Starter Motor Failure, Wiring Issue, or Something else?

[AlexB]

The Chimaera properly let me down for the first time since I bought it in 2004 (other than a flat battery after a long time sitting in a garage).

I took the car off its trickle charger and started it up to drive it out of the garage - started as normal - no issues at all. Stopped car in the drive and turned it off to load it up, take the roof off etc...

Ready to go, went to start it, heard fuel pump prime as normal, turned key and just got a loud click from the engine bay - starter didn't even try to spin. Tried it a few times with exactly the same result - fuel pump primed as normal and then just a loud click. Pushed it back into the garage and took the other car.

Today I tried to investigate in a little more detail - got the car onto axle stands and had a look at the starter, wiggled a couple of wires, but nothing obviously loose or broken. Tried to start it again and got the same loud click - I am pretty certain that this is the starter solenoid as it sounds too loud to be a relay. Tried a couple more times and thought heard the fuel pump spin for a little while after the click. Tried again and the starter turned the engine over and it started as normal. Tried several more times and it fired up easily several times back to back. Clicked a couple of times, but fired up more often than it didn't...

I know that the Meta Alarm is well known for a "hot start" issue, but my Chimaera is a '95 and has a Foxguard alarm (when immobilised the fuel pump doesn't prime and the starter solenoid does not click). I have not heard that the Foxguard suffers from the same hot start issues as the Meta so am hoping that this isn't a sign of the alarm on the way out.

Since the starter solenoid is actuating I think it sounds like the starter motor itself is failing/sticking occasionally as it seems to turn the engine easily enough when it does spin. The only other thing I can think of is that there is a break in the wiring that is preventing sufficient current reaching the motor. I just can't think why either would start or stop...

Before I get a new starter, is there anything else I check? Thanks

[Classic Chim]

Your battery shows a full charge and when working spins engine over fast I assume ?
Low power batteries can cause allsorts of weird effects.

[Steve_D]

Sounds very much like a typical starer solenoid fail.
Basically the exhaust is very close to the starter and the bodywork also very close so the starter lives in an oven which dries out any lubrication in the solenoid (and the rest of the starter) resulting in the solenoid being sluggish and failing to make the contacts properly. It can probably be stripped/cleaned and you may also be able to buy a solenoid but it is simpler to just replace the starter.

If you wanted to test it and prove nothing else is the cause then try a start so you know the fault is still there then disconnect the solenoid trigger wire and fit a different wire you can take straight to battery +12V. If it still clicks you have the answer. If it turns over without issues then the fault lies in the start circuit the wiring of which was minimal from initial build.

Steve

[AlexB]

Thanks. I'll start the hunt for a new starter...and the tools to change it.

[Belle427]

Test as above first, it may be as simple as a poor connection.

[crowfield]

Mine did this last Friday. As I wanted to use the car over the Easter weekend, I went on Ebay and found a seller close to me selling a starter for a Range Rover P38. £35 and an hour on my back and the car was bursting into life once again.

[AlexB]

Well, that was more difficult than I had hoped. As it turns out, the easy bolt/screw was the most difficult as someone had attacked it before and rounded out the head. Managed to get the top one off with application of force, but ended up grinding the head off the lower one (very pleased it was that way round).
New starter and new bolts/screws and washers ordered - hopefully it will go back on more easily!