Starter motor only working intermittently?

[dwarfmarine]

Hey guys, after a bit of help on the starter motor.
Got home from uni yesterday and went inside to get ready for work only to come out and find the Legnum wouldn't start.

ACC works, everything works fine but turn the ignition and there's a 'CLICK' then nothing and the car electrics restart(A/C turns of then back on, high vis dash turns off then on etc)

I've been told that this is the starter motor pin sticking and was told to give it some love taps with a hammer or wrench.
This did nothing.

I gave it another go this morning, she started but I double checked but trying again and nothing happened.

What are the options from here?
How hard is it to remove (keeping in mind I've only got a hydraulic jack and stands)
Then do I try clean it with somethig?
Take it somewhere to be cleaned properly?
Replace it entirely? (if so, anyone hve a rough price/ part number / where I can get one/ what models share the same starter)

Cheers, Cameron

 

[naughtika]

yo, the carbon brush inside it might be worn out already, so re-condition is the way to go.. if that is the issue..

how hard were you 'tapping' it?

mine started to do this after 300k kms on my old galant..

to remove it, unplug the 3 connectors i think? or maybe 2

then 2 bolts holding it down to the engine/tranny i think (haven't removed mine yet)

 

[dwarfmarine]

I was really only gently tapping it, maybe with enough force to drive a nail gently.

So pull it out and take it to an auto electrician for a rebuild?


As I said, sometimes it'll fire, others not. Seems that it starts if I leave it for
A while ie, overnight. Wouldnt start last night, started this morning but not 10mins later.

 

[Donkay]

Sounds like it needs a rebuild, this was one of the 1st things i did on the car

A jack will do, as christian mentioned, should be a plug, a postive cable on a bolt, and about 2bolts to the motor

Auto electrician should do it in a day, about $150 if you took it to them

 

[naughtika]

dont be a pussy and hit it as if you're fighting for your life!

j/k

please dont do that..

just tap it as if you're squatting several cockroaches stacked together..

 

[lathiat]

Note that this can also be your battery. If you have another one in another car, try a quick swap or jumper leads to see if it suddenly makes it work when it otherwise isn't.

Had one of my batteries literally die dead from 1 start to another 5 minutes apart and even a battery charge didn't help.

 

[Jonson]

^^ good advice, batteries can test fine running eg 14+V and even standing at 12+V, but as soon as load is applied the cells are that deterioated that it physically can't turn the starter. Get the sparky to load test your battery while your there!
To remove the starter, D/C battery, Undo the 12mm nut holding the 12V cable, unplug the starter switch terminal. Then there are 2 x 14mm bolts holding it in. One from the engine side and one from the trans side.

If your car is a manual it is very common to have it caked with clutch dust. Lots of the Evos I do end up just being caked with dust, a good clean and grease and your good to go. If it is Auto....your screwed lol, rebuild time.

 

[hozza]

You can load test your battery at home if you have a Volt meter.
Place the volt meter across the batteries and crank the car, the voltage shouldn't drop below 9.5V while the car is cranking.
But it takes a quick eye to catch it before the engine and alternator kicks in.

 

[dwarfmarine]

Its all good, it's working now
Cleaned/tightened the battery terminals thoroughly on advice from another mate (neg had some of the blue powder on it- never happened with the old battery, new one from meek is 2 months old)
Cleane all the shit off it and checked/tightened the terminals on the starter and she's starting perfectly now.

Almost as if the caking was enough to stop it getting the full power from the battery

And gave it another couple of good whacks with the hammer for
Luck

 

[hozza]

loose battery terminals can cause all sorts of problems.
And judging by the symptoms it does sound like the terminals.

 

[naughtika]

damn.. the tapping would've been awesome...


... glad to know it's been sorted :

 

[TME_Steve]

Glad it's sorted, just for the record, I usually put screwdriver across the terminals of a dying starter's solenoid, bypasses the solenoids and put's power direct to the starter and usually gives it that little bit extra to kick it into life.... Usual disclaimers, don't leave it in gear doing this, don't put body parts near something that is supposed to move, don't arc the screwdriver into the oil filter putting a hole in it (I've done this - not on a VR4), actually this is starting to sound like a dumb idea - just get it towed

If that doesn't work, hitting it with a hammer will probably make you feel better if nothing else.... Not being "a pussy and hit it as if you're fighting for your life!" will make you feel WAY better but only temporarily until you break something, usually this results in you feeling crap and sometimes you then feel better by breaking something else but again this elation is only shortlived. Still, if you like really short temporary highs....

 

[Guest]

I heard that Stageas don't have this problem as they use a digital starter motor.

 

[king_panther]

I heard that Stageas don't have this problem as they use a digital starter motor.

^ This. I highly recommend a Stagea for their durability.

 

[CUMSTI]

Head to jaycar and give the termanals a good dusting of contact cleaner and makesure fasteners are tight