The 'E' Type Forum

Hi guys having a problem with my starter would appreciate any suggestions. Have also posted on Jag lovers.

After a 20 mile drive on Saturday stopped for a coffee. Car would not restart just a clonk from starter solenoid. Never any starting problems whatsoever in last 2 years since I acquired car.o

Battery has 12.48v
Starter relay operates when ign turned on, 10.3 v at white/red wire at solenoid.
Big clonk from solenoid and can feel movement believe the pivot is operating.
11.3v also present at the battery input terminal of solenoid when starter switch operated.
When starter engaged only 0.6v at the bottom starter terminal of solenoid.
When direct 12v applied to starter it operates perfectl
.
So there is voltage at upper solenoid terminal and starter proven to work.
Here is the weird bit. When I bridge the upper (battery) and lower (starter) tminals on the solenoid there is nothing. I would expect a large spark and starter spinning.. But nada.

Have removed cleaned and replaced all connections from the battery to the starter and the two solenoid terminals plus the brass connector between solenoid and battery.

Surely with voltage at the solenoid upper terminal and bridging lower terminal the starter should spin since It will do so with direct 12v feed.

What is going on........

It sounds as though either

i. the internal switch between solenoid and starter has failed or needs cleaning. The design of the pre-engaged starter is such that the motor does not begin to spin until the pinion is fully home on the flywheel

ii.The pinion is not travelling sufficently to engage the switch and start the motor spinning

Either way, I'm afraid, you will need to remove the starter and give it a good clean up and then test it

Yes I have now removed the starter. Will bench test but most likely will replace with a modern gear reduction unit as have seen many good reports. I don't want to have to remove the starter again....boy the Lucas one is heavy.getting it out was OK but God knows how you would line up those fine threaded holes on replacement. Your comment about armature travel is interesting. I did notice when I removed the unit that the adjustment screw was at its inner extremity ie there was lots of scope to increase the forward travel of the armature. Hope I have not gone to all this trouble just for want of a little adjustment

christopher storey wrote:It sounds as though either

i. the internal switch between solenoid and starter has failed or needs cleaning. The design of the pre-engaged starter is such that the motor does not begin to spin until the pinion is fully home on the flywheel

ii.The pinion is not travelling sufficiently to engage the switch and start the motor spinning

Either way, I'm afraid, you will need to remove the starter and give it a good clean up and then test it

Just to help somebody that may have this same problem in the future:

I think the problem is the starter solenoid relay! If you turn on the switch, and jump the brown with the red/white cable at the starter solenoid relay, the starter will turn. (This relates to the 1.5) Today, the car wasn't starting..... I only heard solenoid clicking and nothing. After a couple of hours testing and searching for problems... Replaced ignition switch, tested the wiring, made sure the earth was ok and not hitting on paint, replaced battery with Optima, etc etc etc..... A couple of hits with the back of a screw driver to said relay and Voila! This was the problem!