Luckily after being off the road for 13 years, the car worked for the Tomcat Affair@30 event but it now will not even try to crank.

I had used the car a couple of times in between without any problems.

I had driven about 10 miles, parked for an hour but on getting back in the car it would not crank, there was just a very faint (so not the starter solenoid) click from under the dash. I had parked on a slight slope, so with all the dash warning light being illuminated as they should be, I tried a rolling bump-start and luckily it burst into life.

On returning home, I stopped the engine then tried to restart it but just got the faint click again....

I have tried a hard reset by removing the battery +ve, which just brought the immobilser back on but I got off with the fob. I have also tried the battery -ve /ign on etc trick to no effect.

I have checked:-
- all cables are connected to the starter solenoid terminals
- the gearbox earth cable is bolted to the casing
- all relevant fuses are OK
- the faint clicking appears to be coming from 1, 2 or all 3 of the relays behind the centre console - 1 green, 2 yellows.

I also found that the car has a fuel cut-off switch behind the console that isn't shown on the Rover workshop manual wiring diag I have. That wasn't up.

Would anyone have this happen to them and got round it? If so, how?

Anyone got any other ideas where I should look?

Would anyone have a wiring diag appropriate to my car please?

What I haven't tried yet is another bump start but when I find enough neighbours to push, I might

Have you checked for a feed to the starter with a multimeter?

That's a job for when it stops raining

If there's a faint click from behind the dash from one of the 3 relays, it implies the starter solenoid supply is in itself driven from the contacts of one of those relays. I'd try disconnecting and reconnecting each one a few times + possibly wire brushing the contacts to see if it's that, then think about replacing the faulty one. You could meter the starter solenoid (or connect a 12v bulb across its terminals) to see if 12v is being supplied during the attempted start to rule the solenoid and starter motor out.

UPDATE:

Can't see if the gearbox to body earth is now present and I don't fancy lying in a puddle, so I used a jump lead to connect the starter motor fixing to the battery -ve and.... no difference.

Putting a voltmeter on the starter solenoid +ve give battery voltage there at Ign 2 and 3.

Would that imply that the solenoid or starter is u/s?

GTiJohn wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 2:08 pm UPDATE:

Can't see if the gearbox to body earth is now present and I don't fancy lying in a puddle, so I used a jump lead to connect the starter motor fixing to the battery -ve and.... no difference.

Putting a voltmeter on the starter solenoid +ve give battery voltage there at Ign 2 and 3.

Would that imply that the solenoid or starter is u/s?

If you’re getting 12v to the starter, then it’s the motor or solenoid that’s failed. Sometimes a tap with a suitable instrument can free the solenoid.

GTiJohn wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 2:08 pm UPDATE:

Can't see if the gearbox to body earth is now present and I don't fancy lying in a puddle, so I used a jump lead to connect the starter motor fixing to the battery -ve and.... no difference.

Putting a voltmeter on the starter solenoid +ve give battery voltage there at Ign 2 and 3.

Would that imply that the solenoid or starter is u/s?

Can you get the meter onto the starter +ve contact itself, after the solenoid? You can't rule out either component at the moment but at least you know the ignition and run circuits look good.

itcaptainslow wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 3:04 pm If you’re getting 12v to the starter, then it’s the motor or solenoid that’s failed. Sometimes a tap with a suitable instrument can free the solenoid.

Yep - could be seized, rusty or the solenoid may have corroded contacts, gunk gumming up the contact movement, etc.

You can also prove the theory by removing the starter from the car and giving it a direct 12v feed from a slave battery with a pair of jump leads. Obviously if it doesn’t spin, it’s dead!

Put your hand around the starter solenoid whilst an assistant turns the key and you should feel the solenoid pulse (so it might be duff).

When operating correctly, it first pulls the starter pinion into engagement with the flywheel ring gear, then the contacts close to energise the starter motor windings.

Bet you a fish supper the internal starter contacts have burned or become corroded.

Regards to all,

Stan.