The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

The Number One Club for owners of Triumph's range of small saloons from the 1960s and 1970s.
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 Post subject: Car not starting
PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 9:44 am 
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Location: Glasgow
Hi my Dolomite 1300 is not starting again. When I turn the key it seems to turn for a second or two then stops. I tried a lithium jump starter Incase it was the battery 🔋 but this made no difference.
Any ideas on what I should try next please. Thanks Laurence

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 Post subject: Re: Car not starting
PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 10:04 am 
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Location: Winscombe, North Somerset, England
Does it turn over slowly or quickly?

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 Post subject: Re: Car not starting
PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 12:04 pm 
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Hi fairly quickly. Just as it normally does but only for a very short time. Previously when she would not start she kept turning over but not now.

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 Post subject: Re: Car not starting
PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 1:35 pm 
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Location: St Annes on Sea, Lancs.
First thing I'd look at are the battery voltages: normal, when it does spin the starter, and when the key is turned but it ain't turning.

But if the booster don't help, it sounds like something more fundamental.

Does anything change after you've moved the car slightly with it in gear?

Graham

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The 16v Slant 4 engine is more fun than the 3.5 V8, because you mostly drive it on the upslope of the torque curve.

Factory 1977 TR7 Sprint FHC VVC 697S (Now all of, but still needs putting together)
B&Y 73 Dolomite Sprint UVB 274M (kids!)
1970 Maroon 13/60 Herald Convertable (wife's fun car).


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 Post subject: Re: Car not starting
PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 2:00 pm 
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Do the ignition go very dim when it stops turning over Laurence? If so duff battery or bad earth. Maybe another job for the "Captain" if he's not to far away.

Tony.

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 Post subject: Re: Car not starting
PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 2:54 pm 
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Location: St Annes on Sea, Lancs.
Still worth looking at the earths even if the light don't dim - if there's a good earth connection to the chassis and a bad one between battery and block or block and starter solenoid, that could give something like the effect without dimming lights earthed to the chassis.

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The 16v Slant 4 engine is more fun than the 3.5 V8, because you mostly drive it on the upslope of the torque curve.

Factory 1977 TR7 Sprint FHC VVC 697S (Now all of, but still needs putting together)
B&Y 73 Dolomite Sprint UVB 274M (kids!)
1970 Maroon 13/60 Herald Convertable (wife's fun car).


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 Post subject: Re: Car not starting
PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 3:38 pm 
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Location: Glasgow
Hi this is what has happened over the last couple of weeks.
I have a ctec battery 🔋 charger. The car was connected to this continuously for a year and a half. During the previous difficulty I had with the car not starting and Captain_70 helped me she turned over fine and continuously.
After Captain_70 got her going she started fine.
Then I changed the oil and filter. She started after this. She was then sitting for about 5 days not connected to the ctec charger. After that time I tried to start her and she would not go. I reconnected the ctec charger which was on for about a week.Then I bought the lithium jump starter and disconnected the charger before trying the jumpstarter. There was no change.
I tried to move her slightly when in gear but this did not make any difference.
The headlights don't appear to dim when the car is attempting to start. There is a spark at the plugs.
Hi I was just thinking. Maybe the battery 🔋 is faulty and not being connected to the charger for 5 days brought this to light. And because I used the jump starter on a battery 🔋 that was charged had no effect. Do you think it would be a good idea to discharge the battery 🔋 by leaving the lights on overnight and then try the jump starter again.

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Laurence


Last edited by Larry 1300 on Sun Apr 11, 2021 4:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Car not starting
PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 4:02 pm 
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Location: St Annes on Sea, Lancs.
My dad used to keep a block of wood in the boot of his Wolsey 1500 with which he used to thump the starter solenoid when it did stuff like that. It did double duty for thumping the leccy fuel pump sometimes - but that could have been a different car.

I aren't recommending the kineo-restorative technique, but it seemed to work for him.

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The 16v Slant 4 engine is more fun than the 3.5 V8, because you mostly drive it on the upslope of the torque curve.

Factory 1977 TR7 Sprint FHC VVC 697S (Now all of, but still needs putting together)
B&Y 73 Dolomite Sprint UVB 274M (kids!)
1970 Maroon 13/60 Herald Convertable (wife's fun car).


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 Post subject: Re: Car not starting
PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 4:35 pm 
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OK just reread the post, my money is on a bad earth, try connecting a jump lead from the engine to the battery negative. I have used that to kick more than a few old sheds into life.


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 Post subject: Re: Car not starting
PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 4:53 pm 
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Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:06 pm
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Location: Bristol
You might also like to try fitting an addition relay in the starter circuit as per my article in the last edition of Dolly Mixture


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 Post subject: Re: Car not starting
PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 5:37 pm 
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Joined: Wed May 17, 2017 6:28 pm
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Location: NANTWICH.
Plus one as Richard say's, it's also a 10 second job to revert back to standard should the relay fail.

Tony.

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 Post subject: Re: Car not starting
PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 11:48 am 
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Location: Glasgow
Hi I cleaned the battery terminals and earth points at the front of the car near the battery 🔋. And one on the near side wing. All shiny metal. No change with starting.
I couldn't see where the connection is to the block. Is that held on with a bolt please?
I couldn't find my jump leads. I might have leant them to someone 😂. Never to be seen again. I have ordered a pair on Amazon £10.60. Coming tomorrow.
Do I just connect to any part of the engine please?

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Laurence


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 Post subject: Re: Car not starting
PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:01 pm 
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Location: Glasgow
Quote:
You might also like to try fitting an addition relay in the starter circuit as per my article in the last edition of Dolly Mixture
Hi I have the Dolly Mixture but I am unable to read it as the print is too small. I usually just look at the pictures.
Is there any way that you could send me the article by email or PM so that I can enlarge it on my phone. Thanks Laurence

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Laurence


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 Post subject: Re: Car not starting
PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 10:16 pm 
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Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:06 pm
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Location: Bristol
Hi Larry

I have sent you a PM with the text enlarged

Richard


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 Post subject: Re: Car not starting
PostPosted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 10:55 am 
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Future Club member hopefully!

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Posts: 1549
Quote:
Hi I cleaned the battery terminals and earth points at the front of the car near the battery 🔋. And one on the near side wing. All shiny metal. No change with starting.
I couldn't see where the connection is to the block. Is that held on with a bolt please?
I couldn't find my jump leads. I might have leant them to someone 😂. Never to be seen again. I have ordered a pair on Amazon £10.60. Coming tomorrow.
Do I just connect to any part of the engine please?
Yes pretty much, as long as it is bare metal and unpainted, it should work as a temporary earth.


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