38 replies to this topic

[KernowCooper]

Sorry mate I came in from the WS and speed read you first post and missed the word Inertia, I'd be looking at the bendix carefully and ensuring its going full travel, have you washed it in petrol? they collect clutch dust and stick. If its spinning faster out the car have you got a good earth connection between engine/body?

[bigrob]

Yeah ive cleaned it out with petrol getting in all the gaps i could find. I will try a new earth lead tomorrow and clean up where its bolting to.
Heres a picture of the ring gear.
dont suppose you can identify if its a gear for an inertia or pre-engaged by the photo?

Edited by bigrob, 10 August 2013 - 04:21 PM.

[KernowCooper]

Inertia starter ring gears have 107 teeth and the verto standard ring gear is 127 teeth, pre-engaged ones were normally chamfered on the engine side inertia on the other side.

Edited by KernowCooper, 10 August 2013 - 04:52 PM.

[bigrob]

If i go by the chamfer then its an inertia gear as its chamfered on the outside. Ive been told that if the motor spins up outside of the engine, but not inside when a load is applied, then the motor is worn and knackered. Would i be right in believing this?

[Harrison541]

I've just had the same problem with mine (pre engaged). It wasnt engaging with the flywheel so I took it to get the solenoid rebuilt and it was still not engaging. Turned out that the actual problem was the battery not charged enough, so it couldn't deliver enough current to lock the starter cog into the flywheel.

[bigrob]

Brilliant mate cheers. I can get a new battery for less than the price of a new motor so i'll try that and let you all know

[Captain Mainwaring]

Just been out and re tested both the 9 tooth and 10 tooth out of the car for long enough to see whats happening.
As soon as the motor is connected to the battery the bendix gear flicks down the shaft as if it would be engaging, then as the motor spins up it slowly works its way back to the resting position
It also seems to spin alot faster out of the car

 

OK, so it is working then.....it will tend to do what you say as there is no load to hold it in mesh.

Assuming the condition of the motors is OK and they aren't lazy then my money is on starting voltage being low...alias dodgy battery....

[Harrison541]

Brilliant mate cheers. I can get a new battery for less than the price of a new motor so i'll try that and let you all know

Try charging the battery or jump starting it first just to save buying a new battery encase that isn't the problem.

[bigrob]

Ok i'll try that shortly. Just to clarify, ive got 2 starter motors. One with 9 teeth and one with 10. Which one should i be using?

[KernowCooper]

As I understood it the 9 tooth went with the 107 ring gear

[bigrob]

I'll get counting then...

[bigrob]

Right so fitted everything back together. Jumped it off another car and the motor is spinning better. But, its engaging on and off as the keys turned.
In other words, the motor will spin at a consisted rate, but the engine will only turn over half a turn every few seconds.

[Yoda]

Still sounds like low volts at the starter.

 

make sure the jump leads are good quality, cheap ones are usually rubbish.  next thing to check will be for corroded terminals at the battery, starter and the solenoid. Also all the earths at the battery, body to engine and starter to engine. You may have to do a voltage drop test at these points if there is nothing obvious so come back for an explanation of how this is done.

[bigrob]

Clean earths was one thing i made sure off before testing. The jump leads ive got weren't cheap and seem to be pretty good quality. Im thinking i may just have to go for a new one

[Harrison541]

If you can get someone to help you, try giving the other car a rev while you start the Mini. Keep the revs around 2500-3000 while turning over the engine, it might be that the other car isn't producing enough power for both.