3 replies to this topic

[brivinci]

My original start from 1994 started to give up the ghost recently. It was grinding away at my lovely MED lightweight flywheels ring gear. I replaced the ring gear and starter with a new one from Mini Spares. Their standard replacement (GXE4527) and reinstalled everything. Within the first few 100 miles, the starter started acting up. You turn the key and only get a humming sound. Try again, and it starts. I wrote spares about this but never heard back. This has been happening for months now (still no reply) until something else happened. I started noticing my clock was off. It has never been before. It's getting on in years so maybe that's that. Well, went to go start my car after it was sitting during work and got nothing. ZERO sound or action. I had to push-start the car. Once it was running. I tested it and the start was fine. Got to where I was going and dead again when I go to start. I assume this is a faulty starter. All the power wires are attached and tight. I haven't heard the humming recently since the no-crank issue. Is this a common way these starters give up? Assume I got yet another faulty part?

After 4 emails, I finally heard back from Spares. Their one guy was on holiday for a month and the other told a tech to contact me...which never happened. They are usually much better at taking care of things.

Edited by brivinci, 19 June 2025 - 06:36 PM.

[68+86auto]

These are three places you should measure the voltage when trying to crank:

1. Battery posts
2. Starter main terminal
3. starter trigger terminal

Nothing should be below 9.6v. There should be no difference greater than 0.5v between the battery and other points.

 

A commonly missed issue is the third one. Even measuring the voltage may not show the issue. When the solenoid is energised, it takes a high current to move itself into the energised position. Once it is in position, the current drops significantly. This high current is why the factory fitted a relay to power the solenoid. Without the relay, the ignition switches don't last long and cause starting issues. With the relay fitted, the relay could be bad or the wiring. The quickest way to test is to touch a test lead between the starter main terminal and the trigger terminal to see if it cranks.

Edited by 68+86auto, 19 June 2025 - 10:59 PM.

[brivinci]

The issue is this is intermittent. If I went out right now it would crank perfectly. If I turned it off right away, it would crank and again. When I drive it for a bit and park, THEN it seems to be dead. Bump-start it to get home and it cranks again in the morning. 

When it cranks, it cranks perfectly and the car fires up really instantly. When it would make the humming noise only (no cranking) and now when it does nothing, the car itself has power. Dash lights appear and all. 

I finally got through to Spares and they will have an answer for me on next steps tomorrow. They suggested sending the starter back for testing. If they would have gotten back to me when I first wrote them, fine, but I would really not want to lay my car up for however long it will take them to inspect it, given that I am in the US. 

[68+86auto]

I would try jumping the trigger terminal to the main terminal when it happens. When I find this problem, it has always been intermittent. It will usually work for many cranks and then suddenly not work.