S3 K engine fails to turn over

[patibbitts]

During work on my water rail, I disconnected the water sensor (brown sensor connection plug) - would this being disconnected cause the engine not to want to turn over and just cause a 'click', 'click' sound come from the ECU ?

 

The rail isn't refitted yet, but the engine won't prime or turn over.

 

Any thoughts pls?

 

 

[Jim 123]

Sounds more like a low state of battery charge? Maybe try jump leads?

[SM25T]

No that wouldn't affect cranking. Doesn't prime ? Check inertia switch. Measure voltage across battery. Check all fat cable connections to battery, engine and chassis.

[SM25T]

Remove small cable from starter. Fit a connector to a new bit of cable and connect it to the small terminal on the starter. With ignition on, car in neutral, touch and hold the other end of this new cable to the + terminal on the battery. Expect a spark. Starter should crank engine. If it works ... fault in thin cable or relay.

[rj]

It actually could be a flat battery :-p

[patibbitts]

Update:

 

I reset the inertia switch for the fuel pump (why did that trip methinks?) - still no go!

 

I touched the connections on the starter relay and BINGO! - it turned over.

 

I'm now concerned that this is going to be troublesome in the future so will replace the relay and re-make the connections (they look very heath Robinson! )

 

Should start up when I try later (I hope!)

 

Thanks for the replies and assistance.- much appreciated.

[anthonym]

is this car old enough to be having c o d issues? anyway, sounds like something that doesn't like being wiggled has been wiggled, suggesting a poor connection. Check for stiff wires near the starter - both the thick and thin ones, and each connector, especially for connectors being held together only by their plastic cover.

if it's not a flat battery...

[ECR]

c o d (click of death).

I had to work it out .....

[anthonym]

Time was me too :-)

[garybee]

There's nothing 'death' about a K-series 'click, no start'.  It's just a failure to get good power to the starter, not a sign of anything more serious.

[anthonym]

hmmm.. I disagree, that kind of depends where you are when it happens and the consequences that flow therefrom. ... and how you feel about it at the time. 

though one can grant no one dies, but the car's ability to operate does. Engines often die. and we have been using this expression hereabouts for many years, 13 that I can think of and it was old even then. What it provides is a point of reference to find the wide variety of causes and solutions here in BC. It is a specific problem with known causes and cures, though final documentation of that has not yet been agreed. 

p.s. maybe our new search facility will bring back the historic BC record of this issue. 

[garybee]

patibbitts - don't get worried about it being referred to as 'click of death'.  As I said, it's nothing worse than a failure to pass sufficient current in part of the starter circuit or a sticky starter solenoid. 

It's an extremely simple circuit that's very easy to test.  just make sure you're using a test light that draws a good bit of current (headlamp bulb in a holder is ideal) as a multimeter may lead you astray (just because you're receiving voltage doesn't mean a connection is good enough to pass current). 

[anthonym]

Quite right. it’s just a means of reference nothing more, also worth knowing it’s full name is « the K click of etc », so if your car is not a high power K series of some years and miles it’s less likely to be relevant. In it’s day it was a significant issue, but these days I think we have it mastered.