1.6hdi wont turn over

[185darren]

Hi, new member and really could do with some advice
My 2007 berlingo van 1.6HDi wont start on occasions (more often in a morning), it's had a new starter motor 2 months ago and ive had the battery checked and that's all fine. It just clicks around the footwell area. I've checked wiring from battery, wiring on starter and earths to the body all seems fine. It bump starts fine. Just at a loss what else it could be !! Please help
Many Thanks Daz

[Ol'Jeffers]

Is the starter motor turning?

[185darren]

no it just clicks from the drivers foot well area. About 50% of the time it will turn over and start just fine!!

[crickleymal]

I have had the thick wire from the battery to the starter fracture but not show any signs externally. That caused me a bit of hassle until I sussed it out.

[Vossy1]

I've had this problem on my Berlingo and on an 04 Fiesta, both times it was the battery. On the Fiesta it just wasn't holding enough charge to turn the starter motor over, onyl the annoying clicking sound. On the Berlingo I had the problem intermittently until the battery failed completely due to a collapsed cell. My neighbour recently had the same thing with her Fiesta (05)...again faulty battery. Even the RAC man had trouble diagnosing the Berlingo fault, on the spot test battery fine, he left the testing equipment attached and watched the output and it varied massively...something to do with the cell breaking down....would be worth seeing if you can use a replacement battery temporarily.

[stuartinlancashire]

I have had the thick wire from the battery to the starter fracture but not show any signs externally. That caused me a bit of hassle until I sussed it out.

If the battery & starter are ok then I'd be looking at this too.

[185darren]

going to look at lead next, I've just changed battery and it's still the same. Now to locate a battery lead

[Rustscrat]

It's quite a simple starting circuit so you should be able to sort it.
If main battery leads and engine earth is ok then follow the line from the ignition switch to the starter solenoid.
MF7 (main fuse 7) should be ok as long as you are getting your ignition lights on.
It then comes out of the ignition switch and into the engine bay fuse box on plug "PP2", goes straight through and out on a 2 pin black plug "Bat Noir".
From this it goes to the solenoid on the starter.
Try listening for a loud click coming from the solenoid on the starter.
If no click it's on the solenoid power side, if click, then it's the starter motor or the main power to this.
Let us know how you get on. :thumbsup:
   

[mikeB]

It's quite a simple starting circuit so you should be able to sort it.
If main battery leads and engine earth is ok then follow the line from the ignition switch to the starter solenoid.
MF7 (main fuse 7) should be ok as long as you are getting your ignition lights on.
It then comes out of the ignition switch and into the engine bay fuse box on plug "PP2", goes straight through and out on a 2 pin black plug "Bat Noir".
From this it goes to the solenoid on the starter.
Try listening for a loud click coming from the solenoid on the starter.
If no click it's on the solenoid power side, if click, then it's the starter motor or the main power to this.
Let us know how you get on. :thumbsup:

If there is a click from the footwell area it sounds as though the solenoid is actuating. Its purpose of course is to turn the small current from the ignition key switch into the massive current needed to turn the engine over. I am not familiar with the Berlingo starter motor but I would suspect the solenoid.

If it was the battery (low voltage, and therefore unable to supply the required current) the clicks tend to be repeated at a fast rate, which often results in a low frequency buzz rather than a single click.

[185darren]

Not sure if it helps but this morning I've tested the main positive to the starter motor and there is supply getting through, so I ran a jump lead from the positive on the battery to the small positive on starter (ignition I believe) with the ignition turned on and after about 10 attempts at touching with the lead the starter turned over a bit. The rest of the time there was just a spark!! Beginning to think I've bought a dodgy starter motor off euro car parts but could really do with making sure before I return it as they will do anything to get out of giving me an exchange

---

Another update, I've just checked the ignition wire to the starter using the tester and every time you turn the ignition over power doe's get to the starter motor so it looks like it is the solenoid on the starter. Very annoying seeing as it's only a few month old. Wonder if I will get my money back???