G’day John,

Out of interest I checked the voltage drop on my centre post when I started my car this morning and the drop was about 3.5 volts.

Cheers,
Jeff.

 

The 2 firewall large B + post are for the left and right engine bay fuse boxes only

The starter cable has a terminal post on the right front wheel well on the inside of the engine bay very near the rear firewall.

These 3 cables common tie point is back under the rear seat pan that has to be removed as it is not the heelgoard / ankle area.

If you remove the seat pan be careful to not drag it out of door as will damage felt door trim

One person that I know of had a loose terminal nut at this tie point

You also have terminal nuts at the battery fuse protection box right there at the positive post

 

I checked voltage at the underhood fusebox and at the battery. It drops from 12.4v to about 11.5v in crank at both, so it sounds like that's indicative of current not making it through the motor armature (just the solenoid coil, fuel pump, ECU, relays etc.).

I went and bought a new battery today just to be SURE sure. Still just a click, so the starter/solenoid is still the suspect. On the plus side, I have learned that my car's starter relay is NOT in the position closest to the car's centerline as it says in the Electrical Guide.

 

Under the rear seat pan about a foot aft of the right heelboard fuse box area is a large battery cable terminal post on a mega fuse

The terminal nuts have been found to be loose from reading others

Be careful of dragging the seat pan out that it doesn't damage the felt door opening trim

The terminal point is under a black plastic cover

Pic coming





At the positive battery post do not over tighten the post clamp bolt but there are easier nuts to tighten on the mega fuses there

The post clamp bolt can break the special saddle nut underneath . ask me how I know

A battery shim can make up for a stretched out positive battery clamp

Its a small soft lead cup that goes over the battery post

 

I had to check and make sure the engine wasn't seized, or the ring gear was in a position to block the starter pinion, so I bought a 1&5/16" socket to bar over the engine. It felt fine, but same result.
I've smacked the starter with a breaker bar from above before, but not while the solenoid was energized. I did that today, by feeding it power at the starter relay socket. No change.

I just have to knuckle down and take out the starter. Then hopefully I can find a local shop to service/rebuild it.

 

On mine ( inline 6 with pretty much the same starter circuit ) I found the left engine bay fuse box terminal post loose as the post mounts inside the fuse box ( battery cable removed ) in your case that may explain the starter solenoid clunking but not fully for starter battery cable power contactors for rotation

Starter solenoid through the relay muscle power to close the solenoid itself is fuse # 3 left engine bay fuse box

So before pulling starter a easier check would be if loose terminal post on left engine bay fuse box with that battery cable removed , also at the battery

If it works for me is still pending on salvage yard run to get part

In my case I got the starter solenoid to cluck once only and no starter rotation like yours and never able to repeat solenoid clunking

The 5 fuse boxes are manufactured the same , just different fuses

There are ribbon connectors attached on and under the fuse boxes so easy to swap out

Swapping option on same car is probably the left heelboard fuse box as all the others have critical needed power sources.

Researching

 

Just back from salvage yard and the donor car fuse boxes up front have just as loose and rattling terminal post

Plan on going back on Monday and pull one off and cut open to see how the terminal post is attached inside the fuse box

That way I'll know for sure if the terminal post is a cold soldier situation or a threaded nut buildup.

 

I got the downpipe out. I will need more extensions and a socket to get the upper bolt out of the starter, so work must resume after Harbor Freight reopens tomorrow. The starter has definitely been changed before; there are witness marks on both starter bolt heads, and two of the manifold to downpipe nuts were missing washers.

 

I had the issue of knowing for sure on the correct starter solenoid relay as they can be mounted in any relay position

The starter solenoid relay will have the heavy gauge Brown / White wire that is hot at all times to fuse # 3 in the left engine fuse box

I received a new starter solenoid relay from Welsh Enterprise ( Ohio ) today to go fwd with mine

URO brand so knock on wood

A tip from the starter repair shop was since I was cranking at low to 9 volt starter sag I compromised the power contacts in the relay

No matter how many starters I install , progress is dependent on a good relay

The test lamp works in confirming the correct relay control command

 

I'm going to proceed under the assumption that my relay is okay since the starter did the same click-no-crank when I bypassed the relay.

 

The endoscope idea from an earlier thread got me thinking I could take advantage of the wireless live view feature on my Canon M200. This worked well enough for me to learn where the bolt is.

The bolt head appears to be stripped. I tried a spline socket first, then a normal 12pt. Back to HF to get some extractor sockets.

 

I have the inline 6 and to get clearance and working room on the upper starter mount bolt I unbolted the transmission crossmember and lowered on a jack the back end of the engine

Let me know if you chose to do so with the V - 12 as there are precautions

Mark ?

 

I lowered the transmission already. But I did get the starter out.

The manual says it's supposed to be a Marelli, but it has Lucas cast into it and a Bosch sticker. Whatever. It feels like the rotor is jammed. The pinion slides along in a helix but won't turn after.

 

I took the starter to a rebuilder. Sounded like it spun normally on his bench tester in free air, but I'll have him rebuild it anyway. That will take ~11 days, and I'll try hard to have the car mobile in 15 when my mom comes to visit.

Anybody have a source or a part number for a replacement upper bolt with a hex/allen/torx head?

 

Don't have a size for the bolt but best use a class 8 or above and not a common strength rating of a " bin bolt " at the hardware store

You can get its grip length and tread size comparing to a mandrel template or nut at a decent hardware store or just compare against the lower rated stock they have for your numbers

Researching Jaguar part vendor but most likely not a bolt size of original availability

Saw a pic recently on this forum of a V - 12 starter as it cracked and came apart internally and it was a mess

Probably spun OK under no load but under stress different picture

 

What helped me on the inline 6 was to tighten but not fully the lower starter bolt and that lines up the threads for the upper mount bolt

The universal on the upper bolt over the transmission can be taped with duck tape to not fall over but still bend

With some twine on the socket, you can draw the socket to the bolt head

The twine will break away as you crank the bolt down

A heavy wooden block on the concrete helps from having your setup migrate aft and off the nut

Using twine to draw the outer ends of the alternator cable B + terminal end and the starter cable terminal end to the right wheel well terminal post sucks the starter in better position for your final push up for lower bolt engagement

Final nut installation on the cable's ends even better

 

So it was a cheap "rebuilt" replacement from the auto parts store. Probably with a Dura-Dead lifetime warranty too. Then muscle-headed into position by drunk gorillas.

Sorry, your warranty is void because you hit it with a hammer and it says not to (since when?)!! That label is funny.

Remember the guys that had to cut the ears off the starter to get it off? Not fun.

You will be much better off after a proper rebuild. So what else will you be working on while you wait for the starter?

 

I do have a new driveshaft center support bearing still sitting on the shelf. I know the original is sagging, but it hasn't yet presented as a problem. I also have new rubber lower rear spring isolators, hoping for that extra nudge up in ride height after the upper donuts. Neither of those is urgent, but I am sure to swap on the 17" wheels with summer tires.. priorities.

 

Any reason this socket cap bolt wouldn't work? I do intend to use a washer. If it does work, I have five extras.

 

Your in a shear application more than a tensile but still use a cupped or beveled washer to fit the profile of the head to shank corner that looks ...............

Shank length short so your starter lug / ears/ shear load will be on the threads

Strength class ?