Slow start problem

GregS

GregS

ProjectX
My ‘78 X1/9 has been slow to crank to start for a long time now, but getting worse lately, especially when the engine is hot. I have been thinking it was because it is not getting used much, and the battery is 6 years old. I finally decided to fit a relay to the starter solenoid to take some load off the ignition switch. In fitting a 12V wire to the starter I think I found the cause of the sluggish start problem. As I loosened the nut and spring washer on the main power lead to the starter the lug on the heavy wire rotated 90 degrees, on closer inspection I found there were only 3 of the 20 or so copper strands still connected to the lug, all the others had broken from 40+ years of vibration. Thing is, until I started to turn that nut, it looked perfectly normal.

So cut the bad wires back a bit and crimped on a new lug, fitted the relay in the spare wheel compartment, and cleaned up the earth straps connections just to be sure. No more start problems.
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Age has its way with all things.

Good catch and hope it resolves the issue.

Can I respectfully suggest getting a proper relay base or at least insulating the female spades?
 
Good suggestion, I will put some heatshrink on the spades. What do you call a proper relay base?
 
Karl probably means a relay mount, a bit like this...


what you found is actually quite a common problem, and yes often goes un-noticed, same thing happens at the battery end of the cables... because the X19's charging system loops to the same terminal on the starter, can also be the cause of charging problems.... my Dad was an auto electrician by trade, and he would always say look for the bad (high resistance) connector or the bad earth, and IMO in about 95% of vehicle electrical issues he'd be right.

SteveC
 
Thanks, yes one of those, they can be had for much less, like the pennies it costs to actually make one…
 
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