QuestionQUESTION: I have a 1986 XJ6 obviously a SIII. I wen through quite a bit of diagnostics and have a few problems after the wife drove my jag.
So here it goes:
My wife was driving the car and went to an appointment hen when leaving the car would not turn over. I tried the battery the brought it home. After a lot of diagnostics I found that the third chamber of the block and head were pretty mashed and since have replaced the motor. I am having a starting problem since the install.
I turn the key and get one click from the starter but no turn on the motor. I assume this is electrical as the battery terminals are heating up slightly. I have checked C2 and W1 of the starter relay and are getting 12.9 volts on C2 when the battery is hooked up and 9.4V from W1 when I turn the key. I have replaced the white/red wire (C1) from the starter relay and the battery cable to the starter solenoid. I have also replaced both battery cables, cleaned the grounding strap and have done numerous other voltage and ohmic checks in the ignition system and have had no odd results. The battery is a deep cycle 800 CCA duralast gold battery charged to 12.9V and drops to 9.3V when the key is turned. I have turned the motor by hand prior to install and it had great pressure and turned nicely. I jacked up the rear end of the car, removed the plugs and tried to turn the crank ny hand. The crank turns slowly and with A LOT of force. I can only contribute this to being a new install and could be tight at first. I have set a second battery tin parallel to give starter and extra boost but with no luck.
At this point I am a little stumped as where to go or what to try. I may have mistakenly omitted relevant information but only due to frustration at this point. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Matt
ANSWER: Hi Matt,
I thought I just answered this but here it is again if it didn't go.
You are skipping things and skipping around with your tests.
First remove the plugs and either remove the coil wire from the cap and ground it or remove the power wires from the coil. Then put the volt meter across the battery and spin the engine until you see about 35 PSI on the oil pressure gauge. And read the volt meter on the battery while spinning the engine. It should be high (close to 12v)
If it is not, have someone spin the engine with the plugs in and do voltage drop tests on all the main cables (power and ground cables) If you are not familiar with voltage drop tests of cables let me know and I will go over it with you.
The 9.3v with the starter spinning the engine with the plugs in is too low and an indication of either cable problems, a dragging starter or overly tight engine.
The voltage tests at the starter relay are of no use for anything.
let me know,
Howard
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QUESTION: I guess either I was not clear. I can't spin the motor if the starter doesn't spin the motor. All voltage drop test were conducted as stated before and no anomalies were found. As stated before the plugs were removed and tests conducted again. I have done quite a bit of research and even though 9.3V is lower than it should be it is high enough to be able to turn this starter. I believe you are trying to generalize this problem and the symptoms if really considered show that it is a rather odd situation. Thanks for the advice.
AnswerJust remove the White w/red tracer wire off of the starter relay and jump it to a hot jumper from the battery and if the starter does not spin the engine (that you already have confirmed is not locked up), it should spin the engine. If it does not spin the engine then the starter and/or the solenoid is bad (providing the wires on the solenoid are tight) You have already done the voltage drop tests on the all the ground cables and the power cables to the solenoid, then there is no more to the system.
By using the white & red wire you bypass the neutral safety switch. That leaves nothing but the starter and / or solenoid.
Howard
