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Went for a drive this morning and everything fine until trying to restart, the starter motor engages but seems to lock without turning the engine over. Thumping the SM frees it up and then it started but on restarting again would not turn the engine over. Pressing solenoid button only resorts with more of the same. Did notice that the negative battery terminal smoked. This did happen before about a month ago but after fiddling with the solenoid wiring had been ok until today. With the SM removed pinion looks and works ok, commutator and brushes look fine. I suspect a fault with the SM. Any advice appreciated.

Alan.

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If smoke emanated from the battery's negative connection, you have a bad connection there and the starter motor won't be getting what it needs!

Disconnect battery terminal, thoroughly clean both parts, wipe some vaseline round the terminal, reassemble and make sure the clamp is really tight - TRs take a lot of amps!

Ian Cornish

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If smoke emanated from the battery's negative connection, you have a bad connection there and the starter motor won't be getting what it needs!

Disconnect battery terminal, thoroughly clean both parts, wipe some vaseline round the terminal, reassemble and make sure the clamp is really tight - TRs take a lot of amps!

Ian Cornish

 

Yes, did that with no change but stopped the smoking.

Alan.

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OK, clean all the high current connections - solenoid, & SM.

Also the solenoids can go high resistance - a crude test is to touch a large metal object (spanner, large screwdriver etc) across the solenoid terminals, see if that make the starter work.

If all that fails its either battery or a SM problem.

If you have a volt (multi) meter you could check voltages at various points in the high current circuit, make sure you are getting at least 9 - 10 Volts on the motor.

 

You don't say what car you have - if it's an early Sidescreen & you have the "bomb" type motor (9 teeth) then I have a couple of good ones spare.

 

Bob.

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Hi Alan

 

My starter on the 4a did something quite similar recently. In fact, that burning / smoking of the neg connection might suggest that the starter is trying to draw excessive current.

 

Mine also melted the boot around the battery solenoid connection, and then the solenoid burned out.

 

As per my previous post a week or so ago, I stripped the starter and thoroughly washed it out, and emery clothed the field coils/ magnet surfaces which were rusty. It transformed the starters performance and draws a lot less current, and spins the engine over fast and freely now every time.

 

Kevin

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  • 2 weeks later...

Turned out to be the commutator. The segment gaps were cleared. Shaft bushes were also badly worn so new ones were fitted. Now works well and much smoother than before.

Thanks for the responses.

Alan.

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And you thought you had a problem! The starter motor pinion on my 3A has just exited through the bell housing leaving a beautiful hole. My garage floor was a bit like the Somme. It would appear that the 'nut' with the lh thread parted company with the shaft stripping its thread in the process. Found the mortal remains of the split pin in the bottom of the clutch housing.

So gearbox out, change the clutch cover and plate not to mention change to a high torque starter motor and will do everything I can to stop those leaks.

Anybody want a starter motor that was working perfectly until it died??

 

James

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