Bought my latest Bangernomics yesterday: Peugeot 307 sw se 1.6 petrol.

It started ok at the sellers house, I drove it 5 miles & put some petrol in it & it wouldn’t re-start. The starter is loud clicking but not turning the engine. When I get someone to turn the key whilst I listen under the bonnet – loud solenoid click but no spinning.

About 40 mins later I turned the key & it started instantly.

I’ve drop tested the battery & that is perfect.

I’ve removed the starter motor & tested it with jump leads & the solenoid engages – the sprockets fires forward and spins up nicely.

I’ve checked the earth to the engine & earth to the chassis & all looks good.

Could the starter have an intermittent fault, or what else should I check?

How did you test the battery? Never heard of drop testing I’m afraid. If it’s not the battery then it would sound like a dodgy connection around the solenoid area or the solenoid itself.

starter could easily be at fault.

Can you wiggle the wires and connections around the starter when someone else fires it up for you. Maybe a bad connection or a wire with exposed metal etc. See if you can replicate the failing again.

Intermittent starter fault. Source a refurbished one, they are not difficult to fit

Solenoid? Try giving it a bash.

Drop test is same as a load test or whatever: battery connected to a testing unit, which then puts a big load on it for about 30 seconds (similar to starting the engine) This tests battery’s resilience and performance against what it is when new. That is, how much it’s performance drops under load.

I can’t replicate the problem with the starter off the car. It engages every time. I wonder if heat is affecting it.

My train of thought is that it started ok when cold. I then had it ticking over for 5 minutes whilst paperwork’s done; I then thrashed it a bit for 5 miles before stopping for fuel. It then wouldn’t start.

About 40 mins later it started…

just replace it then. You can always return it if it does not change anything.

Crank position sensor? Have you tried rocking the car in gear backwards and forwards then starting it?

Yes, tried rocking it etc. Can’t tap it as it’s too hidden away behind engine & under battery tray.

Will definitely replace it. & see what happens next.

I had a Jetta with similar symptoms. Sometimes fired first time, sometimes just the solenoid click. Took it to an auto electrician who for not very much money took it off, did ‘some soldering to do with the windings’ and it worked fine for ages after that.

Cost sod all, but was in NZ about 15 years ago!

Bad earth?

The clicking is low current so before doing anything drastic clean all the connectors up and make sure the main box earth is there and in good order

its the main contacts in the starter solenoid. The coil is energising and throwing the starter gear out but it wont always make the main contact to power the starter motor itself. I had it recently my Transit.
Whilst/if the starter is off remove the solenoid and use a continuity tester to check the circuit between the main contacts when you manually depress the solenoid plunger. A bit of brake cleaner/wd40 can help a little but its ultimately a new solenoid/starter

Interesting….. My mower does the same thing.