Gentlemen

Made it home for a brief stint so…………took the mistress out for a run with my wife.

My wife has come to accept there is someone else in my life now, not without resistance. Idea was to go for a drive in the country…….call into the local for a cold one then head home.

After the cold one we started the mistress and she emitted a rattling can sound the first time, then a grinding mesh sound the second time before she fired and all was good……first thoughts were starter motor…!...?...!

Decided to head for home and not stop…drove perfectly…so drove like I stole her…got home and into the garage….stopped the engine and then restarted her 4 or 5 times…..no rattily can or grinding mesh sound….!

Me thinks it is a starter motor engagement issue, what are the checks that need to be carried out here....?...no small job to change the starter motor on the RH drive……while not daunted by the possibility of having to do this….would rather not unless I have to…!...how much alcohol will i need etc

as all ways advice from this forum is gold....

Regards

Darren

 

Bugga, but at least the secret female in your life is out in the open.

The starters are a robust item, and I have had zero failures as such with them.

Mind you, I am fully aware of the cranking TIME limitations of that Lucas lump of copper and stuff, and short burst are MANDATORY, and alway have been.

The White/Red stripe heavy gauge lead from the relay TO the solenoid has a joiner, just near the trans dipstick, and it is well known to (A) fall apart, (B) not make good contact with itself, sooooo, seperate it, clean it, "crush" the female spade a tad and reinsert the male bit. If that solenoid gets a "fuzzy" voltage it will "chatter" something fierce.

The actual battery cables on the +ve post near the brake booster, and on the LH side are also critical. They MUST be clean and TIGHT.

The starter relay could also have "dirty" contacts inside, and that will also cause solenoid "chatter".

RHD starter removal would be 2 LARGE JD, sipped continously via a plastic tube just to get it OUT. The subframe needs to be lowered about 2", steeringrack removed, and the exhaust pipes pulled out of the manifold. GOOD luck with those pipes. It will come out if they will not come away from the manifold, but the language will be savage.

Refitting will be the same JD, maybe more.

You might want to have some blood on hand, as letting of that Red fluid will be huge.

 

I would certainly check the two bolts holding the starter. It may be possible that those bolts are loose and the grinding start was due to misalignment but that you have been lucky with the subsequent good starts due to starter realigning itself. The good luck is unlikely to continue if they are loose.

 

In addition to Grant's great advice, before you get to removing the starter, there are other things that can cause problems.

I would suggest reading the Palm book regarding the starter circuit and starter motor. I don't remember all the issues off the top of my head, but IIRC the starter relay itself was more often the root of problems.

Can you give a little more detail? Was the car hot when it wouldn't engage properly? or cold? Were conditions wet or dry? Temps cold? etc.

As Grant wisely states, what you describe sounds more like not getting "clean" current to the starter rather than a bad starter itself.

 

thanks for the advice gents, GOLD as always........had to fly out again though before i could have a real go at it......should be back in a coupla 3 or 4 weeks and it will be the first thing i attend to when i am back with her...!

all good

Darren

 

No wonder 'Normal Motorists' stay away from Cars like these, when you've got to dismantle half the Car just to get at the 'Starter Motor'

Imagine how much a Garage/Shop would charge for something like that! $$$$$$$

 

It is a pain and some improvising is needed but can be done with a lot less effort than the book says.
I can only speak for myself but in close to 40 years driving and working on v12 xj's of one variety or another l have had to remove a starter motor one time.

 

Al,

On RHD it is almost quicker to remove the engine. That is the way I did the last 2, as there is always a tricky oil leak or 3 that is only accessable with the engine out.

 

Doesn't even bear thinking about, imagine going to buy an XJS and the Guy says, 'Just needs a New Starter Motor'

 

Hi all

thanks for the input..made it home for a few days...cleaned the earths and the red white cable connector near the trans dip stick....while none of these looked like they were corroded or needed a clean....they all got a good going over and some dialectic grease as well..... will replace the starter relay next chance i get...just cos.....the rattle / chatter has not come back...so i hope the issue is sorted, at least in the short term........next project is the injector harness....will put this info into a separate post.

thanks and all good

Darren

 

I've replaced the starter in mine twice, not a nice job with the engine in. If you do need to replace it do yourself a favor and get a reduction gear starter. These are easier to get in and much lighter.