Bad starter motor?

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

I’ve tried to start my Mini after 3 or 4 months but it won’t turn over.

 

fully charged battery etc.

 

i get the initial clunk as it tries to turn over, but I can see from one of the pulleys that the engine is only turning over 20-30 degrees, so I assume the solenoid is ok

 

i never had any starter motor issues before its holiday.

 

Does it sound like a starter motor is goosed or any idea’s?

 

thanks

[Anthony 1,003]

It could be a starter, but are you sure that the battery is good and the connections sound?  3-4 months without use, particularly over the winter period, could easily be enough to kill a battery.

 

Have you tried a beefy set of jump leads off another car and see if it cranks over?

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Hi Anthony, it’s a brand new battery and I fully charged it through the night to be sure.

 

what I don’t get is how the engine seems to be turning (slowly) at all, if it is the starter motor.

 

its a feckin pig to change the starter too.

[Bakes100 20 1 Cars]

Have you tried the brand new battery on another car? Or tried another battery on the mini? Best to rule that out first, although its new it may not be able to generate the cranking amps.

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Yeah, it started my 205/GTI6 no problem before going on the mini.

 

I bought the battery suitably sized, in fact slightly oversized to cater for GTI6, and it's a Bosch (027), so not cheap crap.

[jackherer 543]

It might be worth taking the spark plugs out to check it hasn't leaked a bit of coolant or fuel into a cylinder.

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

As in a cylinder is filled? therefore not allowing it to turn over? Surely not! 

 

Car ran like a sweetie 3 months ago.

[welshpug 1,657]

that was three months ago.

[jackherer 543]

It could happen if an injector or the head gasket is leaking slightly so in three months it might be enough to hydro lock it.

[toolie72 67 1 Cars]

Bad earth? Jump lead from negative terminal to starter body would be a quick check

 

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Had a wee while at it today.

 

plugs out, still same when I try start it.

 

bridged solenoid/starter and still the same.

 

so I guess it must be starter.

 

 

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

I ran a long set of jump leads from battery in the boot to the 12v terminal in bay and the earth to a good earth on block earlier, and it was just the same.

 

i’d never Get to starter as it’s buried at back of engine been exhaust mani, driveshaft and power steering gear.

 

 

 

[Thijs_Rallye 87 4 Cars]

Have you tried turning the crank by hand with a wrench?

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

No, but managed to turn it over by spinning a wheel in gear.

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

So after eventually getting the starter off yesterday, which was an absolute PITA of a job, i tested the starter with a battery and jump leads.

 

It spun up ok about a dozen times and the pinion moved forward etc, so i assume it's ok.

 

A wee bit of head scratching (and tears) and i found my alternator has collapsed.

 

I'm hoping this is somehow jamming and stopping the engine turning over properly.

 

I'll get the aux belt off and see if i can spin it....... another nice job to look forward to as the full front end of the car has to come off to change it.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 17, 2018 by dobboy

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

On 4/13/2018 at 7:17 PM, Thijs_Rallye said:

Have you tried turning the crank by hand with a wrench?

 

Although the wheels spun ok in gear ok, i put a wrench on the crank pulley yesterday and it was solid, and when in gear although the wheels spun, i noticed the engine didn't turn over.

 

Don't know if it makes any odds but the car has an LSD.

[Thijs_Rallye 87 4 Cars]

I don't see how a LSD would influence you not being able to turn the crank by hand ;). But all joking aside, have you tried turning the engine backwards as well (on the crank)?

 

 

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

No, never turned the engine backwards, i though that was a no no?

 

I was meaning by turning the wheels in gear, none of the wheels turned the engine, (both wheels off the ground at same time.)

 

 

Feck, i've just had a terrible thought...... timing chain.

 

 

Edit: surely engine would spin no bother if the chain was gone.

 

whew

Edited April 17, 2018 by dobboy

[Anthony 1,003]

Assuming it's an interference engine, if the chain failed on cranking, I'd expect the engine to turn a few degrees and then stop dead when pistons met valves.

 

If you think the failed alternator is stopping the engine, just remove the drive belt and see if it will turn by hand.

[Thijs_Rallye 87 4 Cars]

4 hours ago, dobboy said:

No, never turned the engine backwards, i though that was a no no?

 

I was meaning by turning the wheels in gear, none of the wheels turned the engine, (both wheels off the ground at same time.)

 

 

Feck, i've just had a terrible thought...... timing chain.

 

 

Edit: surely engine would spin no bother if the chain was gone.

 

whew

Since it will not rotate forwards I'd personally try rotating it backwards, just to see if it hasn't seized up yet. Forcing it against the "stop" will likely bend a valve or something.

 

If you turn the wheel with both wheels in the air an ATB LSD will act as an open diff, so nothing will happen. I assume this is a real mini and not a BMW mini right?

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Real mini? Lol

 

a BMW R53 Cooper S JCW

 

right, I took aux belt off and it engine spins ok...... it must be the alternator.

 

next challenge is to get this starter back on. I’m not looking forward to it at all.

[Thijs_Rallye 87 4 Cars]

2 hours ago, dobboy said:

next challenge is to get this starter back on. I’m not looking forward to it at all.

Real mini wasn't meant offensive by any means ;). It seems they have replicated the accessibility of parts perfectly then :).

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

Not that hard, stop whining and get on with it, do a clutch on one then you’ll know what awkward is.

[welshpug 1,657]

ep6 is much like a TU engine in a 205 but with lots of modern guff strapped to it.

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

Not an EP6 if it’s an R53 it’s the Chrysler single cam 16v engine.