Club 80-90 Forums

Hi all, would love some advice if anyone can offer it. I have had an intermittent starting issue for about a year now. I’ve been trying things step by step, and each time had some success for a short period before it again stops starting. I’ve got a 1990 doka with a 1.9td engine fitted.

When it’s not working, I get a click at the ignition. You can also here a strong click at the starter as if it’s engaging but not spinning?

So here’s the list of what I’ve done so far;
Changed the ignition switch
Checked fuses and connections as best I can and cleaned up
Cleaned off and used copper grease on mating surfaces of starter and bellhousing
Fitted an additional Earth from starter motor to chassis.
New battery
Fitted hot start relay

Every time I get some success with it starting for a while and then not.

I can usually get it to start on these occasions by putting a spanner over the switch terminal and live on the starter motor, and it clicks for a while but doesn’t spin before eventually spinning up and starting the truck.

Please help. I’ll have no hair left. Just can’t trust the truck at the moment.

Cheers,
Ju


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Sounds like the solenoid isn't making good connection, it happens, the high current being put down the contacts in the cap of the solenoid causes pitting of the contacts, the solenod cap can be replaced by a good automotive refurbisher of starter motors/alternators, ask your local taxi boys who they use. Many so called refurbished starters don't have the cap replaced that's why they are often pants.

Thanks Aidan, I’ll try that next. Fingers crossed.

Cheers, Ju


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Hi Ju, it sounds a bit like giving up, but after a couple of years of intermittent starting, children and wife pushing, parking pointing down hills, cleaning contacts and replacing earth cables and straps and batteries and upgrading the battery, I bought a new starter motor. Marvellous. It sounds as if it is spinning the engine twice as fast as the old one ever did, spins every time I turn the key. Starts straight away, even if the glow plugs haven't come on. It's only been in a couple of weeks, but so far it's marvellous.

Hi Vandad, yep, the same here. I bit the bullet and bought a new starter despite the last one being only a year old and, fingers crossed, it’s all working brilliantly again. Being paranoid about the van not starting now, I also wired in a starter button in the engine bay just in case.

So after months of annoyance and efforts to resolve the issue, a £60 starter motor was all that was needed.


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You found a well priced starter motor too.