new starter, new ignition switch, just clicking

[sygh2k 0]

right, hoping somebody can give me some new ideas, went to my house from my dads to pick up some tools, everything ok, stopped to pick up tools, got back in the car to get going back, tried starting and just got clicking from the starter. so over the last 2 days ive changed the starter, put a new ignition switch on, checked imobiliser, fuel pump primes and still all i get is clicking and the faintest of turns from the engine, when i say faint you can just see the alternator turn slightly. when i originally had the issue sunday night after excessive tries turnin, well clicking i got smoke from the column area. have now completely removed all the cowlings and checked over wiring and cleaned all the stalks up.

 

has anybody any ideas as to why im only getting clicking and no full on turning of the engine???

 

we even tried jump starting and still only got clicking..

[seanl82 23]

Check wiring around the battery, and get a multimeter on the battery if you have one. Clicking suggests your battery doesn't have enough juice to turn the engine over. May be worth checking your alternator too seeing as it happened after a run.

[Jon_vr6 1]

Had similar fault on my vr6, clicking after new starter and new ignition switch...turned out to be corrosion on battery to starter cable cleaned up and been fine since

[sygh2k 0]

i shall try checking over the wires again, i just find it odd that its been perfectly fine, then after been off 10mins after a 20min run just wont have it :s i assumed in us trying to jump start it though it would rule out the battery been duff :s

 

ive also tried starting it with the alternator completly disconnected..

[Jochen744 10]

Could be a bad earth? try using a jump lead with one end on engine/gearbox bolt head and other end on battery earth. This will act as a good earth. Or as others have said it could be a poor supply, If you have a multimeter? put it on scale 20v DC and whilst someone holding key in start position measure voltage between starter main connection and battery positive pole, your allowed 0.3 - 0.5 voltage drop max. if it shows high volts you have a poor connection somewhere.

[sygh2k 0]

i think as a matter of course now i am going to replace all the main heavy battery/alternator cables as they look all original and see what happens from there.

 

thank you for the advice, and i will keep you posted.

[Supercharged 2]

^ Jump lead advice is good... check battery voltage etc

 

Was it a genuine ignition switch? (cheap ones can fail like this and this could be where the smoke was coming from)

[sygh2k 0]

im told the battery is ok - had it tested after been on charge,its also bigger than whats required and the ignition switch i changed after i got the starting problem from gsf thinking it was that.

 

im going to try the jump leads tonight after work and hope its the main leads ;)

[Jon_vr6 1]

Try a jump lead from battery to starter motor if it starts you know its the lead

[sygh2k 0]

yay..got it started, after much faffing this evening ive got it started, looks like its turned out to be a very tempramental relay/fuseboard, basically i swapped relays from out of my mk2 scirocco oddly to not seem to do anything, then when i put originals back in it fired up :) so from tomorrow/weekend i think i shall be checking everywire and swapping out relays for new ones.

 

again thank you for the advice :)