Starting

[steveskeggy]

I have a problem that only rears up in certain conditions.
If the weather is like today, when its damp, with bouts of very fine rain, the igniion turns on, everything electrical works, but the starter wont turn.
It doesnt even attempt to spin, and there is n heavy clicking either when I use the keyless or the key. there is clicking from the relays, but nothing that sounds like a solonoid.
At all other times, including heavy rain, the starter works fine, it doesnt sound laboured and never fails to start the engine.
I have tried spraying both he under bonnet fuse boxes with electrical cleaner and i have tried swapping the relay on the drivers side that clicks when I turn the key to the start position.
As soon as the car dries out, it starts again, so obviously water is getting in somewhere and causing a broken circuit.
I think the starter motor is under a heat shield on the S600 but I cant see it from the top, so I dont know if the starter itself is wet.
Idont think its a much of a muchness, it just needs to be sprayed and then sealed properly when its dry.
But where?
Any ideas?

 

[artyman]

I remeber back in the good old days that was usually the solenoid clicking, caused by a poor connection on either the earth cable to the engine or a battery connection. A tap with a hammer normally sorted it

 

[steveskeggy]

When I started on cars there were not many motors that had solenoids, and they were usually easy to unstick with a bump in fourth or a turn of the engine with the bolt on the bottom pulley.
When the weather dried out today I tried it again, It was still non- responsive on the first two goes, then it sprang into life and it was OK after that.
If we get better weather I will get the front end up in the air and see if I can see the motor and check if the electrics are exposed to the elements.

I remeber back in the good old days that was usually the solenoid clicking, caused by a poor connection on either the earth cable to the engine or a battery connection. A tap with a hammer normally sorted it