fiat starter motor issues!

[callyspoy]

hi folks, well i got it all wired up and had a play with it, thanks to everyone for your help with that. so yet another issue for me is the starter motor seems to be a bit pants!
now this is entirely my fault as i should have taken it apart when it was off the car and given it a clean etc, but unfortunately i did not have the foresight to do this, and now it just about turned the engine a few times but it was very slow! i charged the battery and also used my dads one so i know it isnt that. my issue is that the bolts to hold the starter motor on are behind the steering rack and are pretty much un reachable. this means i am going to ahve to take the engine out to get teh motor off, a bit of a pain!
so...my question is this, when i do get it off, can any one tell me what i should do to it to get it working better, so that i am not just fiddling around with stuff aimlessly. i want the engine in and out in a couple of hours as i will be doing it in the evening tomorrow probably.
any help would be appreciated!

[MartinB]

Are they still unreachable even with the gearbox cover removed?

I seem to remember mine were accessable with the cover removed, it was quite a while ago though.

Really, I think it is a case of check the brushes, armature and the solenoid contacts, TBH probably better off getting a recon one.

Check the earth, mine is a real pain because of the length of the battery cable and the battery master switch (for motorsport) which creates enough resistance to reduce the voltage to the starter and coils and stops it firing.

If I put a jump battery direct to the starter where the battery lead goes (and the -ve to earth obviously), mine starts up fine showing the resistance in the installed leads and master switch. I thought I had a starter motor problem and it turned out to be the leads and switch

Martin

[callyspoy]

Cheers martin, i am looking at getting a recon one, but having spent all my pennies and needing a downpipe i need to rein myself in a bit! That said, i will try the jump method to see if it has any bearing on it before i take the engine out...cheers!

[bmcecosse]

Are you sure it's the starter motor ? Are the battery and starter connections good - and a really good earth directly from the block to the chassis ? Or is the engine tight to turn ? Take the plugs out - does the engine turn over easily by hand ?

[Innovator]

Do you have a good earth lead?

Sometimes the starter will come out in situ, otherwise its an engine and box out job.

[callyspoy]

the earth lead is absolutely fine, if anything it is too big! starter definitely won't come out in situ, so will be an engine out job unfortunately. as i said, i will try the test taht Martin said and have a look at it that way first.

[bmcecosse]

I say again - is the engine free to turn - or is it seized??

[callyspoy]

sorry BMC, i didnt' say did i!! yes the engine is free to turn, both with plugs in and out.
update on teh starter, i think it is on the way out. i took it out and cleaned it up, although i couldn't get the back plate off so couldn't "clean" the brushes, but there was plenty of meat on them.
when i took it off i tested it on a battery and it was very slow, and a bit sickly. after i took it off and cleaned it, i tested it again and it was much, tried it in the engine and it turned the engine fine. only issue is taht i don't know how fast it should turn, but it is promising(ish) and hopefully may geet better with use, but we shall see about that!

[Mogwai]

I have an ammeter you can try on the starter if you want, this can give an indication of its health. though from your description it doesn't sound good

[bmcecosse]

Well done - at least you got it out without removing the engine.

[callyspoy]

ha, a nice thought BMC but i did have to take the engine out, i am just super quick at doing it now!!

[bmcecosse]

Crikey! Try it out on the engine then - befor refitting to the car!