My 101 won't start. Ignition key just gets a CLICK when turned.

[yfo866]

The 2.25 4 cyl is very easy on the handle.
I suspect the v8 is a bit harder because more cylinders but it's still a low compression engine so might be doable. Never tried

I'm familiar with the process as a mate used to own vintage cars. I know how to hold the handle to save trips to the xray department if it backfires but i've only started cars where you can retard the timing a bit. So i'd REALLY prefer to use the key

 

[yfo866]

Fair enough, it's a process of elimination.

Checked the starter relay?

No. No i haven't. Would you have any idea whereabouts it might be? I searched for the fuse box a while ago and failed to find that! Oddly enough when i was holding the ignition key in crank position to feel if the battery terminals were getting hot earlier today i found i was staring straight at the fuse box. I suppose it thinks there's no need to hide any more now i've found it!
I think the relay might be easier to find as i can probably trace the wire back from the solenoid on the starter. If it IS knackered i'll just bypass it using a switch i'll put into the spare hole i have on the dash until i can get a replacement. If it's not the relay, back up plan number 2 is to attach another piece of fat cable to the starter side of the starter solenoid and run it up into the cab and i'll turn the key to throw the bendix out and touch it to the isolated post where the main cable comes from the battery positive to spin the motor! I suspect that'd be easier/safer than using the starting handle. That i haven't got.

 

[yfo866]

Double check the earth strap from block/gearbox to battery. Grab your jump leads and connect one from battery to the block. Try to start it again to note any improvements. If its still clunking from the solenoid hold the switch to "start" for ten seconds then release. Check every connection on battery and starter for heat. If you've a bad connection it will get hot

I tried that earlier today. Held it for ten twice. Felt the battery terminals which were stone cold. Didn't crawl underneath to fondle the starter as i went out without my overalls on. All the wiring behind the dash was cold too. While leaning to the left looking at the wiring around the switch, i couldn't believe in that position i was staring straight at the fuse box! Something i'd spent some time trying to find a while back!

 

[GRATCH]

I wouldn't rule out a duff battery.

Have you tried jumping it off a running vehicle?

 

[yfo866]

I wouldn't rule out a duff battery.

Have you tried jumping it off a running vehicle?

I would.
It's not the battery. I KNEW it wasn't the battery as it had been starting on the key right up until i fitted the new clutch slave cylinder...
BUT, just in case i removed it and put it on charge. The needle jumped to 2 amps for about ten minutes and then dropped off the bottom of the scale.

 

[yfo866]

I HAVE NEWS!
First up, thank you all for your many suggestions as to what it may be!

Just been trying to upload a short video of me starting the engine. Seems the clip from my phone is not 'supported'. I thought MKV and MP4 were common enough...
Anyway...
I disconnected the double thin wires from the starter motor solenoid and replaced it with one which i'd dropped down from the cab. I turned on the ignition and then touched the bare end of the wire to the post with the battery live feed and it started like that! (clicks fingers).
So if it isn't the starter motor relay, it's an issue between the starter motor and the key. Given that i stuffed my head as far behind and up under the dash as i could and turned the key, i can confirm that the click is definately coming from somewhere around there and not from the starter motor.

If i remove the dash with the clocks and everything still attached, is there enough wiring to be able to move it away to search behind it for the relay of do i have to remove everything from the dash first?

 

[kermit_rr]

.

 

[kermit_rr]

I HAVE NEWS!
First up, thank you all for your many suggestions as to what it may be!

Just been trying to upload a short video of me starting the engine. Seems the clip from my phone is not 'supported'. I thought MKV and MP4 were common enough...
Anyway...
I disconnected the double thin wires from the starter motor solenoid and replaced it with one which i'd dropped down from the cab. I turned on the ignition and then touched the bare end of the wire to the post with the battery live feed and it started like that! (clicks fingers).
So if it isn't the starter motor relay, it's an issue between the starter motor and the key. Given that i stuffed my head as far behind and up under the dash as i could and turned the key, i can confirm that the click is definately coming from somewhere around there and not from the starter motor.

