i think the batery is fine coz i only put it in the other day. and im pretty sure it the starter motor coz the same thing happend to my dads ute a few months ago and the only way it would start is if u moved the gear selector around while turning the key. so wheres the starter motor coz i cant seem to find it.
if you have to move the gearstick while the key is on its your neutral safety switch. The starter is on the passengers side under the exhaust manifold.
Just charge you battery up with an electric charger overnight and then try it before you buy a new starter motor. If your alternator isn't charging the engine will drain the battery flat when its running. Then you wont have enough juice in the battery to get the starter motor to kick over and you end up getting the clicking noise.
tried all that stuff still didnt work! and will a vr starter motor fit and will i have use a hoist to get to the starter motor?
have u tried getting a jump start just to determine if its your battery or the terminals? ive heard a few people say they have had faulty brand new batteries that stuff up in a few days, or dont work to begin with. But i think these are mainly like kmart ones, which im not sure of the quality or brands they sell there.
ok the starter motor is located to the back of the motor on the right hand side (looking from the front) near the bellhousing. its a little hard to get at from the top coz of the exhaust manifold but if you get your car up on the ramps you will be able to get it from underneath easy. no need for the crane coz if you lift your motor out your giving your self extra troubles and the engine mounts are a prick to align. hope that helped. btw its most likly the started before you go about changing it try givin it a few hard hits (not too hard but) with a pole that should free it up.
are you having probs with unlocking the car with the remote? cos mine does the same thing. i go to start it and it clicks when you turn it to the start position, then i turn it off and start it again and it starts. my remote plays around a bit i have to get a new one cos it won't unlock my car then i tap it on something solid and it will unlock it.
You will have a charge light show up on the dash if the alternator is not working. Chech the wiring to the starter motor. The + cable was loose on mine and spray contacts with wd-40, helps:yeah:
i think its the gearbox inhibitor switch too. Try one thing- put the car in park and try to start it. Look at the dash lights that come up. Now try it in drive- if it does the same thing, i think it should be the inhibitor
