Progress.....the 1.6 ran!! but I have starter problems

[Edweird]

Have you tested the starters whilst they're not in the truck?

I don't have your starter motor sitting in here in front of me to look at but I did this on a Vauxhall Frontera starter (I think, might have been an Omega/Vectra). The starter I was testing had three connections. Ground, posi for solenoid and posi for motor. I used some spare cable we had lying around the garage from an vacuum cleaner.

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Does the starter work as it should in your hands when it's not attached to the vehicle?

[chris71920]

Yes thats how Im testing it while its bolted to the engine out of the truck.

Its hard to test when its alone not attatched to anything as there's no resistance to the gear spinning, like there would be when its engaged with the flywheel

[Edweird]

Okay, so, just to get it straight in my head, the problem is what exactly? The solenoid's not working so the motor's not engaging the flywheel or the motor has no torque to turn the engine when it's engaged?

[ScottieJ]

Can you post a pic exactly how you are testing it, i.e how the power leads are being connected.

[chris71920]

Can probably get one tomorrow, but its basically + jump lead to big terminal on starter from battery +, and - jump lead to bolt that bolts starter to gearbox housing normally (at the moment its just using the plate that goes between engine/box), which goes to - on battery.

Then a small lead connected to solenoid that I flick on the battery + to activate it.
Could it be something to do with the - terminal not being earthed too like it would be in the truck?