starter motor faults

[VIPERONE]

As im no expert with vehicle electrics.. i have to swallow my pride and post a assistance requisition lol.

My vehicle starter is playing up. i can place a fully charged up battery in the vehicle and then when i turn my key i just hear a clicking sound. i can turn the key 2 -10 times and hear the click.. sometimes though the starter turns and vehicle starts!. i can pull up fuel up then when i attempt to start car.... click.. keep turning key until it eventually starts!.. i have tested 2 fully charged batteries on my car with the same result.

so i have narrowed down to the following possible faults:

1) ignition block

2) earth related

3) bolloxed starter.

any assistance, testing ideas welcome :-)

cheers_ Gunner

[Purple]

To rule out earthing issue on the starter:

Connect a thick wire directly from the battery's negative terminal to the starter's earth or metal body. If that don't fix it; it won't be an earthing problem with the starter.

[VIPERONE]

As a rule of thumb, if you hear clicking but nothing else, you solenoid is working but the motor isn't. If you hear a whirr but not the engine turning, the motor works, but the solenoid isn't engaging it.

__________________________________________________ ___

i'll try that.. however i will run a feed directly to the starter + from battery +
im investing in a multi-meter to help me sort this embarrassing fault out.

cheers purple sun :-)

[northy]

clean your contacts up to the starter motor and lubricate with electrical conctact grease. problem soted.

[Purple]

If you are using non-standard wires, make sure that they are thick wires. The internal copper cross-section should be at least as thick as pencil lead. The clicking could be that you're not feeding enough current to the starter. And as Northy says, clean the contacts or better still, sand down the contacts a bit. If it still doesn't work, it must be other things at fault.

[Mark_Ritchspeed]

Check the main wire hasnt worked loose. This will just cause clicking and not engagement of the starter. On the other hand, if none of the above sort it, then its likely your starter is screwed. If you have a Lucas agent nearby, they will be able to rebuild for around £30-40 though.

[clowo16v]

If the above doesn't fix it, give it a few sharp taps with a hammer. If it doesn't work it was knackered anyway, and if it does you dont have to change the starter lol.

Is there an easy way of getting the starter out? Always seems a right ball ache when i've done it but I might be doing it a difficult way.

See ya

Matt

[summeh]

I had a similar problem recently...

The motor only turns over when the solenoid is engaged in position. So if the solenoid doesn't move the gear into place, the motor won't turn.

I took my starter to pieces and turned out it was one of the screws that hold the solenoid in position had come loose! and was sitting in the bottom of the solenoid housing.! This caused the solenoid to be off slightly, so the gear couldn't be pushed into place.

Put it back together with locktight etc and it worked fine.

Also make sure your connections are all SECURE... One of the securing copper nuts worked itself loose on my starter, the cable was still atttched, just not tight. This was enough for it not to work as it could'nt draw the current required. Starter motors draw a shit load of current, as a result you'll see them spark like a bastard when you test them using a length of wire direct from the battery.

[VIPERONE]

If you are using non-standard wires, make sure that they are thick wires. The internal copper cross-section should be at least as thick as pencil lead. The clicking could be that you're not feeding enough current to the starter. And as Northy says, clean the contacts or better still, sand down the contacts a bit. If it still doesn't work, it must be other things at fault.

ive learnt from tht mistake....lol

[BRUN]

does tapping the starter with something hard like a big spanner make it work ?

ive had this before and fixed a few cars for people at work by twatting the starter with a bike seat post, all be it temporarily

[Purple]

Yup, generally for older equipment, a swift whack with bare fist does tend to get things going again. Combined with a bit of lub spray and contact cleaner, it can be as good as new. Works like a charm for my Clio's dashboard gremlins. :D