Ls 400 Not Starting - Click

[sdurkin]

I have a cherished LS400 MK III, 77K miles FSH. It has recently started to let me down when starting. All the clocks light up, needles swing etc, then when I turn the key I get a load click and no more. After I try it several times, the engine gives half a lurch / turn and usually fires up. The problem seems worse if I have left the car outside when damp for a few days. Any suggestions ?

Thanks

Steve Durkin

[Tony-Bones]

I have a cherished LS400 MK III, 77K miles FSH. It has recently started to let me down when starting. All the clocks light up, needles swing etc, then when I turn the key I get a load click and no more. After I try it several times, the engine gives half a lurch / turn and usually fires up. The problem seems worse if I have left the car outside when damp for a few days. Any suggestions ?

Thanks

Steve Durkin

←

get the Battery tested, then the starter motor.

[sdurkin]

I have a cherished LS400 MK III, 77K miles FSH. It has recently started to let me down when starting. All the clocks light up, needles swing etc, then when I turn the key I get a load click and no more. After I try it several times, the engine gives half a lurch / turn and usually fires up. The problem seems worse if I have left the car outside when damp for a few days. Any suggestions ?

Thanks

Steve Durkin

←

get the Battery tested, then the starter motor.

←

I changed the Battery. How do you get the SM tested - take it a Lexus dealer or independant ?

It seems to spin over fine after it has warmed up and is not damp so I suspected a solenoid / electrical problem - any thoughts ?

Thanks

SD

[Tony-Bones]

I have a cherished LS400 MK III, 77K miles FSH. It has recently started to let me down when starting. All the clocks light up, needles swing etc, then when I turn the key I get a load click and no more. After I try it several times, the engine gives half a lurch / turn and usually fires up. The problem seems worse if I have left the car outside when damp for a few days. Any suggestions ?

Thanks

Steve Durkin

←

get the Battery tested, then the starter motor.

←

I changed the Battery. How do you get the SM tested - take it a Lexus dealer or independant ?

It seems to spin over fine after it has warmed up and is not damp so I suspected a solenoid / electrical problem - any thoughts ?

Thanks

SD

←

if the cars an manual put it into gear let the hand brake off and rock the car back and forth, knock it out of gear and try starting it again, you may need to try this a few times but if then it starts its a fair bet the starter is nacked, if the car is an auto since you are in Watord i would try Bennits or Russells, damp for a "no start" does'nt make sence, missfire yes.

[sdurkin]

I have a cherished LS400 MK III, 77K miles FSH. It has recently started to let me down when starting. All the clocks light up, needles swing etc, then when I turn the key I get a load click and no more. After I try it several times, the engine gives half a lurch / turn and usually fires up. The problem seems worse if I have left the car outside when damp for a few days. Any suggestions ?

Thanks

Steve Durkin

←

get the Battery tested, then the starter motor.

←

I changed the Battery. How do you get the SM tested - take it a Lexus dealer or independant ?

It seems to spin over fine after it has warmed up and is not damp so I suspected a solenoid / electrical problem - any thoughts ?

Thanks

SD

←

if the cars an manual put it into gear let the hand brake off and rock the car back and forth, knock it out of gear and try starting it again, you may need to try this a few times but if then it starts its a fair bet the starter is nacked, if the car is an auto since you are in Watord i would try Bennits or Russells, damp for a "no start" does'nt make sence, missfire yes.

←

Thanks for the advise. I will take it to Russels, don't know Bennits - are they good ?

[mudzs]

look for loose connections on the starter etc and give them a spray with wd40

[andy haw]

U/S Bendix on the starter motor not engaging.

[sdurkin]

U/S Bendix on the starter motor not engaging.

←

Thanks for the tip but what exactky is a "U/S Bendix" and would it cost a lot to fix ?

Thanks

SD

[andy haw]

What I meant was that there is a part called the Bendix which engages the starter motor when you turn the key which is not working.

A typical sympton of a worn Bendix is a clicking sound when you try to start car.

It could be worn.

[Tony-Bones]

I have a cherished LS400 MK III, 77K miles FSH. It has recently started to let me down when starting. All the clocks light up, needles swing etc, then when I turn the key I get a load click and no more. After I try it several times, the engine gives half a lurch / turn and usually fires up. The problem seems worse if I have left the car outside when damp for a few days. Any suggestions ?

Thanks

Steve Durkin

←

get the Battery tested, then the starter motor.

←

I changed the Battery. How do you get the SM tested - take it a Lexus dealer or independant ?

It seems to spin over fine after it has warmed up and is not damp so I suspected a solenoid / electrical problem - any thoughts ?

Thanks

SD

←

if the cars an manual put it into gear let the hand brake off and rock the car back and forth, knock it out of gear and try starting it again, you may need to try this a few times but if then it starts its a fair bet the starter is nacked, if the car is an auto since you are in Watord i would try Bennits or Russells, damp for a "no start" does'nt make sence, missfire yes.

←

Thanks for the advise. I will take it to Russels, don't know Bennits - are they good ?

←

Yes, feed back over the years has always been honest.

[road warrior]

I have a cherished LS400 MK III, 77K miles FSH. It has recently started to let me down when starting. All the clocks light up, needles swing etc, then when I turn the key I get a load click and no more. After I try it several times, the engine gives half a lurch / turn and usually fires up. The problem seems worse if I have left the car outside when damp for a few days. Any suggestions ?

Thanks

Steve Durkin

←

get the Battery tested, then the starter motor.

←

I changed the Battery. How do you get the SM tested - take it a Lexus dealer or independant ?

It seems to spin over fine after it has warmed up and is not damp so I suspected a solenoid / electrical problem - any thoughts ?

Thanks

SD

←

if the cars an manual put it into gear let the hand brake off and rock the car back and forth, knock it out of gear and try starting it again, you may need to try this a few times but if then it starts its a fair bet the starter is nacked, if the car is an auto since you are in Watord i would try Bennits or Russells, damp for a "no start" does'nt make sence, missfire yes.

←

Thanks for the advise. I will take it to Russels, don't know Bennits - are they good ?

←

Yes, feed back over the years has always been honest.

←

no - the starter motor itself has gone, a bendix is a springloaded cog that throws itself out and engages the starter motor (or not)

when the starter motor is tired it has difficulty turning the engine with the given amount of power from the Battery, and becomes very inefficent and requires more and more power, whilst the Battery gets more and more flat... :o