Starter woes

[surfguitar58]

Just got the TCS out of storage. 

Started first try, no problem. Had a great drive around town. Stopped for an errand and it wouldn't restart. 

Starter spins but won't engage flywheel. Sounds like a gummed-up bendix.

Questions:

1 - The starter looks like the "High Performance" rebuilt Japanese starter sold by RDEnt.com  Can anyone confirm this by the pics below? (I've never seen the OEM starter).

2 - Is this a common Europa problem? Might it be something other than the Bendix?

3 - Assuming it is the Bendix, what is the best lube to use on the threads? I'm guessing an oil or light grease, nothing sticky? Thoughts?

Tom

[Grumblebuns]

The gear reduction starter for my JPS looks a bit different from your starter. Could be a different mount flange. Recommend testing the starter on the bench to make sure that the Bendix is working.

[jbcollier]

Yes, that is an aftermarket, reduction gear starter.  Usually your symptoms mean the one-way clutch has failed.  A starter overhaul shop might be able to supply a new bendix.  Tough though as there is no official application for the starter.

[surfguitar58]

Yes, that is an aftermarket, reduction gear starter.  Usually your symptoms mean the one-way clutch has failed.  A starter overhaul shop might be able to supply a new bendix.  Tough though as there is no official application for the starter.

Thanks JB. So failure of the 1-way clutch means the pinion jumps out, but just free-spins and does not transmit starter torque to the ring gear? That would be consistent with the sound I am hearing. Is there any kluggie way to "fix" the one-way clutch, or is replacement the only option? I'll report back with my findings tomorrow when I've extracted the bugger from the beast.
Tom

[jbcollier]

Replacement of the starter drive is the only fix.  Unfortunately we don't know the starter's original application.  You'll have to see if a local rebuilder recognizes it.

[RoddyMac]

To my untrained eye, it appears to be a Nippondenso starter, and is most likely of Toyota origin.  I seem to recall Keith at Gustafson was using them for his conversions.  If the rebuilder in your town has been around for a while, they should be able to positively identify it.  The big thing will be getting the correct tooth count on the pinion.

[4129R]

The original starter motors were fitted to a large number of British cars in the 60s and 70s including the Mini.

Original replacements are not hard to come by, but the shipping cost of the heavy item would be "noticeable".

[surfguitar58]

Okay, I'm back at this problem again. New information: I removed the starter and it checks out fine. The sound I thought was the starter spinning but not engaging now appears to be the rapid-fire click-click-click consistent with a low battery. I replaced the battery with a new freshly charged battery and it started once but was back to clicking when I tried again minutes later. I checked the battery and starter connections and found no loose connections. I didn't find and evidence of a short or current drain on the battery.

Question: Could the problem be the starter relay? Any other ideas? 

Tom

[Pfreen]

There is no starter relay in early Lotus tcs.  If it has no relay, then it is probably the ignition switch.  You could prove this by running a wire from the battery + terminal to the solenoid where the wire from the ignition switch wire goes  Then, just manually energize the solenoid.  If the engine cranks, it is probably the ignition switch or a bad connection in that circuit.

If it is a later tcs, then the relay would be a good place to start, and work back through the logic box to all the sensors and ignition switch.

I have an early tcs so I have never seen the later start relay and logic box, so I don’t know the logic.

I have had an intermittent ignition switch.  However, it failed by not energizing the ignition while cranking and then energized it when you released the switch from cranking.  After many enormous exhaust explosions and countless swear words, I discovered the ignition switch was faulty.

Good luck!

[jbcollier]

First remove, clean and coat with vasoline your engine/battery ground connections.

[surfguitar58]

Post Mortem:

In an outcome that will surprise no one in this group, JB Collier hit the nail squarely on the head. My so called starter woes were simply a lack an adequate ground connection. My DPO had this car buttoned up pretty well mechanically, but electrically it is a disaster area. I cleaned and refastened every ground wire to frame connection I could find, but in doing so I noticed there was no ground strap between the engine and frame. I am confounded that the car ran all last summer with the ground connection going through... what? The shift linkage? Since my exhaust header occupies the space where the battery usually goes the battery has been relocated to up front where the spare tire should be. (A situation I plan to change as soon as I finish my fiberglass battery box to put the battery between the frame rails under the boot tub.) I ended up running a 1/0 AWG wire from the negative terminal of the battery directly to the the starter mounting bolt, and a 8 AWG wire from the starter bolt to the frame. As a bonus, my fuel gauge now seems to be working also!

Tom

[BDA]

Now THAT'S a ground!