At one point, get behind the wheel of your car, insert the key and try to start the engine. But suddenly something unexpected happened - under the hood, something clicks, but the starter does not twist. That is, there is no that whistling sound, after which the vehicle engine comes into operation. This means that somewhere there is a malfunction in the startup system.
First, let’s figure out what kind of clicks are where they come from. Such a sound is made by the
starter traction
relay. It has a retracting and holding winding. When the key is turned to the start position, the first one starts to draw in the relay core. But the holding winding releases it due to lack of voltage. Because of this, a click sounds. And as a result, the starter does not turn the engine.
Well, now you need to understand why the traction relay can not fulfill the function assigned to it. The first step is to make a diagnostic auditory hearing: only a single click is heard, after which there is silence, or a constant sound. It is very important. Based on such a simple diagnosis, you can significantly narrow the scope of troubleshooting.
If it constantly clicks, but the starter does not turn, then the reason for this may be:
- Low battery. To fix the malfunction, charge it.
- Poor body weight with powertrain. In this case, it is necessary to check the corresponding contacts and the reliability of their connection. If they are oxidized or contaminated, they should be cleaned with sandpaper. You can also lay an additional mass wire.
- Bad contacts on the battery terminals .
In many cases, a problem with a lack of voltage can be predicted. For example, when the starter turns for a long time when starting the engine, then you should already look for the reasons for this behavior. It is possible that the source of the poor start is in the battery or wires.
If after turning the key only clicks once, but the starter does not turn, then in this case the cause of the malfunction may be:
- in poor engine mass;
- in unreliable connection of the traction relay to the starter or carbonization of their contacts;
- in the starter.
The troubleshooting should be carried out in the same sequence as suggested above. That is, first check the engine weight and the connections. If the reason lies in them, then the starter will not have to be removed. Otherwise, dismantling is indispensable. In this case, the following breakdowns of the starter are possible, which do not allow the launch system to work properly:
- the wire going from the traction relay to the starter windings burned out;
- worn starter brushes ;
- worn starter bushings;
- there was a closure of the windings of the armature;
- an open or short circuit has occurred in one of the windings of the starter;
- the fork of the bendix drive is deformed or broken;
- there were malfunctions on the teeth of the bendix.
For such reasons, under the hood of the vehicle clicks, but the starter does not turn the engine. In most cases, it is very easy to return the car to working condition when checking the electrics and eliminating the identified shortcomings. If the reason lies in the malfunction of the starter itself, then in this case it will be necessary to repair it or replace it with a new one.