Intermittent starter problem

[airhead]

Ive been having a problem with my van for the past while. A good while actually. I just havent bothered to fix it but I need to do it soon before I end up stuck. Whats happening is sometimes when I turn the key all that happens is I can hear whats either the turbo cooling fan or the electric water pump coming on, but the starter doesnt turn over. It usually will after a couple of goes or if I hold the key for a while. Otherwise what I do (and this looks really daft) is bounce in my seat a couple of times, and then the starter springs into full vigour and away I go. It must just be a loose connection, but where should I be looking? I have an alarm and immobiliser, if that makes a difference. Its a 1.6 JX syncro. Cheers.

[Hacksawbob]

starter motor same principal as petrol? then this is what I have gleened over the last couple of months.

There is either an electrical reason or a physical reason why the starter isn't turning over, or possibly both. If it wont start and you hit the starter with a hammer a few times, suspect a worn starter motor bush. But it may be as well to do the electrical checks anyway.

Check your voltage accross battery should be 12V+ if not recharge, let it stand for 24hours and check for voltage loss if its not holding a charge supect battery.

Check the battery posts and terminals are clean if not get some emery paper on them and make them shine, there is a tool for doing this which makes life a touch easieer get em on Ebay for a couple of quid.

Once you have eliminated your battery hook it all back up and test between the positive post on the terminal and the body of the starter motor for voltage drop. I never established what a bad voltage drop would be, but would think anything over -0.5V wouldn't be good.

Visually inspect the wires going to the starter motor there are three wires one really thick one (like an inch thick!) that comes from the front of the van which is the positive wire from the battery. This attatches to a horizontal threaded bar on the starter, Also conected here is the wire that goes rearwards to the engine bay and to the alternator. There is also a push on conector on a thinner wire that attatches to the solenoid the smaller cylinder on the starter motor. ensure this is pushed on correctly.

Disconect the live and neutral from the battery and remove the starter motor, on a syncro you will need to remove the drive shaft and diff lock actuator to do this. There are two bolt holding it on to the engine. One is a straight bolt and nut that is easy to get to (lower) the upper one requires a allen key on one side and a spanner on the other. do it from within the engine bay.

here is some more on removing the bush

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Pe ... sh_removal

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Al ... rter_motor

[Dan Wood]

It usually will after a couple of goes or if I hold the key for a while. Otherwise what I do (and this looks really daft) is bounce in my seat a couple of times, and then the starter springs into full vigour and away I go. It must just be a loose connection, but where should I be looking?

That's exactly how mine behaved in the months leading up to total non-working!

Have a look at the thin 'signal' wire on the solenoid. I tried to pull mine off (to check it was getting 12V feed when I turned the key) but it was badly corroded and after the 'brute force' method it came away complete with most of the terminal from the solenoid!

Luckily, on my particular solenoid there was a 'spare' spade rivited to the same terminal as the corroded one. So all it needed was a new connector on the end of the cable and then shoving onto this shiny new spare terminal.

Makes me wonder if they expected it to corrode away - otherwise why fit two spades to one terminal? Handy though!

[purplechugster]

Mine did this for a bit - and caused much embarassment with repeated calls to the RAC

The solenoid on mine was shot, and the bolt on the end of the starter needed to be turned physically so that a non-knackered section was in the right place to start. Maybe yours isnt quite as knackered so just a bit of physical aggro is all that is required?

If its not the connection, the options seemed to be a starter motor rebuild (ie get the solenoid rebuilt) or send off for a replacement (ie send the old one back once you've got the new one). I did the latter (from JK) due to time and laziness - costs in the region of 90-150 pounds depending on what type of starter you need, and fitting took less than an hour. About a tenner to send the starter back to JK.

[ringo]

I took mine out to test it and it seemed fine.

Twas the big wire from the battery that was knackered on mine. God knows how. Possible because the starter motor had been removed earlier in the year and this started the cable to sheer. I made it even worse (would start sometimes - especially when cold) by removing the starter motor several times to keep testing things.

I've temporarily fixed it (a trick tought to me by my dad who used to do such bodge fixes down the pit!) but need a new cable. I havent actually found one yet thats long enough (need a metre i reckon). Will have to get one made up i suppose.....

Good luck.

Ringo

PS. At least its an easy job!

[Hacksawbob]

had a thing about this with mine, they cant be tested reliably out of the van they need the bush to keep the shaft central and need the engine to work against or you could burn it out. About all you can test is the solenoid operation and that only briefly.

[airhead]

Im thinking signal wire at this point. The motor always spins over like a good 'un once it does start going. The van isnt really old enough or with high enough mileage for it to be the solenoid I dont think. Its a 93 van with 56,000 miles on it. I must try replacing the signal wire spade connector though to see if that helps. The other reason I dont think its the noid is because it doesnt even click, grunt, budge, hum, whistle or fart before it starts moving. Its just not doing a damn thing. Well Ill get the spade connector replaced soon and let you all know the verdict. I hate intermittent problems though. You all know whats going to happen! Anyway thanks for the help.