Starter

Site Subscriber Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 2317

Damn starter has died on me after messing about for a week. What happened was you'd turn the key and the starter would make a sort of grinding noise, then if you tried again it would sort of seem to be turning , making a funny noise, but not turning the engine over, and the rev counter would pluck up a bit, then if you tried it again it would manage to turn the engine over slowy. Try again, does it a bit faster, one last time and it starts the engine perfectly. Except now it seems to have died completley, turn the key, and nothing.

Except. If you bump start it, and taking it for a spin, then try and re start it , its back to the procedure above. Any ideas? Sounds like its buggered. IF it is, i've got a spare TD starter, will it fit?.

Cheers

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

TD starter will fit and it sounds like the starters just knackered.

My old hatch had a similar problem. Get in turn the key on wait for the pump to prime etc then try and start it, it would turn over once then slowly again then whizz away and it would start. It would get worse every day then you had to charge the battery up. It was made better but not completely cured by adding another earth lead from the battery to the engine. It stopped the battery draining totally though.

Needs changed or sorted otu anyway, also try another earth wire, as a test use a jump lead from the neg batt terminal to the engine, if it starts better then get another lead on it.

Site Subscriber Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 2317

Whats the best way to test my TD starter off the car? All I see is the main positive and the solenoid connection.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

neg jump lead to the starter casing, pos jump lead to the main connection its normally screwed to then use a screwdriver to bridge from the pos jump lead to the starter solenoid spade terminal.

That tests both the motor and the solenoid.

Jumps a bit but don't be gay and squeal or something, stick your foot on it.

Site Subscriber Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 2317

Right, tested it, took a few goes but got it spinning like a gooun. Any tips on fitting this thing? Had a job getting the heatshielding off before (only managed 2 or the 3 bolts!) so not particularly looking forward to it Razz

Cheers

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

not really, its not to bad a job, main probs are the bracket to the exhaust manifold etc, its all done by feel from lying on the engine, thats how I do it anyway.

Site Subscriber Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 2317

Ah right, so you do it laying on top of the engine? So its headshield off, the 3 starter to box bolts off and it should pretty much come off?

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

heatshield off, 3 16mm bolts on the bellhousing, the 13mm bolt at the back into the bracket, the 14mm nut for the power lead.

Yes I lie on the engine and do it, that way I have done it in about 5 mins (Georges 16V hatch) but there was no heatshield.