Starter motor issues...

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FlyingPete

FlyingPete

Well-Known Member
Posts
1,305
Location
Coventry
So my 90 has picked up an intermittent fault somewhere in the starting circuit. Sometimes it will start as normal, but others you will hear the clunk from the solenoid, but no rotation of the starter motor. Any pointers as to what might be the cause? I'm thinking either it's one of the starter's windings burnt out (so the motor won't start from a particular position) or the solenoid that's at fault.

I guess I'll be taking the motor off this afternoon and pulling it to bits. Anything obvious/common I should be looking out for?

Cheers
 
FlyingPete said:
So my 90 has picked up an intermittent fault somewhere in the starting circuit. Sometimes it will start as normal, but others you will hear the clunk from the solenoid, but no rotation of the starter motor. Any pointers as to what might be the cause? I'm thinking either it's one of the starter's windings burnt out (so the motor won't start from a particular position) or the solenoid that's at fault.

I guess I'll be taking the motor off this afternoon and pulling it to bits. Anything obvious/common I should be looking out for?

Cheers
Click to expand...
Sticking solenoid, try hitting it with a hammer! Disassemble and check/lubricate if problems persist.
Or dead segment on the armature, leave till serious, then get new starter.
 
So here's the plan of attack:
1. Jump the ignition switch terminal on the solenoid to the main positive connection from the battery. If it starts, the problem's in the low-current circuit rather than the starter.
2. Bypass the solenoid by jumping between the two screw terminals. If the motor spins, the solenoid is at fault, if not, it's likely to be the motor itself.
3. Put power to the start terminal and check the voltage at the high-current connection to the motor. It could be that the solenoid is engaging the drive pinion but not passing enough voltage to the motor.
4. Disassemble the solenoid and have a poke around for mud/lack of lubrication/anything else.
5. Curse the inept Brummie who built the thing and fix it ;)
 
FlyingPete said:
So here's the plan of attack:
1. Jump the ignition switch terminal on the solenoid to the main positive connection from the battery. If it starts, the problem's in the low-current circuit rather than the starter.
2. Bypass the solenoid by jumping between the two screw terminals. If the motor spins, the solenoid is at fault, if not, it's likely to be the motor itself.
3. Put power to the start terminal and check the voltage at the high-current connection to the motor. It could be that the solenoid is engaging the drive pinion but not passing enough voltage to the motor.
4. Disassemble the solenoid and have a poke around for mud/lack of lubrication/anything else.
5. Curse the inept Brummie who built the thing and fix it ;)
Click to expand...
Sounds like a good plan of action! :)

You might find that careful study of the landrover manual actually specifies a service interval for lube of solenoid/bendix! ;) In which case it is the inept operator/maintainer that is to blame! :D
 
Sometimes it's the simplest fix that causes trouble :D

Just been fishing around the starter motor (and discovered the person to blame is whoever put the exhaust precisely where it gets in the way most). Looking for the terminals, the feed from the switch actually fell off- apparently the spade connector had lost its spring and was only loosely attached. I guess that because it wasn't making very good contact, the voltage drop meant the solenoid wasn't fully switching over and hence not powering up the motor. Squashed the connector slightly with mole grips, refitted it and now starting is much improved- started it at least 10 times without issue. Hesitate to say it's entirely fixed (will test that with use over the next couple of weeks) but I've at least tracked down one cause of the trouble. :)
 
FlyingPete said:
Sometimes it's the simplest fix that causes trouble :D

Just been fishing around the starter motor (and discovered the person to blame is whoever put the exhaust precisely where it gets in the way most). Looking for the terminals, the feed from the switch actually fell off- apparently the spade connector had lost its spring and was only loosely attached. I guess that because it wasn't making very good contact, the voltage drop meant the solenoid wasn't fully switching over and hence not powering up the motor. Squashed the connector slightly with mole grips, refitted it and now starting is much improved- started it at least 10 times without issue. Hesitate to say it's entirely fixed (will test that with use over the next couple of weeks) but I've at least tracked down one cause of the trouble. :)
Click to expand...
That is good, fairly simple, as usual. Quite common for the wires to go hard and break from vibration, see it quite often on old tractors.
 
So the problem is back :( From what I can determine so far, the starter works when the engine is cold, but not when it's been running recently. Latest hypothesis is that the bushes are worn out. They'd be making contact when the motor is cold, but as the engine (and motor) warms up, the casing expands and so the bushes no longer make contact with the armature. I suspect the last off-roading antics have meant that dirt has been grinding the bushes down. New starter motor may be needed...
 
All sorted- replaced the starter motor with another and no further trouble :) Tested the old motor with some jump leads and a battery and it's most sincerely dead.
 
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