Starter Motor not Engaging - Advice Please

[John P]

This afternoon I finally finished fitting a starter motor to my Ulsteroid which I have always previously started on the handle.

I have a new battery and leads which includes a second earth connection directly from the battery to one of the starter motor mounting fixing bolts.

The starter button was dismantled and generally refurbished but I’ve done nothing much to the starter motor itself as it looked quite good and, in any case, until today I didn’t have a serviceable battery to test it. I did however replace the spring clip which retains the pinion as the original was broken with only one side actually doing anything.

When I gave it a try I was pleased to hear the motor spin into life and it certainly sounds as though it’s rotating quite quickly and steadily, however the pinion does not appear to be engaging in the ring gear which is also new.

I’m assuming that either the new pinion clip is too tight and not allowing the gear to move forward into the ring gear or, despite how it sounds, that the motor isn’t spinning up quickly enough for the inertia of the gear to throw it forward but how would I know which is the problem and how do you adjust the retaining clip, just by bending it I assume?

Any suggestions?

John.

[dickie65]

Take the starter motor off the car and check which way it is spinning.
Just as a sanity check.

[Bob Culver]

The normal acceleration is very violent. The brushes must have travel remaining and be free to move.The spring clip is quite critical. If too loose the pinion wanders into mesh on grades, then violently oscillates in and out until it chances to catch and settle. The sound effects can be very mysterious. The recommendation was not to oil, although I have always used very thin oil.

[Zetomagneto]

Good advice from Dickie.Front or rear mounted starter? If you have a front mounted starter on a
rear mounting it will be going the wrong way.

[John Mason]

I find the best way is to hold the motor in a bench vice and spin it from a battery. From a visual check you can see the speed it spins and also if adjustment to the holding spring is required. This adjustment if required can be done and re tested whilst in the vice.
Caution do not spin the motor off the car unless it is held firm in a vice as it spins a some torque.

John Mason.

[John P]

The starter is one in the cockpit area with the Bendix facing forward and when I bought the motor off e-bay it was described as being one which mounts next to the gearbox.

I'd always thought that all starter motors designed to mount under the bonnet alongside the crankcase had the cable operated switch assembly mounted on them and as this one simply has a brass stud for the electrical connection I assumed it must be correct.

It's a CAV starter if that helps but, in any case, even if it were rotating the wrong way, presumably the pinion would still try to engage.

John.

[Zetomagneto]

The pinion won't throw out if spinning the wron way

[Nick Turley]

Hi John - without doubt you need to check it off the car.
If it spins it should do so with a lot of power.
I put them on the floor to test with my foot on the body to hold, when it first turns it should try to escape your foot.
If it does not do that then it has not got enough power and needs further investigation.
The pinion can easily jam I would check it carefully for cleanliness and of course it must not have oil or grease on it.
Just one little bit of grit or even grease can cause it to jamb.
You can bend the spring to adjust, it only needs to lightly grip the pinion.
I know this sounds a bit crude but I hope you find it useful.

[Rogerfrench]

The pinion won't throw out if spinning the wron way

Depends what you mean by the wrong way - for the starter or for the installation. The motor will spin in its correct direction, even if installed the wrong way round, won't it? I don't know if a rearward facing starter, in a forward facing installation, can engage the ring gear, but if it did, wouldn't it turn the engine backwards? Or am I overlooking something?

[John Mason]

I don’t know the answer to this one but somebody with more knowledge than me will know. Will starter motors run in reverse if connections are wrongly connected. I was wondering as it was purchased off E Bay could it have come from a car that has been wired with opposite polarity to John P car. Thus spinning it the opposite direction.

John Mason.