If i remove the dash with the clocks and everything still attached, is there enough wiring to be able to move it away to search behind it for the relay of do i have to remove everything from the dash first?

Excellent

 

[kermit_rr]

Aaah my phone is having a minute

 

[yfo866]

Aaah my phone is having a minute

My video clip issue wasn't phone related, it was a, 'downloaded onto my computer then isn't seen by the LZ uploading department pixies' issue.
It was an MP4, then i converted it to MKV, now it's being converted into a WebM file. I won't lie, until i saw it as an option i don't think i'd heard of WebM. All i know is it took no more than about 4 minutes to convert to MKV. This WebM has been going for about ten minutes and is just at 6%

 

[Dippypud]

My video clip issue wasn't phone related, it was a, 'downloaded onto my computer then isn't seen by the LZ uploading department pixies' issue.
It was an MP4, then i converted it to MKV, now it's being converted into a WebM file. I won't lie, until i saw it as an option i don't think i'd heard of WebM. All i know is it took no more than about 4 minutes to convert to MKV. This WebM has been going for about ten minutes and is just at 6%

Stick it utoob and then post the link here ...

 

[yfo866]

Stick it utoob and then post the link here ...

That's a good idea, and seeing as the WebM thingy has only just reached 44.6% conversion, this only took me a couple of minutes

 

[GRATCH]

I would.
It's not the battery. I KNEW it wasn't the battery as it had been starting on the key right up until i fitted the new clutch slave cylinder...
BUT, just in case i removed it and put it on charge. The needle jumped to 2 amps for about ten minutes and then dropped off the bottom of the scale.

You can put a battery on charge and it can appear fully charged, but have a bad cell which won't start an engine.

 

[Wildefalcon]

I HAVE NEWS!
First up, thank you all for your many suggestions as to what it may be!

Just been trying to upload a short video of me starting the engine. Seems the clip from my phone is not 'supported'. I thought MKV and MP4 were common enough...
Anyway...
I disconnected the double thin wires from the starter motor solenoid and replaced it with one which i'd dropped down from the cab. I turned on the ignition and then touched the bare end of the wire to the post with the battery live feed and it started like that! (clicks fingers).
So if it isn't the starter motor relay, it's an issue between the starter motor and the key. Given that i stuffed my head as far behind and up under the dash as i could and turned the key, i can confirm that the click is definately coming from somewhere around there and not from the starter motor.

If i remove the dash with the clocks and everything still attached, is there enough wiring to be able to move it away to search behind it for the relay of do i have to remove everything from the dash first?

I think so. Not much, but yes. But I thought the relay was somewhere on the inner wheel arch. Near the starter? Item 20.

 

[yfo866]

You can put a battery on charge and it can appear fully charged, but have a bad cell which won't start an engine.

Maybe, but the ONE thing this shed has done since i bought it, is start at the first turn of the key. Well, once i'd learned of the fuel filters and changed the one and installed the other. Funilly enought, it stopped conking out on the road too. I'll attach a pic of the filter from the sedimenter.
Obviously this may not be the case for other batteries, but i had no thoughts of it being the issue here. And when i touched the wire to the post it instantly fired up which was great. Because then i could move the bloody thing from being parked across the drive and BM could move back onto the tarmac

 

[yfo866]

I think so. Not much, but yes. But I thought the relay was somewhere on the inner wheel arch. Near the starter? Item 20.View attachment 340623

I'll see where the two wires on the starter solenoid go to. The clicking when i turn the key is definately 'up top', and not 'down below', unless 101s have a special component 'up top' just to go CLICK...

 

[yfo866]

Riiiight...
NOT happy.
OK, a bit happy as in i now know where the relay is.
NOT happy about where it is!
I thought the fuse box was in a daft place, given that this went to war!
But the designers REALLY put their heads together for this one!

Oh, and you know that burk who was here earlier on saying that the CLICK was definately coming from 'up top'?
Did i call him a burk? The man is clearly an idiot!
When, i put my fingers on the relay and turned the key, and well, if the noise came from up top, (NO!) the fingers DEFINATELY felt it down below so we'll ignore him from now on

Link to youtube below

 

[Wildefalcon]

Result!