Bloody Car! help please

Hi Guys,

I seem to have endless problems with this car! At least at some point I will have replaced/fixed everything that can go wrong! Well probably not, Im sure it'll keep finding ways to brake down…

Anyway I was driving my 1989 clipper the other day and pulled in to get petrol, when I went to pull away again the ignition and lights would switch on but it wouldnt turn over. I looked in the engine bay and discovered that the cable going to the starter motor had broken away (picture below), which Im guessing its because its too short and the movement of the engine has slowly broken the threads of wire one by one until it broke off. So I touched this cable back onto the battery and it started up perfectly and got me home.

I then returned to it the following morning and now I turn the ignition and nothing happens at all, no lights, dash lights or anything. I looked in the engine bay and the cable is still touching the battery, but obviously this doesn't explain the lack of power all together.

What could it be? Is there some sort of fuse thats blown all power? or is it the ignition switch?

Thanks in advance!

I've pulled the starter motor cable away to show its not actually attached. Basically it looks like the connector had broken off and the previous owner had just bodged it by wedging it in to the battery terminal. So I'm thinking that if the connection was faulty it could have blown a fuse somewhere but dont know where to look or what it could be.

Even if the securing clamp's screwed down tight the battery often is still loose to slide around. The +ve terminal clamp is an after market DIY job, will the cable not screw back in (with the two bolts/screws)? It needs to be fastened down tightly not just touching.

Where's the FO giant red cable go to?

Hi Ronnie, I think on your engine, the alternator main output cable
goes to the starter motor main terminal on its way to the battery.
With the main cable off the +ve post you could have run the alternator
open circuit ( ie no load on it) which could possibly have done the
regulator in. When the car failed to start in the morning was the
battery flat ?

Early-1800 said

Even if the securing clamp's screwed down tight the battery often is still loose to slide around. The +ve terminal clamp is an after market DIY job, will the cable not screw back in (with the two bolts/screws)? It needs to be fastened down tightly not just touching.

Where's the FO giant red cable go to?

I know it needs to be fastened tightly, just made it so it was touching so I could get home. No its too short to tighten back in to it, so think I'll need to get a new cable, unless I can slide the battery towards it so there is enough length. But thats not the problem, problem is even when its touching there is no ignition lights or anything. big red cable goes to a amplifier in the back the previous owner fitted.

Jonamat said

Hi Ronnie, I think on your engine, the alternator main output cable
goes to the starter motor main terminal on its way to the battery.
With the main cable off the +ve post you could have run the alternator
open circuit ( ie no load on it) which could possibly have done the
regulator in. When the car failed to start in the morning was the
battery flat ?

oh dear. Ok. I'll check this. But it didnt seem like a flat battery to me, as there were no lights (not even dim lights) at all. Just absolutely zero life in anything when the key is turned. Unless the battery is completely dead with not even enough electricity to light a little bulb in the dash I think the battery is ok. So if the regulator was stuffed, would this give these symptoms?

My thought was that if the regulator had been damaged, it might well have drained the battery to earth overnight.
before all else, make sure you do have some charge in the battery.  I agree it is unlikely to be dead flat but
check it out with a voltmeter anyway.

Ronnie, Last  thought on this…the feed to most of the car comes from
the main connection on the starter motor. If the big cable from the battery
is disconnected the car is best part dead including the ignition. It might be
that the actions of starting it by touching that cable on allowed you
to get home by means of the alternator. Hence if the cable was not
connected inthe morning, the car would appear to be dead.
Keep smiling. J.

FIXED IT! Thanks for your help Jonamat, turned out to be a loose cable on the negative side! (replaced the short cable going to starter motor too). Battery was fine, so yes it was as you said Jonamat. Thanks!