Atmo non starter

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Atmo non starter

Postby neil-gta » Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:09 pm

Looking for some help as my atmo has been off the road for quite some time and I'm having trouble getting it going again......unsurprisingly I know.

It was started a couple of times last year without problem but now I've come to get it on the road again it won't even turn over, nothing at all. The battery was disconnected when parked up and appears to have/take a charge. All the lights come on fine when trying to start and the headlights etc all work fine. I've tried it with a starter charger, giving the starter a few dunts whilst turning the ignition, tried bump starting it but I'm getting nothing. Could this just be a bad earth? Thought it might be the immobiliser playing up but I've never had any bother with that previously so not sure where else to start.
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Postby Stunned Monkey » Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:47 pm

if you don't even hear a click from the engine bay, the most likely explanation is the connection from key to solenoid (however that's arranged). It *could* be a bad earth but what you describe would have to be completely nonexistant!
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Postby BIG_MVS » Thu Feb 11, 2010 3:41 pm

I had this with my first atmo after a cold snap. When the weather got warmer it started the next time I tried it. This is not really the answer your looking for but I would say my problem was earth related. They don't like the cold weather these Alps :roll:
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Postby Stunned Monkey » Thu Feb 11, 2010 4:10 pm

Does the starter get power directly from the ign switch or via a relay?
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Postby neil-gta » Thu Feb 11, 2010 7:30 pm

Don't think its the key connection as the battery light goes out when I turn it but I'm not sure if the power to starter is direct or through a relay I'll check that out.

The connections to the starter could probably do with a clean up but I can't get into them as I've got 3 into 1 manifolds which are kind of in the way. Guess I'm best startin with all the earths and get it towed to a garage and up on a ramp for better access if that doesn't work. Fingers crossed its earth related then :?

Thanks
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Postby Stunned Monkey » Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:14 pm

neil-gta wrote:Don't think its the key connection as the battery light goes out when I turn it but I'm not sure if the power to starter is direct or through a relay I'll check that out.


That means the key switch is working, doesn't mean the power gets from there to the starter motor.
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Postby JohnC » Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:26 pm

Don't think its the key connection as the battery light goes out when I turn it but I'm not sure if the power to starter is direct or through a relay

If I understand you correctly, when you turn the key to the normal engin running position, the batt, and oil pressure lights etc, come on. On further turning of the key to the start position, the above lights go dim, or out.
If this is the case, the fault is due to there being a poor contact of the 12v from the Battery to the starter motor. The usual culprit is the battery connection its self, and if you look at the battery when the starter is operated, you might see a small whift of smoke eminating from the poor connection. It is usually the negative terminal, which is the most likely as it is the one which you normally disconnect. However it also could be due to a loose battery connection on the actual starter.
Having checked those, there is also a small black box just in fromt of the engin with a clip on lid, and a junction which joins the battery cable to the starter cable, this could also be a bit loose.
If it is still a problem after these checks, then check the battery earth lead to the chassis just beside the battery its self. There is one other earth which connects the gearbox to the chassis which might need checking, but my moneys on the battery terminal :wink:
One other thing, there is no relay, the key switch is directly connected to the starter solinoid, but if you say the lights go out, that part of the circuit is working.
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My one does not like............

Postby si21 » Fri Feb 12, 2010 5:56 pm

BIG_MVS wrote:I had this with my first atmo after a cold snap. When the weather got warmer it started the next time I tried it. This is not really the answer your looking for but I would say my problem was earth related. They don't like the cold weather these Alps :roll:


My one does not like weather period :oops: :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Postby neil-gta » Sun Feb 14, 2010 11:55 am

Managed to get it started at last, think the solenoid connections on the starter motor were the culprit as they were pretty grotty but we changed a couple of earths too which may have helped. Just gotta get it mot'd :? and taxed £££ :cry: then we're sorted.

Thanks for the comments.


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