Starting Problems

[Smalljeep]

My sammy is giving me bother with starting, the battery is fully charged and everything electrical seems to work strongly, its just when i go to press the button for the starter sometimes it works, other times it makes a very quiet whizzing noise, the ammeter shows somethings happening just the engine doesnt turn over. Its not a huge problem because i park at the top of a hill but id still like to have it starting on the button.

[dan_2k_uk]

i never get this problem myself but its quite common.

on the few times it has happened to me i just shoulder barge the inside of the dorr and it engages the 2nd time.

its something to do with the solenoid.

[Darrell]

I've had what you describe. The starter turns but doesn't engage the engine. On mine the one way clutch had/was giving up and I couldn't find anybody who would sell this part. I would strip clean and inspect first as this only costs your time. Me - I got fed up with the would it/wouldn't it start game and brought a reconditioned unit
Being an old fart I remember when you could buy spares for starters and fix them yourself, but everybody just seems to sell exchange units now .

[Edweird]

I was going to say, sounds like your solenoid's buggered.

[Darrell]

You could be right. If the solenoids not pulling the pinion lever properly it would not engage the engine, this is assuming the noise is the starter spinning just not turning the engine.

[Smalljeep]

bugger
thats the second starter, the one that came with the engine didnt work and when i swapped it for the older one it worked. Luckily i live beside a man who reconditions starters and altenators usually about £30 for a tractor one so i cant imagine this being any worse.
Is there any chance of the wiring going to the starter being at fault, because the first switch had the same problem for a while, then i changed to the newer switch and the problem was solved for a while, any chance the wires are not thick enough?

[Darrell]

To make sure there is not a wiring issue disconnect the thin original wire from the solenoid and connect a wire from it. If you flash this wire on the battery positive and it turns over properly then the original wiring maybe at fault.
There is a fix for clicky starter problems but yours sounds like it's turning..

Use a reasonable diameter cable and expect some sparks.
Do not do this after charging the battery as gasses produced can explode.

[Smalljeep]

explode
i dont want to do that, its not been recently charged is that ok.

[Darrell]

Sorry, didn't want to scare anybody, but yes they can explode. Seen it, done it .
It's just gas caused by charging, normally with an external mains charger. This gas soon clears in a ventilated area after charging.
I only said it just in-case you had it on charge and I didn't want to blow you up

More info here if you can be arsed to read it. Cheers-Darrell.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead%E2%80%93acid_battery" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mayhemmiller]

it is quite scary though. I have seen it happen a couple of time

that's why it's important to turn the charger of at the mains before un-clipping the clamps off the terminals