Car Parts and Accessories

Battery Weakness

Don’t rush off to buy a new battery the first time your car declines to start. Consider the other factors which can cause an apparent battery weakness, such as loose or corroded terminals, a short circuit in the electrical system, moisture, a lack of battery water or poor grounding of the battery, starter motor or engine.

There are so-called low-maintenance’ and ‘no-maintenance’ batteries on the market, which generally are long lasting and need little or no attention. But they are not infallible. Many have provision for you to check the water level and, if the battery is left in a state of discharge, it is still vulnerable to damage.

An ingenious type of divided battery is now available. If the main battery runs flat, a switch can be flicked to activate a reserve cell which will fire the engine. Once the engine is running, the switch is turned back and the alternator charges the main section of the battery.

Car Flooding

Flooding occurs when the cylinders become overfilled with petrol vapour and the tips of the spark plugs are moist and will not fire. Often this is the result of making repeated attempts to start the car with the choke on.

The solution is to leave the car standing for four or five minutes then, without using the manual choke, gently press the accelerator to the floor (don’t pump it!).

Use the starter key to turn over the engine. After a short time, the petrol vapour in the cylinders should have cleared and the plugs dried. Release the accelerator as soon as the engine fires.

Water Displacement Fluid

If your car refuses to start in wet weather, a water displacement fluid may be your answer. Water displacement fluids can be purchased in spray cans at service stations, spare-parts dealers and some general stores. They are simple to use.

Remove any obvious moisture by wiping over the engine with a cloth. Spray the displacement fluid over the plugs and leads. Remove the distributor cap and spray lightly inside and around the distributor points.

After a few seconds the water will be dispersed and your car should start. Don’t persist if it does not start as the attempts will only flatten the battery. The fault is something more than dampness. While fluid displacement products are usually effective for those hard-to-start engines, they are not a substitute for proper maintenance. The best defence against wet-weather starting problems, and breakdowns in general, is to keep the battery correctly topped up and charged, have the engine tuned at least once a year and keep the electrical leads and connections in good condition.

Gauge the fuel supply

If your car mysteriously splutters to a halt when the gauge indicates there is petrol in the tank, the gauge is possibly at fault. Try a quick test.

Open the boot (if the car has a rear fuel tank) and vigorously bounce the car. If there is petrol present you should hear it sloshing around the tank. If you can hear petrol moving, the fault almost certainly lies somewhere along the fuel line or at the fuel pump, carburettor or injection system.

Vapour Lock

If your car should fail to start on an extremely hot day, the problem could very likely be ‘vapour lock‘. Vapour lock is the name given to a blockage of a car’s fuel line caused by excessive under-bonnet temperatures.

The heat causes the fuel to vaporise within the supply lines and, as the fuel pump can handle only condensed liquid, not vapour, no fuel reaches the engine.

The best method of condensing the vaporised petrol is to cover the fuel line with cold, wet rags. More involved methods can be tried, such as disconnecting the fuel line and turning the engine over a couple of times but this is risky and not advisable.

If all else fails, simply lift the bonnet then sit down and wait for the fuel system to cool of its own accord.

Other Problems

There are as many potential difficulties with a hard-to-start car as there are swear-words to describe them.

The most common are the electrical and fuel problems described above. If all else fails call your State motoring organisation (you are a member, aren’t you?).

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
How to start a Cranky Car

• Why Car Engine Cranks normally, but fails to start (continued)
• All thumbs up guide to car Glossary
• The Coil of Car Ignition System
• Air Conditioning Troubleshooting Guide
• Does your Car refuse to start or refuse to keep going? Try this
• Car Pushing Starting/ Car Clutching it
• Car Won't Start, why? How to get your Auto Car checked and Repaired by yourself? step (19-30)
• Jump Starting your Car
• Car Won't Start, why? How to get your Auto Car checked and Repaired by yourself? step (1-8)
• All thumbs up guide to car Glossary continue...