Starter Motor

[Dino 3]

I've just had a new (refurbed) starter motor fitted to my car due to my old one (less than 2 years old) needing the old turn the key several times to get it to work syndrome.

 

Well lo and behold this 'new' starter motor is EVEN worse ffs

 

The place I got it from (AMPS in Tottenham who I also bought my refurbed alternator from at the same time) said that if this problem occurs to go back to them and get it adjusted properly.

 

Now my mechanic is Das who is a good mate and is also top notch has never put a foot wrong whenever he has worked on my car. He set the starter to the middle setting.

 

Does anyone have any recommendations as to which way I should rotate the motor to get it to work more reliably? Clockwise toward the gearbox or anticlockwise away from the gearbox?

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

I've just had a new (refurbed) starter motor fitted to my car due to my old one (less than 2 years old) needing the old turn the key several times to get it to work syndrome.

 

Well lo and behold this 'new' starter motor is EVEN worse ffs

 

The place I got it from (AMPS in Tottenham who I also bought my refurbed alternator from at the same time) said that if this problem occurs to go back to them and get it adjusted properly.

 

Now my mechanic is Das who is a good mate and is also top notch has never put a foot wrong whenever he has worked on my car. He set the starter to the middle setting.

 

Does anyone have any recommendations as to which way I should rotate the motor to get it to work more reliably? Clockwise toward the gearbox or anticlockwise away from the gearbox?

 

The sticking is usually due to the solinoid catching. I have heard that before you fit the starter, take the solinoid piston out and sand it down with some fine wet and dry / emery paper to ensure it moves smoothly then reassemble. I have had this problem with a new starter before. Next time I will buy a new Bosch or valeo one and not a reconned one

Edited August 4, 2006 by Henry Yorke

[Dino 3]

Its so annoying that this one is WORSE than the other one that was fitted

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

What did I tell you, The large OE type ones are a complete waste of time, The only ones to use are the late type Valeo ones or any 2l one

Even the new Bosch ones are a waste of time,

I bet if you stick a lead from the battery to the starter solinod it will work fine, Just like when they Recon them I bet they wonder why so many good ones get set back.

[steve@cornwall 100]

I get this problem sometimes when I use 16mm head gearbox bolts instead of the allen head ones. (I find these easier to work with).Should find that if you slacken the bolts just not enough for you to turn the motor by hand and start it a couple of times it will find it's own "happy-spot" so you can just tighten them again.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Now my mechanic is Das who is a good mate and is also top notch has never put a foot wrong whenever he has worked on my car.

Apart from fitting a stud conversion kit without any thread lock on the studs.

 

With the location dowel in place you won't get very much adjustment anyway & you shoud try turning it anti-counter-clockwise.

 

Graham.

[Alastairh 47]

Yeah theres very little adjustment so can't see it being that.

 

but anyway if it clicks as henry says the solenoid is screwed.

 

try a derv one.

 

Alastair

[maxi 36 1 Cars]

£10 says it isnt the starter and its the wiring to it. Any slight break down in the wire all the way from the fusebox, through the various multiplugs behind the dash, causes this issue.

 

As far as I am concerned there is no adjustment, it locates on the central dowell and then the two secondary bolts hold it in place. Depending how worn the casing and bell housing is will give you a couple of mm but nothing that will make a difference.

 

Maxi

[saveloy 8]

Firstly,you're a cheapskate.

Secondly,I agree with Maxi.

It would be a good idea to ask the perfectionist to wire in a relay,with decently sized wiring from the ignition to the starter,to draw some extra current from the battery whilst cranking over.

Ask him to check the starting voltage. That will tell you whether it is a current problem,a solenoid issue or a Dino issue!

[rogerrally 0]

Thread Hi Jack here, Ive got the same problem, but to get to it, do I need to remove Radiator, inlet manifold, or both? Any special tools needed?

Is it the starter that needs the better wire, or the thinner solenoid cable? I like the sound of a dash mounted start button!

[Butler 0]

Had the same issue recently and was the wiring. Cleaned up the connections on the motor itself. Changed the small spade connector and wet n dried the larger connectors. There was about 4-6 mated surfaces in all, and all were rusty, so you can image the voltage drop.

[Rob_the_Sparky 9]

Roger rally - do a search it is a very well covered area

 

Dino - Check the wiring to the solenoid with a multimeter (or get someone else to). Problems with the solenoid wiring aren't unusual and contribute in part to the hot starting issues. One thing to try:

 

With the solenoid connector off the starter, check the volts here when in the crank position. Do the same at the ignition. I found 9V at the starter and 12V after my immobiliser on the one I checked out. Now I do not know where it was all going but certainly not the brown multiplgu, igntion or immobiliser...only suspect was the tachy relay but seemed unlikely so I just put a second wire in parallel (easier than finding the problem properly!) and never had a starting issue again.

 

Rob

[Bally 4]

Standard problem on 205's. I always run an extra wire direct from the ignition to the starter and it always solves the problem. Voltage from the keyswitch passes thru too many multiplugs, fuse box and small gauge wire. By the time it hits the starter its about 9 volts.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Roger, I changed a starter motor last weekend & didn't remove either the inlet manifold or radiator.

 

Most I had to do was remove the bolt from the lower torque link to give me more movement to get the starter out between the sump & radiator.

 

I got the new starter in from above but I did have the breather pipes removed to get it out.

 

Graham.

[Butler 0]

Removing the rad is easier than the inlet. Only really needed if you have power steering the way. Otherwise pugtorque's method is valid.

[Rob_the_Sparky 9]

And it all depends on what extras you have on the car, hence I said do a search. Ona a basic car with no extras it can be done by only disconnecting the oil filler pipe from the bottom of the block and taking out from underneath. Much easier than any other method but not always possible...

[ALEX 98 1 Cars]

I've had this problem with mine for 4 years.

I've replaced the starter 4 times with brand new ones. (2 were on warranty) & Replaced most of the wiring.

I even had 2 direct wires connected to the starter and tie wraped near the the battery that I could connect straight to the battery for the time it started to give me grief .

That still didn't cure it. I stalled it coming off a busy slip road the engine was red hot. Click. Click with the key.

Same with the wire direct to the battery arrggg.

I had to wait 10 mins untill the car cooled down enough before I could start it again. (AA were on the way)

The problem seems worse when it's hot, So I'm convinced its an expansion problem.

The only thing I havn't tried that I like the idea of is loosening the fixings and letting it find a happy spot as mentioned. either that or use another type of starter.

[jonnie205 1]

There is no adjustment on starter as when bolts are tightened up it pulls the bolt central in the hole due to the dowel on 1 of the bolt holes. I just go down the scrappy and get starters of 406's. they seem to be perfect on a 205 and are usually the smaller type bosch ones. The click sound will usually be the soloniod only geeting 8 or 9v. Wire straight from ignition barell sorts that.

[Alastairh 47]

yeah, saying that about removing starters without removing the inlet, if you are unlucky and getting one with the back supporting plate that can be a little more of a pain.

 

Personally i remove the inlet, especially if you get that plate as it makes the job less stress full and plus you can open a can of worms with breaking rad hoses etc.

 

Saying that in Dinos case, i wouldn't of thought much to the wiring problems as much, as his is a mi and would of thought miles who did it would get rid of the multi plug?

 

Alastair

[steve@cornwall 100]

There is no adjustment on starter as when bolts are tightened up it pulls the bolt central in the hole due to the dowel on 1 of the bolt holes.

 

Maybe an explaination here, I've never seen a locating dowel on the starter (had quite a few gtis). maybe they get left off as often as the rear support bracket?