psycho83
East of England
Rhythm and Booze
Posts: 777
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Mar 24, 2011 10:56:39 GMT
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Can you fix em' if they are sticking or is it best to just buy a new one? I would like to be able to drive my car at the weekend but the solenoid is being picky about when it wants to work. 80 % of the time it just clunks  can you use electrical switch cleaner on these? or take it apart and clean the contacts?, I assume they are probably a bit burnt from years of cranking I don't mind ordering new if needs be, but it's not going to make it in time for a weekend drive .  |
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Last Edit: Mar 25, 2011 9:47:37 GMT by psycho83
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Mar 24, 2011 11:37:39 GMT
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Sure its the solenoid? Mine kept on clucking and it turned out to be the 1 foot bit of wire between the battery and solenoid. Took me ages to work it out!
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Mar 24, 2011 11:49:01 GMT
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Got a good earth to the block? Chuck a jump lead from the exhaust manifold to the battery neg.
Ive had problems with solenoids that just turned out to be earth issues..
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Mar 24, 2011 11:57:10 GMT
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I've had both good and bad experiences with these. On my Beetle, the starter solenoid stopped working altogether. I took off all the electrical connections to the starter and solenoid, cleaned them up, put it back and it's been flawless ever since. On the other hand, I tried to fix a dead solenoid on a friend's modern car. Same type of issue as you describe, intermittent non-starting. I took it all apart, cleaned and lubricated the solenoid armature/piston and all of that, put it back together and it made absolutely no difference. So he went and bought a whole new starter for about $140 or something.
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psycho83
East of England
Rhythm and Booze
Posts: 777
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Mar 24, 2011 13:41:31 GMT
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Sure its the solenoid? Mine kept on clucking and it turned out to be the 1 foot bit of wire between the battery and solenoid. Took me ages to work it out! Not totally sure , will investigate further tonight. will also check to make sure I've got a good earth. Thinking it probably is the solenoid but it's def worth a check! Cheers chaps |
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Mar 24, 2011 13:56:32 GMT
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Could be worth taking the starter off and bench-testing it. If the solenoid is clicking that seems to me as though it's working and the plunger is moving as it should. There's not much to them though, so probably worth stripping, cleaning and rebuilding.  |
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psycho83
East of England
Rhythm and Booze
Posts: 777
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Ok, had a chance to have a quick look last night. and before I electrocuted myself (oops) I discovered that if I short the terminals on the solenoid, I get the same clunk as turning the key but no spinning from the starter motor, so as benzboy says, I guess the solenoid is ok and the starter motor is naff? , I'm hoping the hit it with a hammer trick whilst cranking will be enough to get her to fire, so I can get it somewhere more suitable to work on it. Cant push start cos it's an auto. sometimes it tries to start, other times nothing. I hate starter motors........... will investigate further tonight and over the weekend, any suggestions of other things to look out for? It's a brand new battery so It's not that! |
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Id still try an earth... Had the same trouble with my old victor. Put a new CHARGED battery on it and it went fine. But as soon as that battery got used to being charged by a dynamo and went a bit level, It didnt have the kick .
A nice new earth strap made sure the starter was getting all the juice it could.
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psycho83
East of England
Rhythm and Booze
Posts: 777
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Mar 25, 2011 10:04:59 GMT
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Id still try an earth... Had the same trouble with my old victor. Put a new CHARGED battery on it and it went fine. But as soon as that battery got used to being charged by a dynamo and went a bit level, It didnt have the kick . A nice new earth strap made sure the starter was getting all the juice it could. Cheers, wil make sure i've got a good earth |
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psycho83
East of England
Rhythm and Booze
Posts: 777
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Mar 28, 2011 12:27:41 GMT
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Now have new earth straps, and have bench tested the starter motor, it works. The solenoid was the fault after all , when I took it off their was a barely visible crack in the casing and when i tried to take off the connections to it one of the terminals snapped clean off.
New one is now on order, so next weekend will hopefully, finally be drive time !
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