Ford Fiesta occasionally starter just makes a noise but wont start.

[motorbiking]

Any ideas, it makes a noise, (i.e. not just clicks). Is it starter solenoid?

Battery fully charged
alternator seems to work fine.
just every once in a while the start wont engage.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

What year fiesta?

Some of these (generally older) have big starter problems that initially present as starter motor fault but end up with fuse box/ignition issue.

But noise (assuming clanking type) suggests starter issue

 

[motorbiking]

2010 mk7 1.25l zetec.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Can you test voltage at starter as key turned ?

It's not the age of the specific issue i'm thinking of

 

[motorbiking]

yeah its good - 13v

 

[jurassic sparkk]

Loose wire probably.

 

[jurassic sparkk]

Or bad brushes in motor.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

yeah its good - 13v

13v as key turned, not less?

Roughly the same as the battery?

 

[Burnerman]

There's sure to be a voltage drop when the engine is cranking.
I think it's a good idea to pop the starter out for a clean from clutch dust, but a refurbished one sounds likely.
John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Any ideas, it makes a noise, (i.e. not just clicks). Is it starter solenoid?

Battery fully charged
alternator seems to work fine.
just every once in a while the start wont engage.

Modern starters pre-engage, before they begin to rotate, so is it a clunk followed by a whirring noise, or just a clunk?

Solenoid is powered, solenoid moves bendix to engage, and at the same time, applies power to the motor.

Just the clunk, suggests battery too weak, or poor connections, see if headlights dim much.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

There's sure to be a voltage drop when the engine is cranking.
I think it's a good idea to pop the starter out for a clean from clutch dust, but a refurbished one sounds likely.
John

I would be double checking the voltage at cranking before removing the starter.

Sounding like its not drawing power?

 

[motorbiking]

Modern starters pre-engage, before they begin to rotate, so is it a clunk followed by a whirring noise, or just a clunk?

Solenoid is powered, solenoid moves bendix to engage, and at the same time, applies power to the motor.

Just the clunk, suggests battery too weak, or poor connections, see if headlights dim much.

No we get the whirring but the engine doesn’t turn over. It’s intermittent too. Try it again and it starts. Sometimes it 2 or 3 goes then vroom. Other times it goes first time.

Will drop it out and clean it

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

No we get the whirring but the engine doesn’t turn over. It’s intermittent too. Try it again and it starts. Sometimes it 2 or 3 goes then vroom. Other times it goes first time.

Will drop it out and clean it

It must be a none pre-engaged starter. A clean of the bendix should fix it. The bendix, is flung along the shaft to engage, by the inertia of the bendix.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

It must be a none pre-engaged starter. A clean of the bendix should fix it. The bendix, is flung along the shaft to engage, by the inertia of the bendix.

it will be a pre engaged type

 

[carmanmemoranda]

No we get the whirring but the engine doesn’t turn over. It’s intermittent too. Try it again and it starts. Sometimes it 2 or 3 goes then vroom. Other times it goes first time.

Will drop it out and clean it

Sounds like an intermittent power supply issue, but not ruling out faulty starter.