Faulty Starter Motor

[pip 123]

Hi. I am being driven nuts by a fault that i can't diagnose.

The starter has been just "clicking" on turning the key -for minuites at a time and then suddenly busting into life as normal.

I thought it was the starter solenoid so i swopped the starter motor and low and behold it still does it.

I also notice that when it is warm it fires up fist time every time but when cold seems to just click,click,click.

Does anyone out there have a clue what might be the problem because it is driving me nuts.

Thanks in anticipation for any advice gratefully received!

Phil

[FridgeFreezer]

Are you sure your battery's charged? Sounds a bit like it's too weak to engage properly. I have had this exact thing today on a Metro - it will click but not turn, then eventually it will manage to engage and crank very slowly.

Also check the earths to the engine block, battery connections, etc.

[pip 123]

Are you sure your battery's charged? Sounds a bit like it's too weak to engage properly. I have had this exact thing today on a Metro - it will click but not turn, then eventually it will manage to engage and crank very slowly.

Also check the earths to the engine block, battery connections, etc.

thanks for swift reply - i will check those

phil

[Les Henson]

Check battery, connections, charge. The solenoid clicking could be any of these or maybe the solenoid itself, or possibly the starter main body. When you turn the key - the starter repeatedly clicks (like a rattle), then solenoid itself/bad connection/low voltage.

Les.

[BogMonster]

More info would be good old chap, like what we are dealing with.

Td5?

Tdi?

V8?

wheelchair?

shopping trolley?

space shuttle?

don't mean to be sarcastic but it is a bit of a "my rover is broken does anybody know what is wrong" question without more information to tell us what we are looking at

the point being that there are a number of different specific faults that affect different vehicle/engine combinations that could cause this problem but until we know what we are dealing with, it is a bit hit and miss

[MogLite]

Also check the small ring terminal connection from the solenoid to the starter motor.

[Les Henson]

wheelchair

Now you come to mention it I sometimes have problems with starting my wheelchair. Once it's warmed-up it's ok, but won't mount the kerb without stalling. I understand that fitting wheelbarrow wheels gives more low-down torque and a smoother torque curve throughout the rev range. Can anyone confirm this please?

I don't want to go to B&Q and waste £14.99p on new wheels if there's going to be no improvement.

Les.

[BogMonster]

Thought you had a zimmer frame not a wheelchair Les

[pip 123]

More info would be good old chap, like what we are dealing with.

Td5?

Tdi?

V8?

wheelchair?

shopping trolley?

space shuttle?

don't mean to be sarcastic but it is a bit of a "my rover is broken does anybody know what is wrong" question without more information to tell us what we are looking at

the point being that there are a number of different specific faults that affect different vehicle/engine combinations that could cause this problem but until we know what we are dealing with, it is a bit hit and miss

[

Hi Les,

point taken.

Its a 200 tdi defender 90.

What I have noticed is that when turning the ignition key, sometimes it just clicks once and the sound seems to come from the passenger footwell. For no apparant reason sometimes it just fires up normally but what is happening is that the non start is happening more frequently.

What I have also noticed is that when warm it seems to start perfectly normally but when cold it is more inclined to click and nothing.

I have changed the starter motor and it is still doing it so i'm thinking that it may be the starter relay or the ignition switch or the wiring somehow but if anyone has a similar experience it might save a lot of heartache.

Thanks-hope the more specific helps

Phil

[Les Henson]

The starter motor is very close to the metalwork of the passenger footwell, so your description of the noise coming from there tells us that it is indeed the solenoid that is making the noise. When you say you changed the starter, was it the whole thing including the solenoid? It can be replaced as a seperate item.

The solenoid does two things - it engages the starter dog(bendix) with the teeth of the flywheel and at the same time it completes a circuit directly from the battery to the main starter body to spin the engine. Because your problem is intermittent I would say a faulty starter motor - diagnosing if it's the solenoid or not in a situation like this is very difficult. You could connect a test lamp on the wire from the solenoid to the starter body, and if it lights when the solenoid only clicks, then the starter main body is the fault.

A loose connection either live or earth will cause this effect, so check all connections/clean and re-tighten - especially earth.

Les.

[pip 123]

The starter motor is very close to the metalwork of the passenger footwell, so your description of the noise coming from there tells us that it is indeed the solenoid that is making the noise. When you say you changed the starter, was it the whole thing including the solenoid? It can be replaced as a seperate item.

The solenoid does two things - it engages the starter dog(bendix) with the teeth of the flywheel and at the same time it completes a circuit directly from the battery to the main starter body to spin the engine. Because your problem is intermittent I would say a faulty starter motor - diagnosing if it's the solenoid or not in a situation like this is very difficult. You could connect a test lamp on the wire from the solenoid to the starter body, and if it lights when the solenoid only clicks, then the starter main body is the fault.

A loose connection either live or earth will cause this effect, so check all connections/clean and re-tighten - especially earth.

Les.

Thanks Les,

I replaced the starter motor complete with solenoid so that has been swopped.

So it sounds like the conections might be suspect or what do you think about the possibility of either the ignition switch being faulty or the starter relay in the fuse box going haywire?

Thanks

Phil

[Ajlorton]

Hi Phil,

I had the exact same problem on my 200tdi 90. Turns out the fault was with the starter motor relay which is found in the fuse box. It had got wet and wasn't functioning as it should. Try swapping your relays around and see what happens.

If it's any conselation, I also stripped the engine back to get at the starter, only to find the motor was actually fine.

A.