Starter Motor Problem

[Daz]

Hey guys,

My starting problems are back - I thought I had cured it by cleaning the earths, but found out this morning I havnt.. making me miss Uni lectures.

When I start the car and it starts, it makes a clunk noise, making me think the starter is not that healthy - sometimes though, it starts and sounds perfect, but it clunks more times than not. (Car done 52k).

Now, the past couple of days its been "hard" starting it, kept key turned, it sounded a bit ill but it started.. once I got it started, it started perfectly afterwards for the rest of the day.

This morning, its back to the "no start no matter what" problem. I turn key, it sounds like the battery is dead.. Im 99.999% sure its not. (Last time it wouldnt start at all, battery was at 12.7v, Heavy Duty). I got me other spare battery, and tried to jump it off of that, it wouldnt - it sounded healthier for the first turn of the key, but the second.. it sounded as if battery was dead again.

I know for a fact, that when I get this car started, I will be able to turn the engine off, start it again - and it will start perfectly.

So, is it the Starter? As I said, Im 99.99% sure that the battery and alternator are fine - Ive had about 3 batteries now, and then this heavy duty one.. Alternator seems to be charging at all the right voltages.

Thinking of getting my starter refurbed - It might stop the clunking noise when it does turn over.. but will it fix my starting problems?

Any help? Im getting a bit tired of it all now. Its the intermittentness (heh, new word?) of it all!

Ive gotta try and start it to get to uni for the afternoon - dunno how, maybe jump off another car.. Got it going last time by doing that, then pumping the accelerator a bit.. it turned over ok, but engine wasnt firing. Maybe it was flooded from all the trying? Got it started in the end - turned it off, started again perfectly.

Daz.

 

[Tom]

Starters gone by the sound of it

 

[Daz]

tomclio1.2, yea, would that lead though to the intermittentness of it? Like, would it work sometimes, then sound like the battery is dead on others?

Daz.

 

[Tom]

i suppose i dont really know the details of starter motors

 

[Flying Scotsman]

Hi Daz,

I reckon your starter is goosed mate. If the solenoid is sticking it will not operate the bendix and make a good high current starting circuit. In days gone by one could buy a solenoid separately and refurb the starter yourself. Nowadays goosed components are destined for the bin. You can take the gamble and go to the scrappy and get a starter that may be better than you have. Usually they have limited return/exchange policy if not satisfied. Also your local auto electrician may be able to exchange or refurb yours. The following link will give you a description of how it should all work if youre interested!

http://www.indiacar.com/index2.asp?pagename=http://www.indiacar.com/infobank/battery1_od.htmhttp://www.indiacar.com/index2.asp?pagename=http://www.indiacar.com/infobank/battery1_od.htm

 

[KDF]

Could be a faulty solanoid, but you will prolly have to replace the starter motor aswell as most solanoid are now intergrale parts of the starter motor.

 

[Daz]

Ok, Thanks guys - Just wanted assuring it is actually the starter.. I can get mine refurbed for £40, or I can send away for one, and with the exchange that works out at £60ish.

I guess if I send away for one, its just a refurbed one anyway.. just someone elses?

Daz.

 

[DanG]

SOunds very much like what happened to mine last week,

the click you hear when you turn the key is the solenoid clicking into place, its an electro magnet that forms a switch between 2 contacts to power the motor. You can rule out flat battery by turning the ignition on and putting your headlights on... if theyre bright the battery is fine.

When you turn the key this powers up the electro-magnet pulls the solenoid in and completes the circuit.... the starter motor should then turn your engine over until it fires up... in theory.

What sounds like is happening is that the one of the brushes inside the starter is stuck. The brushes are meant to keep in contact with the spindle (bendix) in the motor. If one of them gets a bit worn it can stick and wont keep in contact with the bendix, thus you hear the click of the solenoid and nowt happens...

It normally c***s up when its cold, ie: when there hasnt been any vibration in the engine for a while to keep the brush engaged.

I got my starter changed under warranty, but if I didnt have that I would have had it refurbed, they come back working sound as a pound.

If it happens again before you get it refurbed, try tapping the starter (if you can get at it)... this should free up the brush.

 

[Daz]

There aint no clicking.. Theres very often a Clunk when the engine turns over (i.e. properly started).

When it plays up, sounds like battery is dead - very slow... and ill..

Daz.

 

[DanG]

aaaaah, so the starter turns the engine over but it wont fire into life.....

right..... it aint the starter motor then... could be a whole host of other things...

does it almost fire up? so you get the sound of the starter then the engine trie to come in but cant quite manage it? or do you just get the sound of the starter?

 

[Daz]

You get the sound of a dead battery trying to start a car.

You then stop the car about 5 mins later, start it again and its perfect - sweet as a nut.

Daz.

 

[Daz]

The first time I tried to start it again today, I had two batteries - it was a bit warmer outside and I charged the battery a bit to give back its life from the earlier starting I tried to do.

It was sounding healthier, but engine wouldnt fire - I had to pump the accelerator a bit, and it spluttered into life.

Drove 3 miles down road, put some petrol in, turned it over - first time, perfect.

Daz.

 

[DanG]

I see, so the sound of the dead battery starting the car is just the click of the solenoid coming in and nothing happening, then u leave it for 5 mins try again and it works.....

That does sound like the starter, sounds like the brushes as I described....

Get it refurbed and you should be sweet.

 

[Daz]

No clicking from solenoid (Although, I do get that if I keep trying for about 10 mins solid.. battery goes down from 12.7v to 11.2v.. it doesnt like it )

Just sounds like you have a dead battery, and its turning over slowly.. going like "blah"...

Just been out to it now - its freezing, started first time, real sweet.

So you think its the starter?

Daz.

 

[DanG]

I reckon its the starter... it sounds like its not getting enough power.

that could be either a lazy starter ( get it refurbed), a poor battery not able to hold its charge under heavy loading... or one of the earths on the starter not being very good....

It sounds like youve already ruled out the earths and the battery so that can leave only one thing....the chuffing starter motor. Get it refurbed and Ill eat my hat if that doesnt cure it...

 

[Daz]

Ok, thanks LOADS mate.. Ill get that done.

Funny, I cleaned all my earths the other week and its started in all the cold weather since then... today was the first day it didnt.

Ill get it refurbed, and see what happens then.

Thanks again for ya help!

Daz.

 

[Daz]

Heh, Didnt start again today! The joys of putting things off!

Same problem, sounded like battery dead.. so I got the spare battery, attached me jump leads, it was very slow again.. but it started..

I have had times where it has turned over slow, but has actually started on the main battery... but this morning it was just laughing at me! Wasnt when I attached me other battery - Have some!

Started ok the rest of the day, even got a start without a clunk from the starter! Bonus!

Better get a new starter then.. cant be doing with this unreliability!

I aint changed spark plugs for a while, Haynes reckons if they corroded, then I could have starting problems.. Id think if the spark plugs were done though, Id have some other problems..

Anyway, probably gunna get my starter refurbed..

Daz.

 

[DanG]

get the starter done and stick it back on with nice clean earths, should do the trick.

It doesnt sound like your plugs are knackered, it sounds like the starter is struggling to turn the engine.