Starter motor not aligned

[MilesMurphy]

Just to add a bit more info to this.
These images show the starter gear stuck in the flywheel. Made a loud engagement sound then gets stuck.

I removed and tested the started off the car, All ok.
I then wired the starter with the starter cables from the car, all ok.

Connected all back to the car and ran a test, again all ok. At this point the flywheel was not fitted.
I then fitted the flywheel and tested.
Starter would spin the crank very briefly. Ran this a few mor times. Hand cranked the engine to make sure it was turning ok.

I then Swapped the battery to a 100ah 830a unit and the car started cranking about ten times then stopped. When I tried to crank it again the click came back. So after a while of fiddling with the starter I had the same issue. I then removed the flywheel and ran a test. Starter engaged but didn't spin. Please see 2 pics of voltage before and during crank. At this point I wanted to scream as this didn't seem to make any sense.

The next day I cleaned all grounds over the car and replaced the earth strap to the steering pump and another to the engine mount making sure all was clean. Same issue occurred.

 

[mioba]

Are you sure the starter is correct for the car, after years of 3rd party parts from places like ECP, i just get from merc based on the vin.

 

[EmilysDad]

Are you sure the starter is correct for the car, ...

it does make you wonder ...

 

[Mr Greedy]

Are you sure the starter is correct for the car, after years of 3rd party parts from places like ECP, i just get from merc based on the vin.

In post #17, OP says it's a new starter from Merc.
Every time I've bought from Merc, it's been via VIN check, so I assume likely the correct part?

 

[Blobcat]

In post #17, OP says it's a new starter from Merc.
Every time I've bought from Merc, it's been via VIN check, so I assume likely the correct part?

It’s a 55 engine mated to a 43 gearbox so which bit is linked to the vin?

 

[star]

Is the spacer plate fitted to the crank. The “flywheel” should have a plate either side when mounting.

 

[MilesMurphy]

Are you sure the starter is correct for the car, after years of 3rd party parts from places like ECP, i just get from merc

It’s a 55 engine mated to a 43 gearbox so which bit is linked to the vin?

I have the vin for the 55 engine that I gave to merc to get the starter.

 

[Uncle Benz]

When it sticks like that does it drop back if you tap it?

How tight have you done the bolts up? I presume the upper one not very, because it’s on the dowel. Find a nut or small pile of washers to fit over the dowel to allow you to fully tighten the bolt. It earths through the body, so has to be pretty tight to work reliably. It’s a high current unit, so needs to be well earthed

 

[MilesMurphy]

I just rechecked the vin for the 55 engine and the starter.
All is correct there. I'll try the washer approach and then a direct earth from said bolt to chassis.

 

[MilesMurphy]

Is the spacer plate fitted to the crank. The “flywheel” should have a plate either side when mounting.

Ahh I have only one there that's fitted to the front and nothing on the back part flywheel connected to the crank.

 

[DREAMER NO2]

So looks like you have done everything possible,, so now i would reject the starter motor ,,return it, and tell them its faulty .if there is play inside the rotor or the bearings ,the starter motor will go out of center and lock up .

 

[MilesMurphy]

Ok tried again.
Removed starter and tested independently of the car. Starter spun up like a beast.

Tested the leads, again all ok

Connected the starter lead with the starter on top of the engine, ran some test earthing it and running it from the key and also a remote start.
Found that starting from the car produced the click and no spin but adding an external battery made it work.

I then put the starter in the car added the battery to the other via jump leads.
Issue with click and no spin happened again.
Confused.
Added loads of earth's and even ran a direct line from the battery. Again same click.

I then ran a continuity test on the starter line from the "key" that was fine, checked the relay and circuit board, all seems OK.

Battery is getting 12.25v
Starter wire was getting the same and then would drop off rapidly.

So I made a small cut in the cable and wired the external battery to it and the starter fired up very well.

So there must be something happening when I turn the key to the and there a drop in the cable that tells the starter to fire.

Any ideas lol

 

[Uncle Benz]

Which cable are you talking about when you say you made a cut in it and applied more power? The big fat one or the thin one? The thin one is the trigger that then switches the big fat cable which powers the motor. The big fat cable may have a bad bit somewhere along it’s length. I’ve seen them with a swollen bit, and when you cut it open it’s green in there.

 

[MilesMurphy]

Which cable are you talking about when you say you made a cut in it and applied more power? The big fat one or the thin one? The thin one is the trigger that then switches the big fat cable which powers the motor. The big fat cable may have a bad bit somewhere along it’s length. I’ve seen them with a swollen bit, and when you cut it open it’s green in there.

Thin purple cable i made a small cut in and added the external battery. I ran a test with and without the original fat cable for the starter but and ran another a cable at a stretch between the car/battery line that bolts to the engine bay to the starter and it had no effect

 

[Uncle Benz]

If you are using an external battery as well, you do need to connect the earth side of it to the chassis of the car or it won’t complete the circuit

 

[MilesMurphy]

If you are using an external battery as well, you do need to connect the earth side of it to the chassis of the car or it won’t complete the circuit

Lol I did

 

[MilesMurphy]

I can remote start it with an external battery. But when I connect that same battery in to the circuit it has no effect when I turn the key even if the starter and the battery is earthed

 

[Uncle Benz]

I think you need a second pair of eyes on this. It’s either a bad starter or something off with the wiring. It sounds terribly like you are going round in circles to me. It’s a simple system. You need a firm good solid connection from the fat red cable to the big terminal on the motor, a good earth through tight bolts on the starter body and a sound earth strap between the chassis and the engine block, at least as fat as the red cable. The thin cable is just the trigger. It operates the solenoid, which is just a fancy relay with the cog pull-in attached to it. Simple as that.

 

[Uncle Benz]

The purple wire comes via a fuse and relay in the fuse box. Maybe worth checking that out. What engine ecu do you have connected? The car’s original or the one from the donor?

 

[MilesMurphy]

I think you need a second pair of eyes on this. It’s either a bad starter or something off with the wiring. It sounds terribly like you are going round in circles to me. It’s a simple system. You need a firm good solid connection from the fat red cable to the big terminal on the motor, a good earth through tight bolts on the starter body and a sound earth strap between the chassis and the engine block, at least as fat as the red cable. The thin cable is just the trigger. It operates the solenoid, which is just a fancy relay with the cog pull-in attached to it. Simple as that.

I do need more help lol.
I have 2 earth straps from the engine to the chassis.