Best way to fix a stuck starter motor?

[Argie]

Ford Escort.

Loads of evidence of car having been left lying about unused for yonks before I bought it. Not for a fortune.

Starter motor was working like a good'un up until a few days ago, when I decided to undo the battery and charge it up in the garage.

Battery was a bit short of water, topped it up with rainwater.

Gave it a good charge, the charger seemed happy with it, it took a good couple of hours charge before the charger decided it was full.

Reattached it. Car will now not turn over 

All the electrics work fine, and when you turn the key, you can hear a solenoid going 'clack' somewhere in the guts under the bonnet. But there's not even the slightest sign of the starter even trying to engage.

Tried putting the car in 5th gear & rocking it back and forth.. hoping to free a cog off somewhere.. no improvement.

Plan is now to get 2 trolley jacks & axle stands under the front, and whack the starter motor with a lumphammer.

Anyone got a better idea?

(yeah i know, scrap the thing lol..)

[Lurks]

I don't know about these new fangled motors, but there used to be a squared bit on the end you could put a spanner on and turn, this freed the starter.

although you're better removing the starter and greasing the sprocket and thread, sounds like it's dried out and stuck.

[Argie]

Hmm. Wonder if a good long spray of WD40 would help. Trying to avoid undoing bolts if I can help it!

But yep it might come to that. Just hope the windings haven't burnt out or summat.

Are Karwowskis still going?

[Lurks]

yes they are, there's hills at Bursough too.

[Argie]

Last time I tried Hills I had to go to Skem, it's gone all upmarket now and they're charging pretty high prices, unless I've been going to the wrong Hills lol.

Good to hear Karwowskis is still rockin' an rollin, how do you get them to come to the counter though do you have to take a piece of cheese or something

[Lurks]

oops! yep they've moved to skem.

[Argie]

Mind you I think they only sell tested parts or give some kind of a bring it back guarantee or something.. Bought a battery off them a while back & the feller gave it a good proper check with a load tester thingy before letting me take it.

[Argie]

Think I might have figured what's wrong. Should there be a little pipe above the starter motor that showwers it in ten tons of diesel every time you turn the key?

[Hanner Cymraeg]

er...








NO!!

[Argie]

It's not some kind of innovative 'shower' to keep it clean then. Hmm

[Hanner Cymraeg]

nope - just a way of wasting fuel mate

[Argie]

the starter's absolutely caked in gritty black poo.. suspecting it's internally caked in the stuff as well, figure the diesel made it sticky then the road dust attached itself and so on.

Probably acted like sandpaper on the carbon brushes?

Guess I'll have to have it off & get it stripped down. Yay

[Hanner Cymraeg]

sounds like a sticky solenoid TBH, but might be worth giving it a good clean & a squirt of graphite spray on the pinion & shaft.
if you're feeling brave, clamp it securely in a vice & give it a jolt from a hefty battery charger (preferably a starter/charger) - connect negative clamp to starter body & short the cable connections on the solenoid with the positive - that might get the starter moving again.

[Argie]

Had a fit of feeling keen an hour ago so, set to with the jacks & the spanners.

big fat 13mm nut holding fat red wire onto solenoid bit.. 'crack' turn turn turn turn.. off he comes
4 big fat 13mm bolts holding starter to engine.. 4x 'crack' turn turn turn turn.. out they comes
lil diddy 10mm nut holding smaller (but still pretty thick) wire onto solenoid..  'crack' turn turn turn turn.. off he comes

wasn't expecting another, but there was..

another big fat 13mm nut holding a HUGE fat red wire on. And no 'crack' on undoing it.. it just came off dead easy, less then finger tight.

I reckon it was that.. haven't tested the thing yet, but will do your idea HC just to check the motor & the solenoid out.. probably (hopefully!) bolt straight back on & work eh. Fingers x'd

Probably a good recipe for a fire that eh.. diesel shower with built-in ultra high current spark generator 

[Hanner Cymraeg]

diesel actually isn't very flammable at atmospheric pressure, so probably not too dangerous, but a loose connection would certainly cause starter problems.
as you say, might as well check it now it's off...