Starter Motor?

[hd_andy 2]

Just taken my car into town, when I came back to it, it wouldnt start. As I had the demister, lights, stereo, heater etc on, on the way down I thought it was probably the battery, but the starter was only turning very slowly eventually after having the key turned for a while it fired up. Does this mean I need a new starter?

 

Also whilst I had the key turned the black wire that goes to the top of the suspension strut started to smoke, and its melted the wire, what does this wire go to? Its the nearside one, the offside one just goes to a ring terminal on the fuel filter mounting bracket.

 

Cheers

Andy

[Toddman 0]

Not a pug expert but sounds to me like the starter was not getting a good earth(negative feed).I think this because the starter draws a lot of current which would cause thin wires to smoke and melt.

Try running a jump lead from the negative battery terminal to the engine or starter motor body to give it a good earth and then see how it spins/

 

Cheers

Luke

[jj205 4]

I agree with luke on this, it sounds like you have a bad earth. The thin wire that connects to the top of the strut is a earth wire for the brake pad warning light,

 

The main earth on the engine, is a thick green cable, that connects to the passenger inner wing via the plate that holds on the ignition amplifier, behind the coil,

 

The earth on the engine block is on the top of the gearbox if i remeber rightly ( thick green cable), and goes over to the passenger side inner wing/ignition amplifier bracket, but check for any broken earth cable ( the thick green ones) and check all its connections, for rust, loses connections,

 

Try what luke said first with the jump lead, and see it it turns over okay, so at the moment does it still turn over slowly,

 

Jonathan

Edited January 14, 2004 by jj205

[Super Josh 4]

If the suspension earth lead is smoking, then, as said above it will be a bad earth and all of the current is going through the small suspension earth lead. My bet would be on a corroded earth lead connection where it bolts onto the block above the gearbox/ under the dizzy

 

 

Josh

[Super Josh 4]

Looks like jj205 beat me to it. When you've sorted out the earth connection smother it in copper grease to stop it corroding again.

 

 

Josh

[jj205 4]

Sorry mate, thinking about it, id imagine the current is getting from the gearbox end of the earth wire okay, but not earthing where it connects to the inner wing, so going through the small wire, as the small wire conects hear as well if i remember,

 

But id check both ends, and a good tip with copper grease,

 

Jonathan

Edited January 14, 2004 by jj205

[hd_andy 2]

Right just been out to try the jump lead thing, and it works!! Nice one lads thanks for that. Cant be bothered to suss which earth wire it is now, its a bit dark!! So i will take another look tomorrow.

 

Thanks again

 

Andy

[hd_andy 2]

Sorted it today,

 

Cleaned the earth connetions on the gearbox and its fine now.

 

Thanks for all your help

 

Andy

[Toddman 0]

Top Job

 

Cheers

Luke

[stutto 0]

I am having the same problem, but my earth cables were replaced recently.

 

Assuming, dangerously, they are OK, where would I start looking next?

 

(I have recently fitted a 'new' (diesel) starter, alternator and diesel battery)

Edited July 18, 2006 by stutto

[stutto 0]

Sorry missed out that starter seems to turn once and then the smoke starts.

 

I'm stuck on the bike until I can get the car out of the car park at work!

[stutto 0]

I got someone to look at it and all they did was disconnect the connector on the passenger side strut and then it fired first time.

 

Where does this wire run to? I see it appears to go towards the fuse box, is this correct?

[Rob_the_Sparky 9]

It is an earth, there is no reason that this should work as it is too small to take the starter current but if it did cure it then the only thing it may help with would be a bad earth. How a piddly little wire like that would cure it though I've no idea. Cranking currents are huge.

 

Smoke from the starter sounds more like somthing jammed it though. These motors draw HUGE currents when stalled and can over heat and burn out - generally what causes them to smoke.

 

I'd say there is a chance that the spade connector made no difference but something else was disturbed that helped. Either that or you have an intermittant problem that may re-occur. Only time will tell with regards to that though.

 

Rob

 

P.S. I'd try a new thread next time!

[stutto 0]

Firstly, thanks for the reply.

 

I don't understand why but I am convinced that the current that should have been going to my starter was going through that wire. It did melt the connector and the insulator on that wire and the guy who looked at the car for me says that would take at least 20A.

 

After disconnecting the spade the start sounds a lot stronger than it ever has, so I guess this may have been a contributing factor to most of my recent problems.

 

This problem has also helped me realise that I ignored the SAD when I had the new wiring to the starter solenoid fitted. Must get that sorted before it goes cold again. (My original wiring was cut into just after ignition and this new wire runs through a relay direct to the solenoid). Can anyone tell me where the SAD wire comes off wire 46(A)?

 

 

WRT a new thread I probably should have but I was reluctant because this thread described my problem very well.