Mechanical Question?

[rabbitearbandicoot]

my car VZ Commodore has started with a  click-click-click when I try to start it.... it does it 2 or 3 times ... eventually starts after I bless it a few times  .... but I'm worried that eventually it won't ..... so, starter motor? solenoid? 

This had to happen when every mechanic for miles around is on 2-weeks holiday.

[ten*teeny*tiny*toes]

Thanks viewmont. Ours is a '99 vt acclaim, I think, and we've had it since new. Mechanically it hasn't missed a beat and we've never had to spend much on it, so it got a new starter motor whether it needed it or not lol.

Can't say the same for the fittings  It's now an 'ommodore, got ceiling sag, two stuffed seat belts, wonky driver seat and the window winders keep dropping off. And no airconditioning aggghhhh.

[viewmont1071]

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@the*scarlet*pimpernel wrote:

Hi Monty, nice to see you

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I thought that myself when I looked in the mirror this morning. better than the alternative anyways..

Hey Pimpy ...

Best of the season to you.

I have not been on here much. I am managing a truck workshop ATM and it seriously impinging on my spare time.

The owners have their own dogs and tippers and some twin steers working on the concrete on the Pac highway bypass at

Sancrox, Fredrickton, Macksville and Nambucca and Urunga.

so it's mainly in house stuff and managing drivers/loads.

[dwilke33]

Truly,  I have no idea what everyone is talking about, but I don't seem to be able to stop reading.  Fascinating.

[viewmont1071]

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@ten*teeny*tiny*toes wrote:

Thanks viewmont. Ours is a '99 vt acclaim, I think, and we've had it since new. Mechanically it hasn't missed a beat and we've never had to spend much on it, so it got a new starter motor whether it needed it or not lol.

Can't say the same for the fittings  It's now an 'ommodore, got ceiling sag, two stuffed seat belts, wonky driver seat and the window winders keep dropping off. And no airconditioning aggghhhh.

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grab a Normal paper stapler  for the ceiling sag and use it "open'. start in a corner... works a treat

... for the kids in the back you can use the glow stars/shapes with the thumbtack on the back.

..kept mine amused for hours way back when on a long trip after dark.

[the_hawk*]

common cause for click click click and then a start is a dirty battery terminal, a dieing starter motor or starter solenoid or a less common cause a battery that has developed a high resistance connection internally. 

that is all assuming the clicking is coming from the starter motor solenoid.

If its coming from the much smaller starter relay you could try swapping it for one of the other relays and see what happens

[rabbitearbandicoot]

Thanks all. I didn't mean to start a war here.

Another symptom - I just went out to start the car - when I first turned the key to start - nothing ... I turned the key again .... nothing .. but I left it in the start position and 1-2 seconds later - the car started immediately - it was as if, the first cranks were inaudible and finally it started. Does that make sense?

I'll make a list of all the things people have suggested and get them all checked out on 5th - Thanks again everyone.

[this-one-time-at-bandcamp]

No war, sweetie.......if we were all standing around the vehicle in question, there would most likely be a unanimous agreement as to the problem, but it's hard to do a diagnosis from words on a chat board.

So, when you take it to a qualified mechanic, the first check is visual, looking at the condition of the cables at the battery, the next check is battery voltage, then starter draw.......that will tell you the condition of both the battery and starter.  A high draw to the starter is the result of excessive resistance, be it cables or the starter itself.  Once the condition of both is established, before leaving, have the alternator output tested.  I once broke one of the tabs off my internal voltage regulator alternator, and I made a temporary fix using one of my girlfriend's barrettes.  As long as I didn't goose the motor, it worked.

[rabbitearbandicoot]

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@this-one-time-at-bandcamp wrote:

No war, sweetie.......if we were all standing around the vehicle in question, there would most likely be a unanimous agreement as to the problem, but it's hard to do a diagnosis from words on a chat board.

So, when you take it to a qualified mechanic, the first check is visual, looking at the condition of the cables at the battery, the next check is battery voltage, then starter draw.......that will tell you the condition of both the battery and starter.  A high draw to the starter is the result of excessive resistance, be it cables or the starter itself.  Once the condition of both is established, before leaving, have the alternator output tested.  I once broke one of the tabs off my internal voltage regulator alternator, and I made a temporary fix using one of my girlfriend's barrettes.  As long as I didn't goose the motor, it worked.

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'sweetie' ..... Oh stop it! My wife may see this.

[imastawka]

lol.   Band started it - post #26

[serendipityricho]

Rabbit-you dont give the right info--the experts are wating for more.

If its an auto-make sure the gear stick is firm in Park.

or try starting in Neutral.---geez im getting a headache

Have you checked out the-key or keys like i posted last night-clean the metal ring

arould the key hole and the nob on the module--the key needs to make

electrical contact wnen pushed in and turned...........................Richo.