Starter motor question

[dern]

I've dug the westfield out of 'storage' and although it runs fine it doesn't start very easily. It always was a little reluctant to start but it seems to be getting worse. The engine is a 1700 xflow on twin 40s.

Basically I suspect either the battery or the starter motor. I get 13 and a bit volts from the alternator when the engine is running so the charging circuit is ok. I have a battery cut-out switch on the car so that when the car is unattended it's not draining the battery. I charged the battery over night and dropped it in the car and left it disconnected for a couple of days and it failed to start the car... the starter motor just chugged over slowly in 'steps' if you know what I mean. If I attach jump leads to another car with a happy battery is also does not start the car (same sluggish turning of the starter) but if the other car is running it spins up the starter motor and starts the westfield.

If the car is up to temperature and been running for 10 miles the battery will turn the starter motor and start the car within a fraction of a second of pressing the button.

The thing which stops me simply going out and getting a new battery (apart from the fact that this battery is only 18 months old) is that if I hold down the starter button then the earth lead gets very hot and will smoke a bit (dirt getting heated up I guess) so the starter motor must be pulling a fair drain from the battery even though it isn't turning properly.

Any idea or things to test would be gratefully received.

Thanks,

Mark

[dern]

cptsideways said:

Check & clean all the battery connections especially the kill switch as they corrode really badly.

Done that, you could eat your dinner off them. Thanks anyway.

Regards,

Mark

[dern]

gary_tholl said:

Any connection that is heating up is not a good connection. Clean and tighten it.

It's not the connection that gets warm but the main earth strap from the battery to the engine.

I'll clean all the connections and make sure they are all good and then look at the starter.

Thanks for all the advice.

Mark

[dern]

eliot said:

How thick is the earth lead? - definatley shouldn't be getting hot.

It's pretty hefty...



It goes from the battery to the chassis and on to the engine. Looks ok to me and the connections are clean and good.

Mark

>> Edited by dern on Friday 7th May 20:31

[dern]

grahambell said:

If cleaning all the connections/terminals doesn't help, might be worth taking your starter motor to your local auto electrical reconditioners and ask them to test it on their rig. At least you'll know one way or the other and can get them to fix it if that's the problem. And if it isn't then you can pick their brains for what it might be...

Good idea, will do... thanks.

One part of me wishes the car would just work and I could drive it but I think I'm enjoying tinkering with this stuff more than I do driving it

Mark

[dern]

eliot said:

Just looked at your picture again, put a meter between the earth on the battery and the bell housing - to see the voltage drop.

Ok, will do. What will the value I see mean?

Mark

[dern]

eliot said:

I had one of those braided earth straps that looked ok, but i was loosing 1v accross it.

I'm getting no drop over the braided earth strap but dropping 1v over the battery to chassis cable. That's the one that smokes with I crank the starter. I'll replace it.

Is that enough to stop the starter motor spinning rapidly?

Edited to add: Thinking about it it must be as when I apply 13.5v from another running car it spins over very freely. Assuming that I'd be loosing just over 1v through that lead it would leave the normal 12v to the starter. I'll replace it anyway and go from there.

Thanks,

Mark

>> Edited by dern on Sunday 9th May 15:51

[dern]

eliot said:

Yes, 1v loss is quite a bit on a such a short run. If after replacement, it still gets warm - then i would say your starter is knackered. did you check the red lead?

Yes, there were no drops on the red leads.

Cheers,

Mark

[dern]

Justin S said:

I went to Cafco's in Hambridge lane on Saturday and have various leads on the wall all waiting for you.

I normally use them but they're only open until lunchtime and I was busy with the kids until sunday

Mark

[dern]

eliot said:

Make sure u get a thick one!

I phoned the company on the brochure in your picture

[dern]

Just to report back...

I replaced the neg lead from the battery to the chassis that caused the voltage drop and also the solenoid to starter pos lead that looked a bit stiff and old and the earth strap from the chassis to the engine and now the starter motor spins up with no problems at all and the leads don't smoke any more.

Thank you all very much for your help and for adding another problem diagnosis method to my armoury.

Cheers,

Mark