Hello again everyone. I am having an issue with my wifes 98 XK8. It had a misfire on number 7 code. I replaced the plug, ignition coil and injector. Still not fixed. But, a new problem has come up. I stepped away from it for a few months and going back to it, It will not turn over. I hear a fairly loud click from under the hood on the right side of the engine bay. I checked the battery and it was dead. I tried to charge it and it wouldn't take a charge. So, I installed a new battery. Let me back up. Before new battery there was no click. Just nothing when I turned the key to start. Now with new battery and it says it has 13 point something volts. Now all I get it a loud click. I have in the recent past replaced the battery ground cable. I have checked all the connections in the trunk around the battery and the bulkhead bolt in the engine compartment. I even rolled the engine over a bit with a breaker bar wondering if it was a bad spot on the starter. All I get is a click. Sounds like a bad connection or bad starter solenoid to me. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

I think you are right that the starter is bad. If all of your electrical connections are good then the click you hear is the solenoid engaging the flywheel but the starter will not crank the car. Perhaps someone knows of a way to test the starter in the car but it seems that the voltage to the starter is good if it is throwing the solenoid.
Good luck

 

Hi Riderx2,

The first thing you can do is to swap the starter relay with another less important relay to see if the engine will then crank.

A definitive test is to check for battery voltage on the large Brown & Black battery/alternator wires connected to the starter. There should be battery power there at all times. Then check for battery power at the White/Red solenoid control wire when the key is turned to the Start position. If you have power at the starter, the starter motor or brushes have failed.

Cheers,

Don

 

If battery is low then solenoid may only click but not turn .If battery is good then the solenoid contacts are burnt .Often you can just replace the solenoid or if you are super lucky reverse the copper plates and use the other side ..120w soldering Iron required. If it over 60,000 replace the starter.

 

If you can... Remove air tubing from the RH side. Remove the panel that is covering the space in the "false bulkhead" revealing the starter relay, a fuse box, and the box for the ECU. NOTE - if you have a helper you don't need to do this bit with the relay, but it helps if you are working by yourself. Remove the cover of the starter relay with a small screwdriver or pick and with the relay off the car take a good look at it and you'll see the hinged mechanism inside that creates the "contact" when the key is turned and starter is engaged... Pinch this hinged sprung mechanism and get a "feel" for it... This all might sound complicated but it aint. You'll see it.

Carefully replace the relay. (Finding an alternate relay is a good idea as mentioned)...

Now, key off, in PARK, get a flashlight and look down in the space created by removing the air tube. Get a pole or a broom stick or something to TAP on (a good hard tap) the side of the starter while you PINCH the relay. Sometimes this will free up a starter that's stuck on stupid, that sat for a while and was once (or ten times) attempted to be engaged with a bad battery - if you know what I mean.

I would give this a short before going full out, getti g under the car and replacing the entire starter.

 

Stuck in starters relates to the old days of inertia starters ..wasting you time here clouting it as its a pe engaged type.. If you are getting a loud click from the starter its moving the pinion into mesh but the contacts are not powering the motor so either contacts or brushes ..
Take it off with a 13mm socket on a very long bar after removing the oil filter and scoop ..yes that long.