Alice1998 Posted February 8, 2015 Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 Despite fitting of 80AH fully charged battery the engine hardly turns over. This was similarly case with worn battery. Starter motor was serviced last year and new solenoid fitted. Earth strap to battery replaced and bulk head connection looks clean and good, Negative lead from battery good. When operating starter ignition lamp dims. Any thought as to cause of problem appreciated. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marko Posted February 8, 2015 Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 Starter Motor sounds lazy.....Does the car have a high compression engine or has it been stood unused? I would replace the starter motor (or swap to check that yours is actually ok) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
boxofbits Posted February 8, 2015 Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 Hi It sounds to me like an engine earth lead problem. I am not sure where it is located on your car, but it will look something like a battery earth strap, and connect between the engine or gearbox, and the chassis/body. In any event, take it off and clean the connections, use new bolts to refit it. This may be the cause of your problem. Regards Kevin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rodbr Posted February 8, 2015 Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 I would check the earth body to frame and frame/chassis to engine worth doubling up on the engine earths and the bolt connection to bell-housing . Clean paint under all contact points Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlejim Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 Pinched off the US TR site. Might be worth trying it on a temporary basis to see if it helps. "I'm a fan of functionality over how the previous owner had things. Ithink the best place for a ground strap is between one of the startermotor mounting bolts and the frame adjacent to that bolt. you want thatstarter motor to have the best electrical connections that it can have.TeriAnn" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
billy l Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 If you find it is the earth cable, be sure to check the choke cable as they tend to melt as they become the earth lead when the original earth cable is defunct. cheers Bill. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 Hi Alice, the earth cable from battery to body needs a clean paint free connection on the body. The earth cable from the chassis to the engine often gets very mucky - remove and clean the contact faces. Have you got an earth lead from the battery to the engine - there is usually no earth lead in this position - if you haven't one then fit one. if the starter was serviced last year then that is probably OK - but did the service consist of. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Les Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 (edited) Hi Alice I had starter trouble with my TR2 many years ago. I fitted a new battery and checked all the earth cables to no avail. It turned out that the rubber drive in the starter motor (bomb type) had sheared and was turning the engine by friction only, showing symptoms of a flat battery. Les Edited February 9, 2015 by Les Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 It could be the rubber "cush" drive in the motor, but you would hear the motor spinning like mad, & in my experience when the rubber goes the engine won't turn at all. If you have access to a voltmeter (DVM) then, while spinning the starter, measure the volts across the battery, and then measure volts between battery terminal connected to the solenoid terminal, & somewhere on the engine block. the readings should be the same give or take half a volt or so. If the readings are more than a few volts different then it is an earthing problem. If this proves not to be the case, then next test is to measure voltage between the starter motor terminal, & the engine block (while spinning the motor). Again this voltage should be close to that measured across the battery. If so then starter motor is at fault, but if there is a large difference in volts, then suspect the solenoid. By doing these tests (or similar ones) it should be possible to deduce where the problem lies. Good luck. Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bnw Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 Are you sure the motor is free? If you have a hand crank, see how easily it turns over. If you dont, bump start it. More than once I've seen a stuck motor be the cause of a very sluggish starter. Good luck. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Les Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 Bob When the drive went in my starter there was no "spinning like mad" of the motor. The friction of the cush drive parts still allowed the engine to turn over very slowly, and occasionally start, but could barely get over compression. Even using jump leads made no difference. I fitted a new drive, problem solved and the same motor is still working fine on the car. Les Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve R Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 If you have a jump lead connect one end to the earth side of the battery, the other to the engine, then give it a whirl, that will rule out an earth problem,if it still no go then it's either the solenoid or starter motor. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Graham Harris Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Or one of the cables from the battery to the solenoid/starter motor , after trying to start it check the cables, if you find a hot one that will be the dud. Graham Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mleadbeater Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 I would dump the old bomb, and fit a modern geared unit, mine now turns over like a modern car. Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alexander Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 I had a similar problem over christmas, checked all the normal things, earth ,ign switch,starter push,even checked the wires to switch and starter push. Now the car had worked fine for three years since rebuild but the problem turned out to be no earth between body and solenoid. cleaned the contact service between body and solenoid- problem solved. Alexander Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Richardtr3a Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 Alice. Let us know how you are getting on? We are all worried. Richard Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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