starter motor

hi all.
since taking the 200tdi offroad been having few problems.
the latest one is that the starter motor isnt turning the engine straight away and just spinning. after a couple of tries it kicks in with a little crunch. gearbox is also a little stiff. have changed the oils.
was fine before taking it through the mud and water.
any ideas?

Sounds like the starter just need cleaning and a few drops of oil.

Is it the gear lever that feels stiff or engaging the gears, did you have a wading plug in the bellhousing ? , if not could be crap stopping the clutch from freeing .

Dent said:

Sounds like the starter just need cleaning and a few drops of oil.

Is it the gear lever that feels stiff or engaging the gears, did you have a wading plug in the bellhousing ? , if not could be crap stopping the clutch from freeing .

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do i clean outside the starter or take off n clean inside?

no didnt have a plug in, been meaning to get one. its the lever itself thats stiff not just engaging gear. clutch is also making a slight noise wen its pushed in. how wud i go about cleaning it if it is that?

cheers

any more info on this?

its taking me like 5 mins to start now. starter is just spinning but not turning engine

how do i clean it? does it need removing?

Would imagine you'd need to get it on the bench and strip/clean/lube/reassemble...

The engagement pinion and sleeve must be clean and free of oil and dirt.

If you've got mud and water in there, it will soon show its displeasure.

Take the motor off, making sure that you disconnect the battery first (and take any precautions necessary to protect radio and key codes)

If it is obviously filthy dirty, then wash in clean petrol and do not oil anything, other than the pinion nose bush. Oil attracts clutch dust and you'll soon be back to square one.

If you have the type where the brushes are covered by a removeable band, then have a look inside, but otherwise leave it alone.

Reassemble and try.

Peter

i'll give that a go. cheers.

could this also have summat to do with my clutch making a noise? it only does it when pressed in and didnt do it before i went offroad. does this need cleaning out too? if so how?

si844 said:

i'll give that a go. cheers.

could this also have summat to do with my clutch making a noise? it only does it when pressed in and didnt do it before i went offroad. does this need cleaning out too? if so how?

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The only way would be to take the gearbox off.

Peter

think i'd best leave that alone then, unless it'l cause damage. could this dirt of come through the bell housing hole where i should of put wading plug?

si844 said:

think i'd best leave that alone then, unless it'l cause damage. could this dirt of come through the bell housing hole where i should of put wading plug?

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Possibly, it is usually a product of clutch dust and engine oil leaking past the rear main oil seal, but mud can only get through the wading hole.

Peter

had a little look and cant see the starter. can anyone tell me where it is on a 200tdi to save me ages looking? and is it an easy place to get to/remove?

thanks

it's in the boot next to the spare wheel

si844 said:

had a little look and cant see the starter. can anyone tell me where it is on a 200tdi to save me ages looking? and is it an easy place to get to/remove?

thanks

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Why not look for a waterhole or creek that has clean water in it, deep enough to get the bell housing partly submerged so as to get a fair amount of water in it. Put you transfer case in neutral and work the clutch while raising and lowering the engine revs, (washing machine principle.) If you can keep the end of tail-pipe out of the water you could try stopping an starting the engine a few times also to clean the bendix drive on the starter.

Just a thought, will cost you nothing and if it works will save you a lot of work and possibly money also. Them wading plugh worth theit weight in gold.

will deffo have a wading plug for next time

good idea about the water. trouble is there aint any round here. would squirting a hose pipe up the hole work?

si844 said:

will deffo have a wading plug for next time

good idea about the water. trouble is there aint any round here. would squirting a hose pipe up the hole work?

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Could be worth a try. But I would not be putting the hose into the hole or you may be taking a trip to hospital. possibly you could get a couple of plumbing fitting that make up a sort of T peice arrangement that you could screw into wading plug hole with the hose connected to it. T piece as you will need to be reducing chance of building up pressure inside on seals and things and getting rid of contaminants at same time.

good idea, but making an adaptor up sounds a big job itself. y u say about the trip to hospital? think thats gonna b the way i do it (with goggles of cause) wish me luck.

unless theres other ideas?

The only way is to remove the box, afraid there's no short cut .

oh, thats not good news.

any chance of a brief description of whats involved? time involved? how hard? etc

si844 said:

good idea, but making an adaptor up sounds a big job itself. y u say about the trip to hospital? think thats gonna b the way i do it (with goggles of cause) wish me luck.

unless theres other ideas?

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I say hospital because, if you poke the hose into the bell housing while the fly-wheel/pressure plate etc is spinning the hose could get drawn in, and could catch on a part of your person or something and do some cruel things to ya!

Ah what the hec, give it a go, be sure to have transfer case in neutral and wheels chocked and handbrake on, but be very careful not to poke the hose itself into the hole.

if it works, will save you a couple of days frigging about dropping the box and stripping things down, which obviously would guarantee you could get every last little bit of crud out, but do you really need it to be absolutely spottless inside?

Give it a go, you got nothing to loose. Oh and don't expect to hose it out in a few minutes either, you will have to play it by ear.

si844 said:

oh, thats not good news.

any chance of a brief description of whats involved? time involved? how hard? etc

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Is there still time to ask Santa for a Haynes manual? I think you need one