Starting problem 86 2.8 (Page 1/1)
stevep914 JUL 26, 02:06 PM
Starting my car was getting difficult; sometimes the starter would do nothing upon engaging the key. Then after a couple of tries, slow crank but it would start. This got progressively worse until I couldn’t get the starter to do anything at all. I removed the starter, bench tested it, and determined the solenoid was faulty. Replaced with a new one and it still would not result in anything happening. So I changed the whole starter assembly to a new one including solenoid. Bench tested perfectly. Installed in the car, and nothing. So far I have checked and have power at the main power terminal ( the big one on the solenoid) and there is power there. With the ignition turned on, and power at the main, I tried jumping to the start terminal ( the small one on the solenoid);, and nothing. Does power to the small solenoid terminal only happen when the ign key is turned to “start”? Any other suggestions I can test to determine where the problem is?,
82-T/A [At Work] JUL 28, 12:50 PM

quote
Originally posted by stevep914:

Starting my car was getting difficult; sometimes the starter would do nothing upon engaging the key. Then after a couple of tries, slow crank but it would start. This got progressively worse until I couldn’t get the starter to do anything at all. I removed the starter, bench tested it, and determined the solenoid was faulty. Replaced with a new one and it still would not result in anything happening. So I changed the whole starter assembly to a new one including solenoid. Bench tested perfectly. Installed in the car, and nothing. So far I have checked and have power at the main power terminal ( the big one on the solenoid) and there is power there. With the ignition turned on, and power at the main, I tried jumping to the start terminal ( the small one on the solenoid);, and nothing. Does power to the small solenoid terminal only happen when the ign key is turned to “start”? Any other suggestions I can test to determine where the problem is?,




Hi! I saw that no one had responded to this yet.

My first thought, based on your first symptoms is perhaps not a starter problem, but maybe an engine problem? Can you confirm that you're able to turn the motor over by hand using the crank pulley?

Starters are cheap enough that I'd probably just replace it rather than fiddle with it. You can get a light-weight high-torque starter that works much better than the big huge one our cars originally came with.

Based on the fact that you can't get the starter to even move... it sounds like a starter problem.
Dennis LaGrua AUG 07, 02:53 AM
Did you check for proper clearance between the starter and ring gear? You set that clearance with shims on the bolts that hold the starter in place. If its set too tight the starter will bind . Also bench testing the starter with no load doesn't give accurate results.
In summation, your problem can be the starter, the installed clearance to the ring gear, the battery, or the cable connections,

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stevep914 AUG 07, 06:45 PM
Thankyou Dennis, I replaced the starter solenoid, used one shim, and ran a wire from battery to solenoid, and got a start with no issues. As this car was converted years ago to an F40 replica, much of the wiring has been fiddled with. My testing indicates an issue between the ignition key in the start position, and the solenoid. I always wanted a push button start, so I installed one, bypassing where the problem is, and everything is fine. Thanks for the input! Steve