Do starter motors get old?

[swee'pea99]

First time for a while but a familiar sinking feeling. The starter motor lurches, but stutters, turns the engine a turn or two, and that's it. Try again, knowing it'll make no difference. It makes no difference. Rr-rr-stop. Car won't start. Testing confirms the (near new) battery is positively sprightly at about 12.6v. But the starter won't turn the engine.

The way I look at it, it has to be one of two things. Either the starter motor's not pushing hard enough or the engine's resisting too much. I think it's far more likely to be the former. It's probably the original starter motor and the car's done 150,000 miles, so I'm thinking the brushes have worn out, so they're still working, but not very well. Seems more likely than an issue with a 'resisting engine', no?

Any thoughts/advice/relevant experience much appreciated.

 

[CXRAndy]

Yes, starter motors wear out for a variety of reasons, worn brushes failing bearings, worn gear contactor poor burnt terminals. They take an enormous amount of energy to turn over an engine fast enough to allowing starting

Before condemning the motor, check there is no voltage drop on the big supply cable and the negative engine return cable. There should only be a few millivolts of drop across either cable. If you see nearly 1V or more then cables need replacing first.

 

[Bristolian]

Check the main earth/ground cable between the engine block and the chassis. If it's loose or damaged or the mounting points are corroded you might get that kind of fault. But, as CXRAndy says they do get old but in my experience they just spin without engaging with the flywheel when that happens.

Not a Land Rover by any chance is it?

 

[I like Skol]

I have a starter motor date stamped 1954 and it turns over the engine just fine.

Faulty is nothing to do with age. Check for wiring faults as mentioned above, and if that's not the problem then your description points to it being the brushes either sticking or worn.

 

[swee'pea99]

Thanks a lot. Much to check out on the morrer. Oh, one thing, nope - it's a Honda Jazz.

 

[T4tomo]

I used to have a 205 that the starter motor occasionally jammed on. I kept a decent sized spanner to hand in the car...all it needed was a little tap and it then worked fine.🤣

Just because one starter motor lasts for 70 years doesn't mean yours isn't buggered and needs replacing.

 

[Once a Wheeler]

Sometimes starter-motor cog connections get misaligned. Usual symptom is a refusal to turn the engine. Put the engine in high gear. If not on the flat, put a chock under a back wheel. Let off the brakes, then give the car a good push from front and rear. If you hear a bonk, or get the car moving a few centimetres, re-try a normal start. Starting will usually be OK. Obviously, all the other possibilities mentioned here remain in play. Good luck.

 

[CXRAndy]

When the OP identified the vehicle as a Honda Jazz- I googled common problems with slow starting.

If it has a CVT transmission it might be worth checking the vehicle will roll when pushed in neutral gear position. Some owners mentioned a possible issue with CVT not disengaging so making starting difficult

 

[swee'pea99]

First off, thanks again for all responses.

Um, working backwards....no, this model (Mk2) predates CVT transmission.

Sometimes starter-motor cog connections get misaligned. Usual symptom is a refusal to turn the engine.

Interesting, but it's not that it refuses to turn the engine...you can hear it manage a turn or two, but no more. From long experience, it's exactly like the experience of trying to start a vehicle with an old battery that's none-too-charged, on a cold morning. When it really matters. It sort of...tries.

Check the main earth/ground cable between the engine block and the chassis. If it's loose or damaged or the mounting points are corroded you might get that kind of fault. But, as CXRAndy says they do get old but in my experience they just spin without engaging with the flywheel when that happens.

I'll check that, and thanks.

check there is no voltage drop on the big supply cable and the negative engine return cable. There should only be a few millivolts of drop across either cable. If you see nearly 1V or more then cables need replacing first.

I'm afraid that's way over my head, but maybe googling/youtube will reveal all.

Thanks again.

 

[MontyVeda]

Yes they do get old, but can be refurbished with a bit of knowhow. That was one of my repetitive jobs as an apprentice fitter/electrician.

 

[dicko]

Of all the cars I have owned since the 1960s I have never ever had trouble with a starter motor. Once while working part time in a country garage I replaced the armature brushes on a Lucas starter for a friend.

 

[dicko]

First time for a while but a familiar sinking feeling. The starter motor lurches, but stutters, turns the engine a turn or two, and that's it. Try again, knowing it'll make no difference. It makes no difference. Rr-rr-stop. Car won't start. Testing confirms the (near new) battery is positively sprightly at about 12.6v. But the starter won't turn the engine.

The way I look at it, it has to be one of two things. Either the starter motor's not pushing hard enough or the engine's resisting too much. I think it's far more likely to be the former. It's probably the original starter motor and the car's done 150,000 miles, so I'm thinking the brushes have worn out, so they're still working, but not very well. Seems more likely than an issue with a 'resisting engine', no?

Any thoughts/advice/relevant experience much appreciated.

Sounds to me like a poor earth. Is the engine to chassis earth in good order and nice and tight?

 

[swee'pea99]

Sounds to me like a poor earth. Is the engine to chassis earth in good order and nice and tight?

I really don't know. Would such a thing be easy to find/identify?

 

[presta]

Check all the wiring and clean all the terminals. If that doesn't work, check the voltage at the motor terminals whilst the motor is running. If it's low, check the battery voltage whilst the motor's running, and if that's ok, check the solenoid contacts.

 

[dicko]

I really don't know. Would such a thing be easy to find/identify?

Look at the thick cable running from the starter motor to the starter solenoid (solenoid rarely gives trouble) make sure they are tight but Watch Out! Dont let your spanner touch on the chassis causing a short circuit . The starter motor rarely gives any trouble but a bad Earth is probably the cause of your troubles.