Starter Motor Solenoid

[davel]

The last couple of days when I've attempted to start the engine the trip has thrown. A gentle tap with a spanner on the solenoid gets it going. The solenoid is a Lucas 12 volt unit.

 

Is this likely to be an easy problem to sort out? Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks

Edited November 10, 2010 by davel

[RLWP]

The last couple of days when I've attempted to start the engine the trip has thrown. A gentle tap with a spanner on the solenoid gets it going. The solenoid is a Lucas 12 volt unit.

 

Is this likely to be an easy problem to sort out? Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Yes, it's easy to sort out. We had ours repaired by the local Lucas place (which has now gone), they replaced the solenoid

 

Richard

[WotEver]

A gentle tap with a spanner on the solenoid gets it going.

There's your mistake - you need a hammer, not a spanner

 

As Richard says, they're cheap enough to replace that it's not worth the hassle of trying to fix them.

 

Tony

[RLWP]

There's your mistake - you need a hammer, not a spanner

 

As Richard says, they're cheap enough to replace that it's not worth the hassle of trying to fix them.

 

Tony

 

In fact it's not worth trying to fix them because there are some big contacts in the bottom that wear out. So, generally, you can mess about with them, and they're OK for a short while, but eventually you have to replace them. IIRC there's some tricky adjusting to do too

 

Richard

[davel]

That's easy then, looking for a replacement now.

 

Thanks for your replies chaps.

 

Dave.

[benfordboy]

Is this a BMC Motor ?

 

It may just be dirty contacts causing the sticking - These are easily cleaned , but require a soldering iron to remove the cap (melt the contacts) - Failure to do this will rip the copper wires out when you remove the cap.

 

Clean it up & resolder on reassembly

[davel]

Is this a BMC Motor ?

 

It may just be dirty contacts causing the sticking - These are easily cleaned , but require a soldering iron to remove the cap (melt the contacts) - Failure to do this will rip the copper wires out when you remove the cap.

 

Clean it up & resolder on reassembly

 

 

No, it's a Ford BSD 333H

 

Cheers anyway

 

Dave

[Smelly]

These guys reconditioned Southam's starter a few years ago, certainly your neck of the woods.

[blodger]

These guys reconditioned Southam's starter a few years ago, certainly your neck of the woods.

 

I take it that's not the WCBS's "Southam"

[Smelly]

I take it that's not the WCBS's "Southam"

 

'Tis indeed WCBS's Southam, I lived on her for a while.

[Sir Nibble]

It is very very rare for a solenoid to fail completely, just to need new contacts, (quite cheap). The symptoms you describe are more indicative of one of the following,

Volt drop in the supply,

brush wear in the motor,

sticking due to corrosion.

 

Once upon a time a bloke came into the garage where I worked wanting a new solenoid fitted to a starter, I suggested he probably only needed brushes, he cast his eyes to the sky, sighed and said "look, just change it will you". I did as he said and he returned next day cursing and fuming that it didn't work, I replied that it wouldn't 'cos it needed brushes. Yes he was angry, yes the boss supported me.

[alan_fincher]

I have in the past had just the contacts replaced on one at considerably less cost than replacing the whole solenoid.

 

Unless you have an industrial strength soldering iron, though, it's a job to get done by an automotive electrician, rather than to attempt yourself - the conductors are fairly substantial and your average low power soldering iron probably will not be up to it.