cant get my si to start, the starter will crank once then just click, at first I thought flat battery but its only 2 months old and tried to jump the si off my other car and it still does the same.
checked the fuses and relays but cant see any that would affect the starter circuit, then thought it could be the solenoid on the starter, bridged the starter out and it did the same so got a second hand replacement from the scrappy's, fitted it and its still the same.
took the new starter back off but left the wiring connected and tried it and it appears to work when off the car, tried the old one and that works off the car too.
put both back on the car and neither will turn the engine over, checked the engine and that turns over by hand ok.

it almost appears as if the starter isn't strong enough to turn the engine, i've ordered a new multimeter from ebay to check voltages around the circuit but until it arrives does anybody have any ideas as this has got me bamboozled

If its clicking then its a starter/power issue. If changing the starter has shown no difference and you say the battery is fine then it must be the main live feed to the starter.

Replace it, and maybe add another GOOD engine earth and see how that goes from there

One thing you should try is put the headlights on and see what happens to them when you turn it over. Normaly they will dim alittle before the car starts. If they dim alot then there tends to be a sticky starter or siezed engine issue, or obviously a buggered battery

What was the car you tried to bump it from ?

my 2.2 diesel mondeo, plenty of juice in that!! ran a new earth today which didn't have any affect. something in my head keeps saying battery but surely it would have jumped off the mondeo if that were the case. think i'll borrow the jump pack from work on monday and have another try. if that doesn't work all thats really left to try is a new positive supply to the starter.
thanks Neil

I was dreading you saying a 1litre corsa or something lol.

The live to my starter would be my first guess now, unless you have been unlucky and got another dead starter

Clean both battery terminals and clean the earth from battery to the body and the earth between the body and the engine/gearbox, clean the main live cable and the solinoid cable to the starter and check the continuity of the main live cable also, best to charge your battery too as it may be down a few volts from trying to start it

Have you got some decent jump leads? Because if your battery is dead and you're trying to jump with shitty leads it won't make a difference what car it's from! I had to use some the other week after doing some work on the Pulsar and I'd killed the battery with the radio. Tried jumping it with some shit leads and there was nothing. Got some proper leads on and it fired straight away.

What's the voltage on your battery reading? You should be getting at LEAST 12v with car sitting there. Batteries these days have a habit of just dying with no warning

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thanks guys, I'm still waiting for my new multimeter to arrive (isn't ebay great!!)

when it does and the rain stops I will have another go and post an update.

Neil

Id 100% agree its a power issue, my battery was fuckef and in cold weather it would just click until I jumped it. . . Eventually I replaced the battery and all is fine lol.
Dirty connections can also be a cunt and cause this but the si is a clicker when insufficient power us the problem.

turned out to be the battery! it was reading 12.3 volts but put it on the battery tester in work and it was well down on amps.

dont think moving the battery into the boot has helped either well at least its running now.

Good stuff, atleast you have now been part of the clicking club with me and stainless mole lol