Starter — Checking in a Car (Opel Omega A)

1. If the starter does not work when the switch is turned on, and the motor is not jammed, there are five or six possible reasons:

• a) Faulty battery is defective
• b) Electrical connections between switch, traction relay, battery and starter are broken
• c) The traction relay has failed
• d) The starter is mechanically or electrically defective
• e) The starter pinion and/or flywheel ring gear are badly worn and need to be replaced
• f) On models with automatic transmission, the starter inhibitor switch may be defective or poorly adjusted (Section 6).

2. To test the battery, turn on the headlights. If they dim after a few seconds of operation, the battery is discharged. If the headlights glow normally, turn on the starter and watch what happens to the lights. If they dim, then voltage is reaching the starter, but not enough to turn it over. If the starter turns slowly with the ignition on, proceed to the next test.

3. If the headlights remain bright when the starter switch is turned on, there is not enough electrical power reaching the engine. Remove the battery connections, starter/solenoid connections and engine ground cable and clean them thoroughly before reinstalling. Apply petroleum jelly around the battery connections to prevent corrosion. Corroded connections are the most common cause of electrical problems in the system.

4. If the above checks and cleanings have been performed without success, you may hear a clicking noise each time the starter is turned off. This is the operation of the solenoid switch, but does not mean that the main contacts have been closed properly (if there is no click, the traction relay is probably defective). The traction relay contact can be checked by placing a voltmeter or test lamp in parallel with the connecting contacts of the main cable on the side of the starter traction relay and the ground. With the ignition on, there should be voltmeter readings or the test lamp should light. If not, then the traction relay unit is faulty and requires replacement.



Information taken from the website www.OpelBook.ru

5. If the starter motor runs but does not turn the engine, then most likely the starter pinion and/or flywheel ring gear are badly worn and the starter motor usually makes a lot of noise when running.

6. Finally, if it is established that the traction relay is working properly and 12 V is supplied to the starter, then the starter is faulty and must be removed for inspection.