>It's been a couple of weeks since I fixed this starter motor earth problem, and quite aside from rectifying the actual problem of not starting, I noticed other improvements
- it runs so much better, engine sounds better, there is more power under acceleration and cruising in 5th. I guess the deterioration happened more or less gradually and therefore wasn't so obvious, but the step improvement is very clear
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Took my car to the shops earlier a couple of hours after re-fitting the cleaned up starter earth. Noticed that the voltages reported by the colour DIS after starting (as I turned on the lights, aircon, radio, dashcam, heated screen / mirrors and wipers etc.) were markedly healthier than last week even after the new battery was fitted - at least 0.3-0.4V stronger today than the other day despite everything being switched on - and also less erratic - (last week I was wondering if the voltage regulator was playing up as the numbers oscillated between low 12s with everything on and 14.6 during a recharging drive the other day whereas today never below mid 13s with same things switched on, and sitting at 14.2V with all electrical drains turned off but engine running. Knowing how sensitive A2s are to voltage fluctuations presume this could impact on all sorts of circuits, giving spurious fault codes or limp modes etc., if not dealt with.