Car not starting. Clicking noise.

[bromster]

So I think my starter motor is giving problems. Yesterday, my car started fine. Today, I get a clicking noise with the key turned to start. About 2 clicks per second. Sounds like the solonoid is energising, but the motor doesn't crank at all. Another strange thing is that I can hear soft hissing in the door speakers even when the car is off, which I don't think it was doing before.

I am just looking for any tips or ideas from the resident petrolheads please. Other things worth mentioning:

Battery is almost new, fully charged at 12.6v.
Jump Starting with a second vehicle doesn't help.
Push starting the car works fine.
I have an aftermarket sound system including an amp with a remote wire.
I can't locate the starter to whack it with a hammer. It is buried somewhere deep inside.

Edit: Voltage across battery with car idling is 14.6 or so. It seems like the alternator is working.

Thanks as always.

 

[thehuman]

Batery could be flat

 

[Foxhound5366]

My car started doing this, coupled with all sorts of other weird symptoms (inc central locking refusing to lock, dashboard lights pulsing). After the car was towed in to a dealership they simply diagnosed it as a new battery being needed ... R1 200 later, perfectly working car again.

I've always had a sneaking suspicion the dealership lied and were actually covering up some other fault, because I've never seen a flat battery affect a car like that before, but then again the last time I had a flat battery it was on an old 1990s Toyota Conquest

 

[mintydroid]

Your amp remote wire must be wired into a on/off switch or to the remote terminal on the back of the head unit to switch itself on and off correctly.

Sounds likes it's on all the time with the hissing through the speakers.

 

[ngwe23]

Sounds like the starter motor is gone

 

[AfricanTech]

Sounds like your battery is shot

 

[bromster]

But surely the combined power of 2 batteries would have been sufficient when I tried to jump start it earlier. It still made the clicking noise.

 

[Edelweiss]

Alternator is gone.
Buy a cheap voltmeter meter to ensure a constant charge when the car is running. If it's not at the stated 12.6v the battery is not charging and the engine draws power from the battery exclusively with no alternator charging it.

Also check that the electrical system is grounded properly. Alternators are pretty cheap to fix it's only when you need to completely replace it that it costs a penny.

Ask the auto electrician to rebuild the alternator

 

[thehuman]

But surely the combined power of 2 batteries would have been sufficient when I tried to jump start it earlier. It still made the clicking noise.

Some cheap jumper cables too thin to star car if battery very flat

 

[sand_man]

Should have gone to battery center...

 

[Stokstert]

Might also be a loose cable connection and the hissing noise you hear is actually some arcing on the loose connection. Get someone else to help you to start while you observe the cables at the battery and the starter.

 

[bromster]

Edit: Voltage across battery with car idling is 14.6 or so. It seems like the alternator is working.

 

[bromster]

Your amp remote wire must be wired into a on/off switch or to the remote terminal on the back of the head unit to switch itself on and off correctly.

Sounds likes it's on all the time with the hissing through the speakers.

It was wired correctly and has never given problems before. I have disconnected the positive terminal of the amp in the mean time to stop it from draining the battery if this is the problem. Will try it again tomorrow and make sure the power led on the amp is switching off correctly.

Some cheap jumper cables too thin to star car if battery very flat

I have good 200A cables which have worked on the car before.

 

[Edelweiss]

Are there any warning lights on the dash while in transit?
It might work at low rpm but when you drive the car it cuts out at higher rpm causing the battery to drain.
Also check the belt.

 

[bromster]

Are there any warning lights on the dash while in transit?
It might work at low rpm but when you drive the car it cuts out at higher rpm causing the battery to drain.
Also check the cable.

No warning lights at all. Once the car is running, it is as if nothing is wrong. Which cable should I check? I have also used a jumper cable from battery negative to the engine block to ensure good earthing, but that didn't work.

 

[Edelweiss]

No warning lights at all. Once the car is running, it is as if nothing is wrong. Which cable should I check? I have also used a jumper cable from battery negative to the engine block to ensure good earthing, but that didn't work.

Edit I meant the timing belt

 

[Segg]

Sounds like the starter, if its clicking it may be the starters idle gear that's jammed. Easiest way would be to whack it with a hammer, but try turning the engine on and off quickly when its idling and make sure you try engage the starter at the same time. Normally this would be a very bad idea, but if it is jammed, it may just free it

 

[bromster]

Edit I meant the timing belt

Ok. Lol. Timing is fine. The car runs perfectly once I get it going.

 

[adinfinitum]

Maybe they screwed up your wiring when they did your speakers? Check your wiring to the starter motor?

 

[bromster]

Ok. Tomorrow's course of action will be to try another jump start, then try another battery, then find the starter motor to check continuity and voltages.

I have had the sound system in the car for years without issue. The only thing I might suspect with the wiring is the grounding. Will check that too.