Starting the engine with a faulty starter

Signs of abnormal starter operation most often appear gradually. In this case, it is necessary to take urgent measures as soon as possible: remove the assembly, repair it or replace it with a new one. But what if the starter broke down suddenly and on the way, and the nearest technical station is very far away? Or, for example, the car needs to be driven away for repair, and attempts to start are useless: the crankshaft does not rotate. In such cases, you can start the engine using improvised methods. There are several of them and the use of one or another depends on the type of transmission and other factors. But first you need to look at the battery.

Oxidation of terminals

If the lights on the dashboard go out when you try to start, do not rush to blame the starter. It makes sense to open the hood and inspect the battery terminals: it is likely that there is simply no proper contact. As a result, the starter cannot receive enough current and therefore does not work. To solve this problem, remove the wires from the battery and clean its terminals with fine sandpaper. When possible, grease them with a special paste.



After that, check the fuse of the solenoid relay circuit - it may be the case.

Starting the engine of a car with a manual transmission "with a pusher"

The easiest way is to "catch" a car whose driver agrees to help you. In order to start the car, you need a tow rope. You hitch it to the cars and get behind the wheel. Further:

• ? turn off all current consumers and turn the ignition key
  
• ? depress the clutch and engage second gear, if the road is good, hard, you can first
  
• ? give the signal to the tug to move off
  
• ? when the speed reaches about 20-25 km/h, release the clutch pedal
  
• ? as soon as the engine starts, squeeze it out again while applying the brake, so as not to “kiss” the rear bumper of the towing vehicle
  

But what if no one wants to stop (for example, at night) or in the foreseeable space there are no oncoming or passing cars at all?



Then you have to act on your own. If the car is on a slope, then you have a chance to start it alone. Under other conditions, you will need a couple of assistants or one, but very strong. Well, for example, if there are passengers in the cabin. To start the engine:

• ? turn on the ignition
  
• ? at the initial stage, the driver can also push the car
  
• ? when sufficient speed is gained, you need to get behind the wheel, press the clutch pedal and turn on the second gear
  
• ? squeeze it again when the engine starts, brake
  

Of course, such actions are within the power of relatively strong people or a large number of them.

Starting the engine of a front- or rear-wheel drive machine through the wheel

This operation can be done alone. The machine should stand on level ground: if possible, push it through. Next, put the car on the handbrake, and hang out one of the drive wheels using a jack. Place pads or something from improvised material under the rest. Now you need to turn on the ignition and (best of all) third gear. To spin the wheel, you need a strong rope - in such a situation, a tow cable will do. They need to tightly wrap the wheel, more precisely, the tire, making three or four turns. Pull hard and sharp.





If there is neither a towing cable nor a suitable rope, you can try to spin the wheel with a balloon wrench.

How to start a car with automatic transmission

Here, towing will not help: more precisely, it is highly recommended not to use this method of starting the power unit. The reason lies in the lack of a rigid connection between the motor and the wheels. The interaction takes place through a torque converter. Therefore, an attempt to start the engine "from the pusher" will lead to breakdown of the automatic transmission valves. So in such situations, the best option for starting the power plant without a starter is to close its contacts. How to do it?

Most starters have only three terminals, labeled "S", "B" and "M", located on the solenoid relay. The principle of operation of the system is simple. The battery is permanently connected to the main contact "B". After turning the ignition key, the current flows to the retractor relay, it works, closes the contacts, and the battery is connected to the main winding of the starter, the rotor of which begins to rotate, engaging with the teeth of the engine flywheel.



What is to be done? There are two cases. In the first, it is necessary, bypassing the solenoid relay (which most often turns out to be faulty), to let the current go directly to the starter winding. To do this, take a larger screwdriver and carefully, without touching the metal parts, directly close the “B” contact (with a thick cable) and the terminal (located nearby), from which the wire goes inside the starter housing. If the retractor relay is working, it just does not receive voltage, then close the contact with the thickest cable and the one under the plastic block.



In the first situation, it is sometimes difficult to bridge the terminals with a screwdriver due to the high partition between them. If you have a thick insulated wire, you can do it differently. Attach one end of the cable to the positive terminal of the battery "tightly". Turn on the ignition, and firmly touch the terminal of the solenoid relay, from which the wire goes to the starter housing.

Starting a car with automatic transmission through the air conditioning compressor pulley

This method is suitable for machines where there is free access to the node. To start the engine, you will need a strong thick rope a couple of meters long and a round, even stick. Course of action:

• ? remove the belt from the compressor
  
• ? wrap one end of the rope on the crankshaft flywheel (along the way), and the other end on a stick that needs to be installed under the hood so that the twine is “tight”.
  
• ? put the automatic transmission lever in the "N" position
  
• ? turn on the ignition and the most powerful cooling mode - the crankshaft should turn
  
  When the engine starts, turn off the air conditioner and drive to the nearest service station.
  

Signs of a malfunctioning starter

If they appear, it is better to replace or repair the assembly in advance so that there are no problems on the road. You can determine that the time has come to engage in a starter, according to several criteria:

• ? with a good battery, clean terminals, the crankshaft turns too slowly
  
• ? after trying to start, first clicks are heard under the hood and only then the car starts
  
• ? when the key is turned to the extreme right position, a squeal of the electric motor (starter) is heard, operating at high speeds, i.e., engagement with the crankshaft flywheel does not occur
  
• ? an unusual noise is heard when starting the engine
  

However, such a “favorable” situation does not always develop. Sometimes there is a short circuit in the stator or rotor windings of the starter itself. There are other troubles in the form, for example, of wear on the bearing bushes or gears that engage with the flywheel. If the starter is from a foreign car and it is difficult to find it, it makes sense to do repairs. In other cases, when it is known for sure that the starter is faulty, and not the retractor relay, it is recommended to purchase a new assembly.