starter motor questions..

[drifta]

hey people, just wondering if anyone could tell me what goes into 'reconditioning' a starter motor?

my car has a 2.0l mitsubishi sigma motor in it (astron) and when I go to start it I seem to need to crank it for a while before it goes, so I'm assuming its the starter motor..?

i bought a new battery on saturday because the old one was basically flat, but I'm thinking cranking the starter motor too much could have been a cause of it going flat in the first place... it doesnt make a 'ticking' sound.. it actually sounds like whatever is spinning, it just takes time for the engine to 'start'

[Spike_Sierra]

doesnt sound like your starter motor,
sounds like fuel or spart
maybe choke is farked?

probably better posted in general 4x4 section aswell..
GL

[chimpboy]

This doesn't belong in chit-chat, but anyway...

Can you describe what it does a bit more clearly?

Jason

[RaginRover]

I have moved it across to General Tech for you


Tom

[coxy321]

If the motor is turning over, and the car wont start, it going to be either fuel or ignition (spark) problems - not the starter, as spike_sierra stated.

Most common fault in starter motors is the solenoid failing, due to overheating, corroded or deformed contacts. Probly be easier to whip it off and get an electric grease-monkey to freshen it up. There's quite a few special tools you need, and also a few new parts.

Coxy

[drifta]

doesnt sound like your starter motor,
sounds like fuel or spart
maybe choke is farked?

probably better posted in general 4x4 section aswell..
GL

hmmm... may try some new spark plugs....


Basically it makes the 'turning sound' as opposed to the clicking sound, like 'deerrh, deerrh, deeerh, deeerh, but the engine doesnt seem to fire for a while often.. sometimes it takes soo long to fire the battery seems to get drained.. i was thinking possibly the starter isnt 'getting it going' .. but you guys could be right with the spark-plug thing... will get some new ones and see what happens..

the other day a mate of mine had me turning the starter over a tiny bit at a time by just tapping the ignition on in order to move the timing belt.. so i was thinking possibly i stuffed the starter motor up then..

cheers

Paul

[coxy321]

Yep. Sounds like an engine problem - not the starter. It takes a hell of a lot of abuse to ruin a starter. Just think about it, every time a car gets started, there's solenoids slamming down on contacts, forks throwing armatures in and out, teeth and drive packs banging into the ring gear. There's an awful lot of parts getting some heavy usage in there. It's amazing how they last as long as they do!!!

[RaginRover]

doesnt sound like your starter motor,
sounds like fuel or spart
maybe choke is farked?

probably better posted in general 4x4 section aswell..
GL

hmmm... may try some new spark plugs....


Basically it makes the 'turning sound' as opposed to the clicking sound, like 'deerrh, deerrh, deeerh, deeerh, but the engine doesnt seem to fire for a while often.. sometimes it takes soo long to fire the battery seems to get drained.. i was thinking possibly the starter isnt 'getting it going' .. but you guys could be right with the spark-plug thing... will get some new ones and see what happens..

the other day a mate of mine had me turning the starter over a tiny bit at a time by just tapping the ignition on in order to move the timing belt.. so i was thinking possibly i stuffed the starter motor up then..

cheers

Paul

Prolongued cranking is what really hurts starters, but now you have said you were playing with timing belt , that check your timing, could be out too advanced or retarded and making it hard to start.

Go and buy some AeroStart or "Start ya Bas*ard" and use that to get her going then check the timing with a timing light and fix it up if required.
That will save your battery from cell collapse after cranking the a$$ out of it

Tom