Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Cold start 'click' only from starter motor?

1990 +8 Back using the car this week, each day when cold first turn of the key to start just a 'click' and engine does not turn over. Second twist of the key and it turns over and fires up. When warm fires up straight away. Battery in good condition. Imagine it's a starter relay starting to play up that will eventually fail?
Appreciate others experience and thoughts?
Many thanks.

Check the connections to the starter motor are really clean and tight.

Probably a sticking solenoid, the one that piggy backs the starter motor. The armature corrodes and this inhibits movement within tight clearance housing. A tap with a mallet or block of wood (not a hammer) is a temporary cure in an emergency, best performed whilst someone is turning start key simulataneously. Permanent fix is to replace solenoid, this may involve some heavy duty soldering though. You could also try getting some releasing fluid inside.

Check the earth strap between the block and the chassis , connection should be tight , and a bit of dielectric grease doesn't hurt matters either.

The earth strap is a good one. Undo it and spray with contact cleaner. On my S1 Roadster it looked fine but was corroded on the inner faces where bolted to the chassis. I had the same issue as you.

I have the same problem on my 96 Plus 8 . Having checked the earths, which seem fine. I am thinking of changing the starter motor and solenoid. Does anyone know the type and model of starter motor for this engine.
Dave

Generally speaking, those Lucas starter motors for the Rover V8 will only vary in the position of the solenoid. I suspect that most will be the same. Try one of the MG specialists for a reasonable cost.

PS. When my MGB played this trick, it was a hairline crack in the positive terminal on the battery.

Have you tried my suggestion above Dave? IF a quite loud metallic click comes from the starter motor area it will be the piggy back solenoid on same attempting to do its job of engaging pinion and then connecting motor itself electrically to battery. If it fails in the latter it will only produce the loud click. There is then a good chance that tapping solenoid with a block of wood or mallet whilst key is operated will free the sticking solenoid and allow engine to turn over, so proving fault source.

These solenoids were available as an individual spare for Bosch starter motors and maybe others, I sold several back in the day. It may be you can only get complete starter replacement nowadays though, possibly on exchange basis. I would have thought a starter motor suitable for any other Rover V8 application would be fine.

I had similar on my 4/4 a few years ago. Diagnosed as poor earth connection using a jump lead from battery neg to starter. Cleaning the earths ( battery to chassis and chassis to starter) solved it. The improved circuit might provide more “oomph” to engage the solenoid. If it is a bit sticky then any circuit power loss might not leave enough power. Attempt 1 fails but second works due to partial release then second gives movement (?)
Spraying release fluid can help. A wooden hammer handle ( use the one for wheel changing if you have that type) can jolt the solenoid free.
I had similar many years ago on a previous non mog car.

My 1980 Plus 8 decided to wait until the second week of our European tour to start doing this. A garage in Montpellier said a new "demarreur" was required but couldn't locate one. I Whatsapped PowerLite who gave me the name of a French stockist. They replied to an email (phone not working) within the hour and a new one was waiting at our hotel in Aix en Provence 24 hours later. A local garage fitted it within an hour of opening on the Monday and so we didn't lose any holiday. Excellent service all round.