Here is a fix for "that starter motor problem"

[xain]

I daresay this isn't a panacea (sp!) for all the starter foibles we seem to suffer from, but over the summer my 500 developed that well known hot no-starter-motor problem. Originally a few minutes with the bonnet open would have it right as rain. Then after a lay up it began to go badly downhill. Suffice to say that I couldn't take it out for more than a few minutes and hope to have it start again without waitning over 30 mins.

Anyway, I bit the bullet and pulled the starter out. I figured from the symptoms that it was solenoid related. In fact, the starter had quite a bit of gunge in the pinion cavity, but the solenoid part was clean (and sheilded from the incoming gunge by the one-way gear. I tried to get the solenoid off the starter, and wrecked the top of two of the screws by not going to an impact driver soon enough. Not to worry, it's still attached! So I wouldn't bother trying if I were you.

Anyway, I gave the thing a good clean and test, and noticed that the solenoid is a bit reluctant to fire if you have anything less that a good electrical contact. I also noticed that the small spade connector for the solenoid from the ignition was rather corroded. This is what fires the solenoid, not the big red cables.

So, I cleaned the contact up, put the thing back in, and added a fabulous Blue Peter heat sheild made from a baked bean tin, and I've not had a single problem since.

Now, I tried a heat shield before this, with absolutely no effect, so I'm inclined to believe that the problem was the solenoid contact.

So, my advice is to at least have a go at fixing it. If you're going to replace the starter anyway, you've nothing to lose. You can always push start it to get to the garage if you completely wreck it.

Good luck!

[shpub]

The heat shield helps prevent the problems that afflect the motor and in itself doesn't cure an existing problem unless it is temperature sensitive.

Not totally convinced by the bean can approach as it will get hot and transmit that lovely heat to the starter. The reflective aluminised cloth reflect the heat and is an very bad conductor so does a really good job.

Steve

[xain]

Well, it's probably not as good, but it's the same system that manufacturers use to insulate the underside of the car from your super-hot catalytic converter. It just stops the radiated heat (which is where the majority of the energy comes from)

It's a bit like double glazing, there's still a small conductive path, but you've put a barrier in the way to prevent radiation and convection.

But you're right, I'm not sure that it makes any differeence, but after having lacerated my hand putting it in there, I'm not taking it out!