BEST STARTER MOTOR!
Discussion
Despite a brand new Starter Motor last Summer and having done little mileage since, i'm having problems. The usual turn key and click. I have to do this several times before the starter motor turns and the car always then starts. It has a brand new alarm fitted by CB recently and i was assured wiring was fine. It's not a "hot-Start" problem as it happens any time. In fact if it was the so-called "hot start" then each time the key was turned would make the matter worse by heating the wire with the current but since the solenoid will work after several goes it's not that.
It's looking like yet another new Starter Motor!
A consensus please on the best and most reliable ones please.
Seems to be (yet another) common Chimaera problem!
It's looking like yet another new Starter Motor!
A consensus please on the best and most reliable ones please.
Seems to be (yet another) common Chimaera problem!
I've just been though the exact same problem Graeme, very frustrating 
Here is my tale of woe
1) Original starter problematic, only started on every 3rd turn the key or so (hot or cold)
2) Replaced the starter with a Prestolite one off EBay
This starter proved unreliable too, it gave me the same issues as my original, so it had me looking elsewhere for the fault.
Turns out the Prestolite one off EBay was ex MoD stock, possibly sold off cheap because it was found to be faulty when some squady tried to fit it to a Landrover.
Its a shame really because when the starter span it was excellent, you can get one from a known reputable source here:
http://www.brookwell.co.uk/item/243/replacement-st...
3) Finally replaced the Ebay one yesterday with a PowerLite RAC318, I was offered a special deal at the Race Retro show of £150.00 delivered from Eurolec Components
http://www.powerlite-units.com/about.htm
I also gently crimped up the ignition feed wire female spade terminal so it was a tighter fit on the starter & added the hot start kit just because I had one and it seems like a good idea.
BINGO! No more intermittent starter fault, the starter spins first turn of the key every time and really fast too.
If you do go for the PowerLite one you will need to replace the lower allen cap head bolt with a regular bolt as there is not enough room to get an allen bit between the head of the bolt & the starter body.
If I was doing it again I would be tempted to buy the Prestolite one from a reputable source like Brookwells, when my Ebay one span it was excellent, lots of others have fitted this starter with no problems at all.
I was just trying to save a few quid by buying one from Ebay, big mistake.
Although I now have the hot start kit installed I don't think it was this that solved the problem, but with so many reporting hot start issues it seemed a good idea to fit it anyway.
It was just a case of the Ebay starter exhibiting exactly the same fault as my original starter, this led me to start making assumptions that the problem was not the starter after all.
The lesson is; sometimes parts that claim to be new give problems too.
My advise to you would be to buy the Prestolite one from Brookwells, its a lovely little starter that's smaller than the original and very easy to fit.
I am sure Brookwells will be selling you a brand new fully factory tested one, not an ex MoD reject like the Ebay one I stupidly bought.
Here is my tale of woe
1) Original starter problematic, only started on every 3rd turn the key or so (hot or cold)
2) Replaced the starter with a Prestolite one off EBay
This starter proved unreliable too, it gave me the same issues as my original, so it had me looking elsewhere for the fault.
Turns out the Prestolite one off EBay was ex MoD stock, possibly sold off cheap because it was found to be faulty when some squady tried to fit it to a Landrover.
Its a shame really because when the starter span it was excellent, you can get one from a known reputable source here:
http://www.brookwell.co.uk/item/243/replacement-st...
3) Finally replaced the Ebay one yesterday with a PowerLite RAC318, I was offered a special deal at the Race Retro show of £150.00 delivered from Eurolec Components
http://www.powerlite-units.com/about.htm
I also gently crimped up the ignition feed wire female spade terminal so it was a tighter fit on the starter & added the hot start kit just because I had one and it seems like a good idea.
BINGO! No more intermittent starter fault, the starter spins first turn of the key every time and really fast too.
If you do go for the PowerLite one you will need to replace the lower allen cap head bolt with a regular bolt as there is not enough room to get an allen bit between the head of the bolt & the starter body.
If I was doing it again I would be tempted to buy the Prestolite one from a reputable source like Brookwells, when my Ebay one span it was excellent, lots of others have fitted this starter with no problems at all.
I was just trying to save a few quid by buying one from Ebay, big mistake.
Although I now have the hot start kit installed I don't think it was this that solved the problem, but with so many reporting hot start issues it seemed a good idea to fit it anyway.
It was just a case of the Ebay starter exhibiting exactly the same fault as my original starter, this led me to start making assumptions that the problem was not the starter after all.
The lesson is; sometimes parts that claim to be new give problems too.
My advise to you would be to buy the Prestolite one from Brookwells, its a lovely little starter that's smaller than the original and very easy to fit.
I am sure Brookwells will be selling you a brand new fully factory tested one, not an ex MoD reject like the Ebay one I stupidly bought.
Edited by Chimpafrolic on Monday 11th April 07:46
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