Triumph Repair: Spitfire 1500 electrical issue, soleniod, battery connections

Question
Jim, I just acquired a 1976 spitfire.  It has not run for five years. I have replaced the battery and starter. there is an after market electronic ignition in the car.  I can not get the engine to turn over.  should I replace the starter syliniod?  can you give me a few pointers.  Thanks  Andy

Answer
Andy,

First off, make sure you've got some good tools.  A decent multimeter/voltmeter is a must.  The correct wrenches/sockets to remove cables, etc.  And some steel wool or a wire brush.

Go through and make sure all battery connections are clean and tight.  It's surprising what a loose battery terminal can do.. or in this case not do.

If you've got a good battery in the car (charged up) and want to isolate whether it's solenoid or starter you can carefully short across the large leads on the solenoid using a screwdriver.  12V isn't enough to give you a shock but the metal will get hot so be careful.

If the starter kicks with the screwdriver trick then you know the problem is something to do with the solenoid.  It's tough to describe remotely (my shop manuals are not with me here) but on the solenoid there are the two main terminals (battery and starter) and 1/4" spade connector that's the trigger for the soleniod.  Have a friend try starting the car while you watch the voltage on the trigger line.  If it's getting 12v but the starter doesn't kick then it's the solenoid.  If it's not getting voltage then it's the wiring coming from the ignition switch.

It's not uncommon for the electrical contacts to be corroded, especially after sitting for a while.  Sometimes just working a switch a few times will magically make it work again.

Also look around for signs of wire damage... I suspect the Triumph supplier used cheddar cheese in the insulation... the mice just LOVE chewing up the wiring harness.

Hope that gets you running again.


Cheers,

Jim