96 Mark 5 Escort Wont Start Please help

My battery went flat a couple days ago, the cell was nearly dry so it topped it back up to level and left the battery on charge.

Once charged i put the battery back, turned the key all dash lights come on but the car wont start i just hear a click from the engine bay.

As i live next to a battery shop i get the bloke to come over and test the system, the battery had 34% starting capacity im told so need to buy a new battery, which i did. Fit the new cell and i still get the same problem! Next im told the starter motor must be shot, i give it a knock and do some tests and current is getting to the starter.

So i go out and buy a new starter motor spend the morning fitting it go to start and just like before i only hear a click from the engine.

Can any1 help?! i've checked all fuses including the ones on the battery.

To go through the steps.
* i've got all power to dash and the lights work
* turning the ignition i only hear a click from the engine
* not sure if its anything but the radiator fan comes on which im sure it never done before.
* I've fitted a new battery & starter motor

Something has happened due to either trying to get it started when the battery is almost dead, physically removing the battery or over the 3-4 days of the car just sitting there on the road.

Please help

Did you clean the inside of the battery clamps? That's the first thing I'd look at. Secondly I'd find the ground cable that hooks the engine to the car body/frame. Make sure itr's hooked up and in good shape. I've pulled mine off and cleaned the connector before. It can corrode and rust. Try this too: Run a jumper cable from your battery Negative (-) to the engine block. If it starts with that in place then you definately have a grounding problem. But look at those clamps first.

The dashlights are grounded by different wiring so they would still work. Can't imagine why the fan comes on unless you were wiggling around the fuses and/or relays in the underhood fuse box.

Question: Doesn't that scare you to drive on the wrong side of the road? :lol2:

i was going to say the same thing about the ground. that clicking sound is the started engaging to the fly wheel i would imagine. what i suggest is that you take the starter out and see if it spins when you fire the ignition and go from there (you might want some one to help you).

i was going to say the same thing about the ground. that clicking sound is the started engaging to the fly wheel i would imagine. what i suggest is that you take the starter out and see if it spins when you fire the ignition and go from there (you might want some one to help you).

Not trying to be disagreeable J-Walk but it has done this on two starters. Not out of the question but at least one of these starters should have been good. Possibly both were. :disappoin

I am still thinking diry battery clamps. You've had two starters and two batteries with the same results.

Do you have a manual transmission? Maybe try push starting the car. Ti is a L O N G shot but the engine could be siezed. I vote for a bad ground connection though.

Cheers for the help it turned out to be the main ground line :) I got it bump started took it down the round to see if it would sort the problem out but ended up with all the dash lights coming on and cutting out. Called out the RAC and they found a loose ground, connected it up and everything worked ok. Still cant work out how it got like that from just sitting by the road :s

Thanks again, atleast i have a spare battery and starter motor now :)

:bigthumb: Glad to help one of our British friends. :smile: Had you been a Frechman I'd asked you to stand by your car and wave a white flag :angryfire