John Reilly Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 Next puzzle! In 2014 I purchased a high-torque starter motor and fitted to the engine that I was rebuilding, photo 1 Fast forward to today when I making and fitting a new loom and in the process connected up the starter motor and on testing it just spins without engaging the ring-gear. (Hmnnnnn) Scratched head and looked to see if I missed any connections but there is only the one single terminal, for the Battery supplied current input. Searched what I could find on the net. It seems some of these motors have an additional connection for the Ignition switch or starter push-button to trigger the starting process. My motor has none such! There is a hole with a plastic plug just below the main terminal post, the photos show it as found and removed. Has anyone had issues like this? As usual any advice will be appreciated I attach a few photos for info John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 (edited) Operating the starter motor is also supposed to power a solenoid which throws the gear forwards to mesh with the ring-gear. I think the lower black cylinder in your picture is the solenoid. It sounds as though that is not happening. My starter is similar and has only one connection - there should be a wire linking to the common terminal to provide power to the solenoid. Edited February 19, 2021 by RobH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 (edited) First thought. Is there an electrical terminal diametrically opposite the one you are currently attaching the cable to? I think if there is you are connecting the starter cable to the wrong terminal. Second thought. Has this starter ever functioned on this engine? By part number you have a starter to fit an engine with a flywheel fitted with a bolt on ring gear (TR3A from late 1959 onwards & including TR4A) That might be the reason the starter gear is not meshing. You would need to take the starter off to check the flywheel unless you have photos of the engine build. Peter W Edited February 19, 2021 by BlueTR3A-5EKT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 (edited) I have the same Wosp starter motor (except mine is for the earlier shrink on ring gear) I think yours is mounted upside down, on the other side should be two unused terminals. a big stud for the main cable, & a spade terminal which activates the solenoid. There are two ways of wiring the motor. 1) link the two terminals mentioned above together (a link wire is usually provided for this) and wire it as the original motor was from the original TR solenoid. 2) don't link as in 1 above, but instead feed the heavy cable direct from battery to motor, & extend the connection previously going to the TR solenoid activation terminal (spade) down to the motor's spade terminal. Bob. Edited February 19, 2021 by Lebro Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dwaters Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 If you have kept the original starter solenoid there should be a short insulated link wire fitted between the ignition trigger (spade) terminal on the starter motor and the main battery M8 stud on the starter motor. I can’t see from the photos if it’s there. David Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 Yep, you have the motor mounted upside down. You are not alone .... Turn the motor over and you will see where you have to connect it. Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Reilly Posted February 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 Well bugger that! Bob & Ian, thank you for pointing out my error, I feel so bloody stupid now. Bit of work to do getting at it and setting it right. Whew! John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 Hi John Here’s one I did earlier! March 2010 to be precise. Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
greasemonkey Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 John, It would be worth wrapping the downpipe to reduce heat near the starter & the brake pipes. Phil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted February 20, 2021 Report Share Posted February 20, 2021 Getting it the right way up will help with that! Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted February 20, 2021 Report Share Posted February 20, 2021 3 hours ago, Lebro said: Getting it the right way up will help with that! Bob. My original post (back in 2010) was prompted by the proximity of the starter motor to the exhaust until some kind soul pointed out that I had mounted it upside down. I still wrapped the exhaust before I fitted it and am glad I did, it gets mighty warm after a while and it's a very cheap option which is easy to do. I had to renew it after my recent exercise removing the engine and gearbox but that was only because I had damaged it in getting it out and it still cost less than £20 to replace it. Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted February 20, 2021 Report Share Posted February 20, 2021 I have a similar exhaust -( Pheonix) I got mine ceramic coated internally before fitting it. whether that actually works has yet to be proved ! but have had no problems so far. Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Reilly Posted February 20, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2021 Flipped it this morning and all good now, engine cranking fine. Thanks for the help John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted February 20, 2021 Report Share Posted February 20, 2021 Well done. Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fatM Posted December 27, 2022 Report Share Posted December 27, 2022 the WOSP starter for my Tr3 has a long fixed bolt on the housing. Does the fixed bolt go into the upper bell housing bolt hole or the lower. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted December 27, 2022 Report Share Posted December 27, 2022 Upper. It may be handy to cut a hole in the tunnel that allows this bolt/nut to be worked on in the field. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fatM Posted December 27, 2022 Report Share Posted December 27, 2022 Thanks but I don't want to damage my bell housing by having to cut it. I will just return the starter if that is required. I put a high torque starter in the past bugger to get the nut on the top bolt. I will have it rebuilt and put back in if I have to but I would think the WOSP should work. Anyone else have any ideas. Also, does the fix bolt go into the top or bottom bolt hole. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fatM Posted December 27, 2022 Report Share Posted December 27, 2022 Oh I miss the first part the bolt goes into the upper. Thanks any idea on a good tool to help get to that top nut. I saw one video where a guy used forceps but there has got bo be a better way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted December 27, 2022 Report Share Posted December 27, 2022 (edited) Roger didn't mean cut the bell housing - a hole in the transmission tunnel allows you to access the nut with a socket spanner, and since it's covered by the carpet it is hidden. I believe that the front plate on the WOSP can be rotated if you remove the cap-head screws, and there are a ring of alternative holes so if you wanted you could have the fixed stud at the bottom (though clearance at the top in front of the solenoid is tight, so you might not gain anything and is probably why the fixed stud is there.) Do you have a name we can use? It seems rude to call you 'fatM' Rob Edited December 27, 2022 by RobH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
james christie Posted December 27, 2022 Report Share Posted December 27, 2022 All these high torque starter motors seem to have this problem. Clearly the designers have never fitted one to a TR with bodywork in place. I have a Powerlite unit and with their agreement, on the bench, turned the adaptor plate through 180° so that the stud was at the bottom. Life becomes a lot easier. First it’s a doddle to tighten the nut on the fixed stud - now at the bottom - and with an assistant holding a spanner on the bolt - now at the top - you can get at the nut from underneath using a ratchet with a few extensions and a wobbly No need for any destructive work james Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted December 27, 2022 Report Share Posted December 27, 2022 Believe me; when you are in a field with no assistant having an access hole is a lifesaver. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Z320 Posted December 27, 2022 Report Share Posted December 27, 2022 (edited) I pressed the bolt out, rotated the starter mainly down (less than 180 deg.) and use it with standard bolts and nuts. Did not work better with my MX5 gearbox. If you want you can use the bolts from behind, weld a bended „c“ made of 10 mm steel on them and have no problem anymore to use a spanner from behind (and safe the hole in the gb tunnel) The exhaust I rapped with insulation tape only for the short distance of the starter, not shure about the need for that. Edited December 27, 2022 by Z320 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fatM Posted December 27, 2022 Report Share Posted December 27, 2022 Thanks guys, Glad you clarified about the cut. make sense because I can put a rubber plug back and cover with a carpet. I will also look at rotating the stud to the bottom bolt hole but I remember how much of a pain it was to get my old one in so not sure I want to wrestle with that top nut again. I plan on working on it in the next few weeks. Really appreciate the advice. Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fatM Posted December 27, 2022 Report Share Posted December 27, 2022 Z320 can you explain what you mean by weld a bended c made of 10mm steel on them? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted December 27, 2022 Report Share Posted December 27, 2022 I’m sure he’ll be along in a moment but if you put a U on the end of the bolt it will lock itself on the casing and stop turning. Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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