The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

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

Does it turn over slowly or quickly?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Plus one as Richard say's, it's also a 10 second job to revert back to standard should the relay fail.

Tony.

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?

Richard the old one wrote: ↑Sun Apr 11, 2021 4:53 pm 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

Hi Larry

I have sent you a PM with the text enlarged

Richard

Larry 1300 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 12, 2021 11:48 am 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.