We've been having an issue where the starter doesn't engage.
You get in and turn the key and get "ZINNGGGggggg" but the motor doesn't turn. We get just the slightest amount of grinding noise as though the solenoid didn't quite kick in all the way. Doesn't happen all the time. I can go several days without it happening, but the wife was shopping and had to try several times to get it to kick over.

My wife pointed out to me that if she gets in....turns the key on (so dash lights up, indicators show)... and delays a couple seconds before turning to start, that this almost NEVER fails to work properly.

I was just going to replace the starter as, to me, I just figured it needed to be replaced. (Car has 75k on it and no idea if it ever had a starter replaced)

Now I'm wondering.... would it be worth it to just disconnect battery, disconnect at the starter and clean all those connections and put it back together?

OR...... worth it to just replace the solenoid? (Can that be done without removing the starter motor?)

 

yardbird, from the sounds of things, your solenoid is sticking some and is not fully engaging before the motor kicks in to start the car. I think either way, you are going to end up removing the starter from the car. Now, whether you want to replace the solenoid for the starter, remove the solenoid and clean it to see if it will work better, or simply replace the whole starter, that would be up to you.

 

If I'm gonna remove the starter no matter what.... then I may as well replace the starter.

For reference.... the Jag dealer quoted me $1,030. (yes, I'm serious)

I can buy a new (not reman) Bosch starter for $175. And I see there are many brands for even less. I looked at this and it looks like a pretty straightforward job. There's just that ONE bolt for the starter, closest to the engine....that looks like it's gonna take some dexterity to get back in.

 

No, there are two bolts, plus you have to remove the bracket, but like you said it's pretty straight forward, no need to remove the battery, just disconnected the cable.

 

haha.... no, I realize there's a bolt on each side of the starter. I meant that the one closest to the engine looks like it will be kind of fiddly to get back in...

Support trans/engine, disconnect battery, remove bracket.... remove/replace starter.

I figure if I can shimmy my hand between the battery box and engine to get the little rubber plug out to fill the trans... I can probably get that bolt back in place