Starter Motor Problems

[simontaylor]

Has any one open up the starter and rebuilt it? including the gear parts.

Ok, I have a starter motor that is a "clicker", when turning the key it just "clicks".

After a few attempts of turning the key, the old beast fires up and runs fine.

This has been the case for a few months, and also I repleced the Battery last week, because it not keeping charge. Turns out the old Battery is dated April 2001.

Last week, the car will ONLY click and I had to get towed home by the RAC.

Sometimes the starter does connect and turn, but it just does not engage or turn the motor over.

You can hear it just whizzing round on its own, actually it does not sound like the starter is a beefy motor, but then again I have never heard a starter motor on a bench test.

SO, I have removed the starter motor, yes it was buried at the back of the Vee, but it is out now.

The contacts looked "ok", but they are well worn and need replacement, which I will do.

I mounted the starter motor in a vice, attached it to a spare 12V Battery with a set of jump leads, and i ran a trigger wire with a spade connector on one end from the starter ignition switch connector and used the other bare end to touch the +ve side of the Battery.

Sometimes it is just a clicker, ok.... that is a contacts problem, and sometimes the gear ejects and turns, but there is no drive in it. Actually, I can hold the gear between my fingers, it does not have any load in it while the starter motor is turning. There is no way that this will turn any engine over.

Has any one actually dismantled a starter motor, because I suspect that I have an internal gear failure and would like some advice about dismantling and what to expect to see inside it.

[ROYT]

If it wont 'rev up' when connected to 12volts, its likely to need brushes as well as the solenoid contacts.

The contacts are available from Lexus or 'clickerfixer' in the USA.

Smell it!..if it smells burnt it will have field coil problems as well.

Gear parts etc are available from Lexus

If you think it needs the lot, I think I would go for a recon. motor..

[simontaylor]

Sometimes it is a clicker, requireing new brushes etc.

and sometimes it starts up, but I can hold the gear wheel and there is not force within it. This is why I suspect the gears.

I do not know how the clutch inside it works, so I dont know if this is how it is supposed to behave when bench tested.

Has any one bench tested a starter from an LS400?

Has any one taken the starter apart and seen how the gears work, (or dont work) and made gear repairs?

[steve2006]

As far as I am aware you need a negative Battery supply to the casing, a positive to the main terminal and a positive supply to the spade type connector to energise the starter. This spade terminal does 2 things 1. it pushes the plunger and therefore the gear into the flywheel teeth and in doing so closes the contacts to spin the motor.

Below is a link giving full bench testing details.

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/Docs/starter.pdf

If you do remove the end plunger cover make sure you do not lose the ball bearing in the tube where the spring slides down.

[simontaylor]

Thanks Steve, that is exactly how I have tested mine.

Do you have any experience of the start gears?

[steve2006]

Thanks Steve, that is exactly how I have tested mine.

Do you have any experience of the start gears?

Hi Simon,

No sorry, mine is doing the same with the click click problem and has been for the last 6 months but up to now it does start on the 2nd or 3rd attempt.

I bought a spare starter a year or so ago and the plunger/contacts so I am going to replace them.

I even have all the gaskets to do the job but never the time so may get my local independant garage to do the fitting of the motor.

Good luck with the repair.

Steve.

[very tall brad]

Thanks Steve, that is exactly how I have tested mine.

Do you have any experience of the start gears?

Hi Simon,

No sorry, mine is doing the same with the click click problem and has been for the last 6 months but up to now it does start on the 2nd or 3rd attempt.

I bought a spare starter a year or so ago and the plunger/contacts so I am going to replace them.

I even have all the gaskets to do the job but never the time so may get my local independant garage to do the fitting of the motor.

Good luck with the repair.

Steve.

Mine did this. Lexus Cheltenham fitted a new starter motor for just under £800 including labour and VAT. They said they had to drop the transmission and the exhausts to get the old one out and fit the new one. Does this sound right?

[simontaylor]

If any one is interested in the starter motor differences, I have 2 of them.

I have a MKI/II Generation 1 p/n 28100-50030 for cars upto 1994

and a 1995 starter of my MKIII Generation2 p/n 28100-50050.

Main difference is the length. The gen 2 is 3 cm shorter. So if you put a gen1 starter into a gen 2 car, the loom is now not long enough to reach the main +ve 12 volt bolt on connection as so for the solenoid connection too. I did not want to abuse my loom and try and streach it, as the car is getting old and it may have broken in my hands.

Also they are different internally. They have an internal gearing to connect the motor shaft to the stater gear. Each motor has different number of teeth on them. Also the clutch gear is not interchangable, because the main shat is of a different diameter, gen 1 is 25.6mm and gen 2 is 26.0mm.

Sorry that pic is not too clear, but you should see what I mean about the length and connection points.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/s.taylor8817/...%20Starters.JPG

[John Lawley]

you can get a new blueprint starter motor with a years guarantee for about £250.

[simontaylor]

Thanks John...... where from?

[John Lawley]

Camberley auto factors, as far as i know a national chain, although i may have spelt camberley incorrectly.

[simontaylor]

Cheers John, their HQ is just a few miles up the road from me.