Start me up

[j4]

Had trouble starting the car this morning. I've noticed it's done the same thing a few times now, and I don't entirely understand why. What happens is:

1. I try to start the car, get a whirring sound and then nothing. Nada. Nil. Starter does absolutely zilch from then on, until:

2. I try to start it with the handle, and the engine turns over but doesn't start. There's no kickback from the starting-handle (which there sometimes is); just nothing happens.

3. I try to start it again properly, and this time it fires up perfectly.

I'm wondering if something is out of line, out of sync, or something (okay, so I have no idea, I'm guessing wildly with very little supporting knowledge) and turning the engine over is just lining it up? It's very annoying, anyway, although it makes a good spectator sport, particularly when it happens at work.

* * *

In other news: Had a lovely evening with lnr last night. Sin-free lasagne with weird not-really-white-sauce topping came out much better than I expected; dessert was wonderful. (;-)

Absolutely shattered this morning, mind, but still managed to get up, phone people about job application forms etc., and get into work only 10 minutes late. Go me.

I have a counselling appointment in about an hour's time. Ironically, that's about the only thing I'm feeling really miserable and stressy about at this precise moment... Hey ho.

Comments

[rysmiel.livejournal.com]

My family used to have a car that behaved very like this; what was happening was a starter motor problem, but not a blockage. The starter motor was for some unfathomable reason tending to come to rest with the little rotating magnetic bit perpendicular to the poles where current comes when one turns the ignition [ ooh, technical terms ] and any kind of jiggling the starter motor to get that off alignment would then let it start fine. My father got in the habit of carrying a Very Long Skewer with which to poke the starter motor directly, mostly so that he could make people boggle by fixing his problems with a dramatic stabbing motion under the bonnet.

[j4.livejournal.com]

Excellent! I shall have to invest in a skewer. Actually, though, I think the starting-handle makes for a good enough spectator sport...

What you're saying about getting things lined up (skipping all the technical terms) sounds very plausible though. Unfortunately, though, I know there's no way I will be able to reproduce this problem while somebody who can diagnose it reliably is watching; as soon as she knows she's being watched, she starts perfectly. Little show-off. :)