Starter motor testing advice

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He says I can drop it off, it's a shack at the back of his house. Not a pleasant area to visit tbh, like a Syrian ghetto without the sand.
 
Flossie said:
He says I can drop it off, it's a shack at the back of his house. Not a pleasant area to visit tbh, like a Syrian ghetto without the sand.
Click to expand...
Sounds a bit like the place I used to use for gearbox work, put onto him by one of my trade customers.
Garage at the back of his house on the New Parks Estate in Leicester.
You knew you were in the vicinity because of the strong smell of EP!
Once did a 306 gearbox for me while I waited - bearing track worn & pitted making a clicking sound. He'd diagnosed it after a short drive & I then removed the box at home & took it up to him.
Bits flying in all directions over a bench that was already covered with assorted manual & auto gearbox bits & I was seriously worried that it would all go back together.
 
Bloody starter motors, they're a pita. I had 3 go on my freelander within a few months and I'm on my third in less than 5 years on my series 3. I think they just make them out of cheese these days.

Col
 
Rung him this morning and he says he's had it apart and it's like new inside and tested it and all ok.
He's trying to blame the vehicle wiring which is tosh cos it wouldn't work on the bench either and also didn't work at his place last Friday when tested by some other hoppo.
Anyway, going back tomorrow to pick it up, bet it don't work:mad:.
 
Picked it back up, he has swopped the new solenoid for the old original one and showed me it working on the bench, said he took it all apart and it was like new inside and he found nothing wrong and (again) says the vehicle wiring must be at fault( it bloody isn't!:mad:) .
Anyway, tested it again when I got home, all good, fitted it but before connecting every thing up I powered it direct from the battery and it turned over and fired up.
Then reconnected everything properly and it turned over on the key and fired up fine.
It was getting on by now so left it until the next day when I could finally shift it and start work on the drive drains and stuff .
Sunday (yesterday morning) turned the key and it's dead again. Powering it direct from the battery makes no difference. Feckin thing is defying all logic:mad:
Justed ordered another new one, only place that seemed to have them in stock was Germany, hopefully Brexit/covid won't mean it's gonna take weeks to get here:rolleyes:
 
I can see his point.
Works fine on the bench connected to a battery.
Works fine on your bench at home.
Works fine when fitted to vehicle & powered by a battery.
Stops working shortly after being connected to the vehicle's wiring system.
And the problem isn't just limited to one starter motor.
Hopefully you'll have better luck with the brand new one.
 
Could it be that your battery is a bit iffy, maybe an intermittent open circuit between a couple of cells only occurring when it is under a big load such as powering the starter? Have you tried a different battery?

Col
 
Other thing that has sprung to mind is that on the bench the starter motor isn't under any load but in its normal role is under considerable load.
Grasping at straws & I don't know whether that could cause things to burn out although forcing power tools does get them very hot very quickly!
And pops fuses.
 
Last edited:
I've tried everything honestly!
The starter has gone from working on the bench to being fitted to the vehicle and not working when powered direct from the battery, even the Solly doesn't click.
Take it off, power direct to starter motor(by passing the Solly, motor should spin just won't engage(the Solly does the Bendix engaging) and it doesn't spin. Must be internal? Take it back to re con dude, tested and agreed is dead. Week later says motor is fine, stripped and nowt amiss found, reassembled and tested ok.
Then as per my last post.
Power direct to starter from my new 110 battery and no spin, nowt..deaded again.
 
Ratae said:
More straw grasping.
What voltage is your alternator putting out?
Some vehicles have the heavy wire from the alt going to the starter motor to meet the main battery cable.
Also:
https://www.hella.com/techworld/us/...ics-and-electrics/Checking-the-starter-41299/
http://pmmonline.co.uk/technical/starter-motor-faults-the-myths-and-truths/
Click to expand...
I don't know what volts the alty is putting out cos it won't start lol!
Before all this bullocks started it was a healthy 14v or so(in cab voltmeter).
Looked at the links but I've turned out to be a bit of a starter expert now and knew all that.
Great guide though.
 
Flossie said:
I don't know what volts the alty is putting out cos it won't start lol!
Before all this bullocks started it was a healthy 14v or so(in cab voltmeter).
Looked at the links but I've turned out to be a bit of a starter expert now and knew all that.
Great guide though.
Click to expand...
Nothing to stop the engine turning is there?
Once had this with a mates car, we thought the motor might be seized until it was realised he had put a bolt in that was too long and jammed the starter ring gear.
 
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