S2 Elise won’t start

[Stitch]

After a long, long lay up I tried to get my S2 03 reg Elise to start this morning.

Battery had been disconnected before I laid the car up, so reconnected it and put some charge in it.

Dash lights come on and where are various whirring noises when I switch the ignition on.

The starter seems to turn (there is a sound a bit like a machine gun going off) but the engine does not crank.

On top of that, the needles on the speedo and rev counter have swung up to the 9 o’clock position and stayed there!

Anyone got any ideas (other than that I should have started it up every month for the last two and a half years?

[Mutley00]

1 hour ago, Stitch said:

The starter seems to turn (there is a sound a bit like a machine gun going off) but the engine does not crank.

99% certain that you've got a duff battery mate, the sound you describe is a dead give away.

[PeteB]

4 hours ago, Mutley00 said:

99% certain that you've got a duff battery mate, the sound you describe is a dead give away.

Being a bit more optimistic 😉, it could just be a dodgy battery connection, given it’s been disconnected whilst laid up..

[Mutley00]

Not sure you'd get the machine gun sound with that Pete. That's the sound of the starter motor not getting enough power from the battery. Worth giving the terminals a good clean on the off chance though.

[duncx]

To me, 'machine gun noise' doesn't sound like the starter motor is turning, more like the pre-engager slamming in and out. If the battery has been flat for 2.5 years it will almost certainly be fooked

 Just to be sure, have you checked that the engine still turns over by hand?

[timbo]

My thoughts the same as duncx - the noise is the starter solenoid actuating.

The battery could be in need of replacement - get it on charge and check the voltage.

Other possibilities are:

Starter motor stuck

Poor contact within starter

 

[Martin R]

As above the noise is the starter motor solonoid. As it goes in the starter tries to turn which pulls a lot of amps. The voltage drops due to the battery being duff or discharged This causes the solonoid to drop back out so the voltage goes back up and repeats etc etc.