Hot start problem?

[helipilot]

Took the Tiv out for a blast on Sunday and stopped to replenish the fuel. On returning to the car it would not start. I could hear to fuel pump running and when turning the key the battery and oil pressure lights dimmed indicating power to the starter but nothing. The starter did not turn over at all. I called the RAC and went back to the car to find it started first time. Anyone else had this problem and know of a cure. Mines a 99 4.0 Chimp. Cheers. Mark

[xain]

Try cleaning the small spade connection on the solenoid (on the starter motor) Could save you a couple o' hundred for a new starter. Disconnect the battery first though.

[PhilipC]

Sounds like it might just be the starter overheated - my 500 does the same if it's been standing and you turn the engine off. Lifing the bonnet and waiting 10-15 mins fixed it the last time - last owner warned me in advance.

It also proves that there's only one thing car owners like more than looking at a TVR as it goes past: looking at a TVR with it's bonnet up at the roadside...

On the other hand, I've only had the car a few months, so if someone else wants to say my starter's about to go, too, then I'm open to prophesies of doom.

[duncan m]

The same thing happened on mine (4l HC) and was a right pain in the butt, especially at petrol stations after a long, hot run !

A new starter motor, and all has been fine ever since

[jamer]

I have had it on a few Chimaera's especially over the years and it is worth fitting some sort of heat shield around the starter -

[helipilot]

Cheers for the advice. I will have a look at the starter at the weekend. Heres hoping that it is just a bit of dirt.

[robkola]

Oh yes - this will happen - next time open the bonnet whilst you re-fuel - that should cool it enough for a fresh re-start

[5ltr-chim]

Starter motors on lotsd of cars over time tend to get small fragments of worn off clutch lining on their moving parts and these tend to expand with heat. This can result in either nothing or just the clicking of the solenoid until it's cooled down enough.
I'd recommend: take the starter out - strip off the solenoid, clean the solenoid including plunger and also the motor shaft the cog runs up (then grease gently with a lithuim based grease.

[helipilot]

Cheers all.

[xain]

Agree with the cleanup. However, when I cleaned mine I found that a) I couldn't get the solenoid off (I stripped 2 out of the 3 bolt heads! Aarrgh!) and b) that the solenoid was pretty well shielded from the clutch muck, and was clean as far in as I could see.

However, I did clean everything that I could get at, including the inside of the planet-gears. So, it was either the interior cleaning, or the solenoid spade connector that turned a *completely* knackered starter into a 100% reliable one.

Actually I found that after the fix I had one more non-start, this time from cold, and it was before I *really* cleaned and vaselined the solenoid spade connector, so that's my top tip!