| Author | Message | ||
     Daniel Diewerge Experienced User Username: didi13109 Post Number: 29 Registered: 11-2009 |
Hello, I have a annoying problem when starting my 1985 Bentley Eight. Sometimes, and now appearing more and more often, when I turn the ignition key to the start position, there is a clicking in the dashboard, the warning lights illuminate as they should, but the starter does not engage or turn. So I can exclude the switchbox itself since current is effectivly switched. We checked the neutral safety switch in the steering column and it seems OK. The only solution is to start the engine by bridging the relay in the engine compartment. So the starter assembly itself is working properly. The relay itself has also been exchanged against one that is known to be good. That leads me to the thought that the problem must be situated somewhere between the exit of the switchbox and the starter relay in the engine compartment. Any ideas? Thank you. | ||
| Roderick Waite Frequent User Username: rodwaite Post Number: 53 Registered: 1-2012 |
Daniel - slightly confused here - you say the starter works fine by bridging across the relay, which means there must be power at the relay input, surely? So there would be no fault between the switchbox out and the relay in. I believe the relay to be a Lucas unit, that does have alleged reliability problems, but swapping with another known to be good and still having the problem is a poser! Is the unit properly earthed? Rod Waite | ||
| Jan Forrest Grand Master Username: got_one Post Number: 370 Registered: 1-2008 |
Are you bridging across the low current or high current (input or output) pins? If the latter then either the internal high current contacts or some other internal connection will have failed. It can often hapen after several decades and even does so in the much lower current ones that control the central locking and door windows. Ofiicial RR/B replacements are horrendously expensive, but identical Radio Spares or similar can be obtained for pennies each. | ||
| Daniel Diewerge Experienced User Username: didi13109 Post Number: 31 Registered: 11-2009 |
Hello, thank you very much for the input, I tried several other relays (BOSCH brand) that work find in other places, so I can positively say that the fault is not in this starter relay. To start the car I pull the relay from the socket and bridge across the high current outlets with a wire. What complicates the whole matter is that two out of three times I can start the car normally, sometimes it helps to turn the switch another time. This makes it hard to test the micro switches on the gear range selector and the gear change motor. Of course the car always starts perfectly when I want to test…. I assume that switchbox itself is working fine since the control panel lamps illuminate when I turn the key to the start position. Thank you! Daniel | ||
| Jan Forrest Grand Master Username: got_one Post Number: 374 Registered: 1-2008 |
Although everything else works fine, there is still a possibility that there is a minor fault with the keyswitch. There are several tracks inside it, each with a wiper contact, any or all of which can fail over time. |
