190E 2.6 clicking instead of starting.

[neilrr]

I just went out to go somewhere in the car & it clicks instead of starts. I parked it 3 hours ago & all was well.

Would this be a sticky starter motor? TBH I don't know where the starter motor is to give it a wallop & can't ever find anything on the Russian diagram site. http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb0.asp?TP=1

Help!

 

[BTB 500]

Sounds like a dead battery ... it's the time of year for it.

Below a certain voltage you'll just get a click - it won't try to turn the engine over (to avoid a totally flat battery).

Can you try jump starting it?

 

[stevesey]

Solenoid/earth connections as well.

But I'd go with the battery first. I've had a couple go very quickly over the past few years (one just seemed a bit sluggish one morning, but started straight away, checked at lunchtime and it was dead). Similarly a guy at work had this on wednesday night, he was convinced battery was OK, so it must be a jammed starter. Asked him the next morning and it was the battery. I think modern cars start after so few turns, that if you use the car everyday the battery can we well on it's way out before you notice.

 

[neilrr]

I don't think it's the battery, which is only about 8 mths old.

I tried to start it with the lights on high beam + fog lights + hazards + one window going down & there was no dimming of the lights & no difference in the window down speed.

The car doesn't turn over, I just get a series of three or four clicks & then nothing. It appears to be coming from the area the coil lives in. Is that a likely candidate for this failure?

 

[nick mercedes]

I don't think it's the battery, which is only about 8 mths old.

I tried to start it with the lights on high beam + fog lights + hazards + one window going down & there was no dimming of the lights & no difference in the window down speed.

The car doesn't turn over, I just get a series of three or four clicks & then nothing. It appears to be coming from the area the coil lives in. Is that a likely candidate for this failure?

You could always give the starter a belt to see if it's sticking.

A duff coil won't stop it turning over.

 

[neilrr]

Where is the starter?

 

[Dieselman]

Left hand side of the block.
Do the dash lights dim when you turn the key.?

 

[neilrr]

Left hand side of the block.
Do the dash lights dim when you turn the key.?

No. All bright.

I'll try jumping it tomorrow a.m. but I don't think the battery is the problem.

 

[Mark300SL]

No. All bright.

I'll try jumping it tomorrow a.m. but I don't think the battery is the problem.

Careful - I blew the OVP relay on mine doing just that

 

[grober]

Could just be the solenoid is sticking? It serves 2 purposes
1. to move the starter pinion gear into mesh with flywheel ring gear.
2. At the end of its travel it bridges the 2 main contacts to connect the starter motor directly to the battery via the main leads.
http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...&L=765.903&CT=M&cat=505&SID=15&SGR=015&SGN=01-- part 108 on the diagram.

Sometimes all they need is a clean up. Unfortunately you will probably need to remove the entire starter motor to do this. This is usually problem since access can be difficult. Battery is the first port of call as others have said.

 

[Mercedes cozy]

Check all battery terminals, Make sure they are clean
Also as someone mentioned, check the main earth strap to the engine.
Possible faulty Starter motor.
Could be a faulty ignition switch behind the barrel housing.

There should be a purple and white stripe wire covered in black sleeve that goes along the route of the battery wire, worth while putting a 12v positive and bridging and may start. But have the ignition on first.
ONLY DO THIS IF YOUR CAR IS AUTO AND IN PARK.
IF MANUAL MAKE SURE THAT ITS IN NEUTRAL WITH HANDBRAKE UP.

 

[imadoofus]

Is the car manual? If so, you can put it in gear and rock it backwards and forwards. That can be enough to free the sticky starter motor (a trick I used on the wife's Fiat Uno years ago).

 

[Will]

Good tips from everyone here as usual.

I'm guessing at a sticky solenoid on the starter motor, have a look underneath it and give it a few taps with a lump of wood. Might help if you can get someone to try starting it at the same time.

Will

 

[jaymanek]

give the starter a tap with the handle end of a hammer..

 

[neilrr]

It's an auto.

I had a quick look in the Haynes manual & the starter motor seems to be a COMPLETE ******* to reach.

When I next summon up the willpower required to climb under the car I'll wallop it with something & see if it frees anything.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Will]

It'll only take 30 seconds to do Neil.

Probably don't even need to jack it up!

Will

 

[bigstuff]

i had the same fault with a e200 never had any starter greef till i left it for a few mths after trying the hit & hope i put a live on the starter & it started first time so i knew it was the solenoid so just got a new starter sorted

 

[Dieselman]

If it's the solenoid just strip and clean it, they can jam and rarely require replacement contacts.

 

[bigstuff]

If it's the solenoid just strip and clean it, they can jam and rarely require replacement contacts.

i was lucky my mate had one from a c-class & it was free

 

[neilrr]

In the end it turned out to be fairly chunky braided earthing wire on the bottom of the car which had broken.

A couple of quid & the car fired right up.

Doh!