Starter motor replacement

[shep1001]

My starter motor is getting temperamental, just getting a 'click' when turning the key rather than firing into life sometimes regardless of being hot or cold. Seemingly it has self healed again as it knew I was about to attack it with the spanners and has fired on the button for the last couple of weeks every time.

Is the std starter replacement just a bolt in/out affair or is there more to it? I know with the higher power version some mods are needed to get it to fit, not sure I can be bothered with the faff of that at the moment until I get my new man cave in a month or two so I either wait or just get a std replacement and swap it out. anybody done it and can give me the lowdown on what is required?

[julianc]

shep1001 said:

My starter motor is getting temperamental, just getting a 'click' when turning the key rather than firing into life sometimes regardless of being hot or cold. Seemingly it has self healed again as it knew I was about to attack it with the spanners and has fired on the button for the last couple of weeks every time.

Is the std starter replacement just a bolt in/out affair or is there more to it? I know with the higher power version some mods are needed to get it to fit, not sure I can be bothered with the faff of that at the moment until I get my new man cave in a month or two so I either wait or just get a std replacement and swap it out. anybody done it and can give me the lowdown on what is required?

Could it just be a faulty relay?

[shep1001]

julianc said:

Could it just be a faulty relay?

Don't think so, its the stater I can hear clicking, I would assume the solenoid is on its way out?

[olliete]

Have you checked the battery condition?

[Sevenman]

I haven't done the work myself, but a few years back my starter motor stopped working when hot, and was fine when cold.

This led to an embarrassing push start at a petrol station.

TVR Power changed it for their uprated starter motor as used on the larger capacity rebuilds. I am not aware this required any special work.

It works well, and turns over much more quickly than the old starter did. But a new standard starter may have had the same effect.

[shep1001]

olliete said:

Have you checked the battery condition?

Yes, battery all good. When I replaced it last I put one in with a higher CCA capacity so it's got plenty of grunt to start a speed 6 engine

[BuzzBillsberry]

Andy is your car a 3.6? If it is then I have a 3.6 starter for the Tam which was replaced with a high power one when the 4.3 was fitted...its done circa 19k if your interested let me know.

Buzz

[Targarama]

Clicking instead of turning over is often due to a loose cable. The large current draw of the starter causes to connection to break. Reseat them all (live and earth).

[fredd1e]

Mine was doing the random clicking thing, though usually when cold. I checked all cables which were tight, I had it replaced with a high power one and problem has disappeared. It now starts almost instantaneously.

[Bazzon]

It's easy enough to do if you have a few basic tools

Disconnect the battery
Remove the airbox
You should be able to see the starter
Simply disconnect the leads
Undo the bolts holding it in place then wiggle it out.

If you upgrade to the larger one you have to drill the plate that holds the 100amp furs and the airbox as the larger starter is a bigger circumference so you need to elongate the holes on the plate. Easy enough to do with a vice drill and file