Starter Motor issues

[d_ogden]

Hi all, im new to this site and if im honest, not too good with spanners. I replaced a starter motor on my neighbours 1999 1400cc Escort van as it was being a bugger to start. I have wired up the new one (to what i thought was the right way) but there is nothing happening at all, not even a click. Ive checked the fuse (OK) and the relay (not too sure how to check if thats busted though), checked all the wires leading away from the starter and all seem fine. As you look at the smaller pat of the starter there are three threaded studs, two are M8's (13mm bolt head) and one is M6 (10mm bolt head). I know thw wire from the alternator fits to the M6 thread as it already has a M6 nut fitted to the connector. One of the M8 threads already has a cable/banding fastened to it that also fixes to the bigger part of the starter but so im guessing i dont touch that one. This leaves me two wires, one big red one which goes to the battery and a smaller one that goes into a plug and seems to flow through the bulkhead somewhere. Do these two wires fasten onto the last remaining M8 thread or am i wrong? Thanks Deano

If you were logged in, you wouldn't be seeing this ad! Register your free account today, or log in if you already have an account.

[ballin]

a picture would help really, but the small wire that runs to the bulkhead is the battery warning light

[tabetha]

The two larger m8 are for the battery cable, and motor feed.
Look carefully at the SOLENOID(part where wires go), you will see that the M8 nut nearest the starter motor itself has a short section of thick wire going from it into the motor main body.
The other M8 is where the main red cable from the battery goes, the biggest/thickest one there.
If there is a red wire coming from the alternator, this goes onto the MAIN cable feed that comes from the battery, NOT the smaller m6 terminal.
The other smaller wire coming from the area of inside the car along with the main feed cable from the battery will most likely be BLACK with a blue stripe, this goes onto the small m6 terminal, this is the solenoid feed, that is to say the wire that goes LIVE when you turn the key to start position.
This energises the solenoid, which is just basically a big fat relay, this serves two functions, it operates a piston assembly inside it which engages the starter teeth with the flywheel teeth, just before bridging internally the two big contacts that have the 13mm nuts on.
You can test the starter once you have the main battery cable feed correct by simply applying LIVE current from it to the smaller m6 terminal, and the starter will engage and spin engine, just be sure it is out of gear and ignition is off, other wise it will start when turned.
tabetha

[d_ogden]

Thanks for that, I kinew i had gone wrong somewhere. But after fitting, the car still wont start. When i turn the ignition the fuel pump primes but after that there is nothing. The battery is fully charged and the fuse is in tact so i cant think what it could be. Could it be the relay or is there some sort of switch tha could be busted. The next option for me would to call out the AA.
Thanks

[tabetha]

Does the car have a immobiliser ?, get someone to turn the key and hold it in start position whilst you whack the starter.
If you apply 12v from the large 13mm nut from the battery side of the solenoid to the terminal onto which the feed wire from ignition switch goes it should spin over nicely, if it doesn't either lack of power or dud starter.
Take a voltage reading at starter 13mm nut when in start pos, if it drops substantially with no sign of life then dud connection/battery, also test the ignition switch feed to the terminal for voltage, if this drops markedly then may need the terminal soldering on end of wire, these bugger up connection wise, done a few of these.
tabetha

[d_ogden]

I think i owe you a pint, it turned out to be a faulty terminal from the starter switch. Put the charger on it and it fired first time.
Thanks very much

Dean