Xantia 2.0 TD not starting

[sandysound]

when turning the key car does not turn over, or even make a click/whirring like normal turnover sounds.
Total silence.
Have measured battery voltage = 12.25
Have checked all fuses inside and in the motor bay because I couldn't find one for starter in the manual and they all look fine.
The rest of the electrics are happy.
Where is the starter motor on this car? It has been suggested to me to run a cable direct from battery to starter motor to see if it will work...
And advice appreciated! It's really hot today and we wanted to head for a swim - Had to bike instead!

[speedy3]

hi the starter is at the front of the engine you will probably have to remove the air filter housing first

[Jaf]

Hmm battery voltage sounds low to me but I would expect it still to try to turn over. Have you got a battery charger or a battery off another car to see if it makes a difference.

[sandysound]

Cool thanks Speedy3, torrential rain coming tomorrow, and as I park on the street I probably will not look at it for a couple of days.
A bit of a puzzle as to why it just suddenly stopped working - it was fine on wednesday.
Jaf - a run down battery still usually produces some whir or click as it struggles to turn over... Do you think 12.25volts is so flat that it cannot even groan?
I don't have a spare battery or jump kit available to try giving it extra voltage, I will check electrical connections when I get a chance.

[sandysound]

Have realised my rc charger will do a lead acid battery - have put it on a 1.5amp trickle charge - will see if it is just a flat battery when I chuck it back into the car tomorrow!

[sandysound]

Battery now reads 12.7 connected to the car, and still nothing. It really seems like there is a broken circuit somewhere.

[Harlequin]

both terminal on tight?

[Peter.N.]

Do the panel lights come on, if so do they dim when you try to start it? If yes, you either have a poor connection or duff battery, the fact that it reads 12v or so off load doesn't mean a lot. If the voltage doesn't drop when you try to start the starter is not being connected. Could be a faulty ignition switch or starter.

Peter

[sandysound]

Terminals are tight and panel lights are bright. I am suspecting a duff starter motor or circuit that starts it. I will check by running a 12volt line straight to it and see if that sparks it in to life...

[Peter.N.]

Yep, that's the thing to do. If you touch a live lead onto the small terminal that's the solenoid, so if that fires it up you have no supply to it. If it doesn't try shorting the two large terminals together with a large screwdriver, preferably on old one as it could take some bits out of it. If nothing then the motor is faulty.

Peter

[sandysound]

Yep she starts fine when I give 12v to the small wire connection to the starter motor - am letting her run for a bit to wind up the battery some more.
I probably need to check the relay now, where do I find that for the solenoid circuit?

[Peter.N.]

I don't know if it has a relay, I think it runs straight from the ignition switch but I'm sure someone will tell me if I'm wrong.

Peter

[sandysound]

Do you know which fuse it is?

[Peter.N.]

Don't even know if it has one - someone must .... Ignition switches are prone to failure on Xantias, could be that.

Peter

[sandysound]

These are the wires coming from the ignition barrel. The circuits are completing as I turn the key. So I guess that's eliminated from the possible problem list.
The wires from bottom to top are:
Grey connector
Orange 12v when key in first position.
Yellow 12v when key in second position.
Black connector
Blue 12v when key in third position (motor start).
Red 12v constant.
Brown connector
Red (bottom) 12v when key in third position (motor start).
Red (top) 12v constant.
Is it the blue wire that goes to the starter motor solenoid control?