Intermittent starter issues

[smitty]

Lately I've been getting intermittent problems while starting the car. The starter motor sometimes just will not spin. It most frequently happens when the car is warm, hardly ever on a cold start. After a few attempts it will usually crank and start with no further problems. What should I be looking at in terms of the problem? I've always though of starter motors as hardy things, perhaps a relay or something? I checked the terminals, they're making a good connection. Thoughts?

 

[mookers]

Someone else was having this problem recently and it was the battery terminal connections. Have you checked those too?

 

[hozza]

As above Check battery terminals if there the terminals your talking about check the terminals on the starter motor.
How old is the battery. Its odd that it is only on warm starts, is there any clicking.

Also it could be your neutral or clutch switch. Mine has an issue with not starting some times as well. I move the gear stick or pump the clutch and it starts.

 

[naughtika]

tap it

man.. i love tapping..

 

[Jonson]

First thing you need to do is single out the starter motor.
1-what is happening when you turn the key? Ign lights? A ticking noise from starter?
2-test your battery, dead cells can often be mis-diagnosed as a sticky starter motor
3-get back to me/us

 

[Guest]

Maybe your flux capacitor is on the fritz

 

[eddyvr4]

very occasionally my AUTO doesnt start : move shifter out of park, then back into park. Starts.

 

[Guest]

very occasionally my AUTO doesnt start : move shifter out of park, then back into park. Starts.

Adjust your inhibitor switch, instructions in the PDF manuals.

 

[smitty]

Being a converted transmission, I dont have a neutral/clutch switch.

When I turn the key, the starter doesn't click at all. It does nothing. All the gauge lighting goes out, but that is normal (afaik, same as when it starts normally) and I can hear the walbro pumping it's nuts off. Does everything it'd normally do whilst cranking, just no crankey crankey.

 

[Guest]

Try with another known good battery to eliminate that, just borrow the one out of the Navara or hook it up with jumper leads.

 

[mills_88]

Starter solenoid maybe?? Not contacting properly, therefore just a click noise and no cranking.

 

[smitty]

Battery was tested, it's fine. And Matt, there is no clicking noise either. Nothing. But its starting fine (99% of the time) while cold, just while its warm it doesnt like it, hence me thinking its not a battery issue. That (in theory) should be the other way round... (trouble starting while cold, fine while warm)

 

[hozza]

Being a converted transmission, I dont have a neutral/clutch switch.

When I turn the key, the starter doesn't click at all. It does nothing. All the gauge lighting goes out, but that is normal (afaik, same as when it starts normally) and I can hear the walbro pumping it's nuts off. Does everything it'd normally do whilst cranking, just no crankey crankey.

Mines converted as well, and is doing the exact same thing but my fuel pump doesnt keep going.
but mine does it weather its cold or hot. next time it does it try moving the gear stick and clutch.

 

[smitty]

Tried that too Nathan, ive tried everything I can think of, even getting the car into a slight roll and letting the clutch in (not enough to crash start though), sans replacing the starter itself. Hence why im posting here! At my wits end, gah!

 

[Guest]

Bench test the starter.

 

[Jonson]

When it gets hot there could be too much resistance in one of the windings. Time to remove it and have it teasted/rebuilt/replaced

 

[smitty]

bugger. last thing I need right now!

 

[Jonson]

Atleast it's easy as to remove

 

[hozza]

If it was one of the windings it would start until it cooled down, but you said it starts around the 3rd try.
I would say its some thing more inconspicuous.

 

[smitty]

Last time this happened, i sat for about a minute turning the key off/trying again, probably about fifteen times.