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Problems with Starter Motor...

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Problems with Starter Motor...

Postby Alan MacAulay » Sun Mar 11, 2007 12:37 pm

Hey, this is my first post, and I hope you can help.

I am an officer in a local BB company who own an LDV minibus. The engine which is in it is the Ford 2.4 Turbo Diesel, which I think is also used in the Transit.

We were out in the bus this morning, and had to call the RAC out to try and start it for us, as after we had stopped for fuel the engine made a clicking sound when trying to start it. RAC dude reckons that the starter motor is knackered.

Is this an easy job to replace the starter. From what the repair man was doing it looked as if it was in a bit of an awkward place.

If anyone can help me I would be grateful, also any pictures or how-to's of how to change it would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Alan.
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Postby rubber duck » Sun Mar 11, 2007 12:44 pm

i'm no expert but i had the exact same problem with my ford capri. a few taps on the outside of the starter motor with a spanner or something and it would start straight away.
theres a thing inside the starter motor that slides up and down another thing and sometimes it gets stuck. a few taps always got mine unstuck.

was my jargon too techincal?
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Postby Smooth Hound » Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:23 pm

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Postby Smarty » Sun Mar 11, 2007 7:17 pm

Hello there, it is me from the suggested link... 8)

I did all that was said - cleaned all connections... it is true, the starter was underneath just where all the crap and wet is constantly thrown up. I wish I could say "I fixed the exact problem" but I can not.
Although I have not had any problems with starting it for the last few weeks after cleaning various connections, I cannot say which one was too blame.
All I can say is that the "pull" of the current is very high to turn the beast, if it can meet resistance or go elsewhere - it will. You have to make sure the path is true and clean (famous si-fi words it know) but sometimes a "good looking" (no I don't find them attractive) connection is not the best, high amps will throw a connection apart rather than jumping and you can get a clicking from that.

I am no expert but - advice is to clean and check all connections... and be careful about hitting anything - it may work - or it may crack and break something then you will need new parts.

It took a few times to gain confident to turn off my van - worrying about it starting again, but funny how you forget the stress a few weeks down the line.

I hope this helps in some small way.

Smart :D 8) :D
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Postby djswampy » Sun Mar 11, 2007 8:29 pm

Yep. There is no harm in cleaning the connections, giving them a smear of Vaseline and doing them up to an appropriate tightness. I do also know that the starter motor control connection on my van is a small spade connector which is mangled. When I refitted it I had to 'nip' it slightly with my pliers to get it to grip again. When all is said and done, it takes about an hour to do all the battery and starter motor connections with emery cloth and Vaseline. It might save you £100 for a recon starter and more days hassle. Poor earths are also a common fault so inspecting any and checking their tightness etc can always help.
Good luck.
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Postby Smooth Hound » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:11 pm

:roll: But watch you dont do my usual trick of just giving it a bit more of a turn and :x :cry: the thing snaps , especially the posts on the starter, cleaning is more important than tightening, as long as its reasonably tight of course. :wink:
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Postby djswampy » Mon Mar 12, 2007 7:35 pm

djswampy wrote: doing them up to an appropriate tightness


one of the other sparks i know has a tendancy to over over tighten terminals so that a little twist and the wire snaps where the screw has swashed the csa of the core.
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