Having a few problems with this one. First of all, the ignition
switch failed on Saturday (wouldn't spring back from START position).
I replaced the ignition switch yesterday, but I now get a horrible
grinding noise when I switch the engine on - as if the starter isn't
retracting. I will turn the engine manually to see if there's any
visible damage to the flywheel teeth, but I think the starter motor
needs replacing.

And here's the problem: I can't see any bolt heads on the front of
the starter motor: looking at it from underneath the front of the
car, what I can see is a semicircular end to what should (?) probably
be a bolt head. Anyone come across anything similar? Could the
bolt head have been partly sheared off?

thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

On Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:50:38 GMT, graz@gmail.com (Graz) wrote:

>Having a few problems with this one. First of all, the ignition
>switch failed on Saturday (wouldn't spring back from START position).
>I replaced the ignition switch yesterday, but I now get a horrible
>grinding noise when I switch the engine on - as if the starter isn't
>retracting. I will turn the engine manually to see if there's any
>visible damage to the flywheel teeth, but I think the starter motor
>needs replacing.
>
>And here's the problem: I can't see any bolt heads on the front of
>the starter motor: looking at it from underneath the front of the
>car, what I can see is a semicircular end to what should (?) probably
>be a bolt head. Anyone come across anything similar? Could the
>bolt head have been partly sheared off?
>
>thanks in advance for any suggestions.

OK, please ignore. Bolts/nuts were at the back. A little
inconvenient but a short 19mm spanner did the trick.

 

You should check to see that your battery is fully charged before
suspecting the starter.

IIRC the starter has at least one bolt that needs to be removed from the
back. The nut may also be square rather than hex. I think that it has
bolts that are removed from the front and back. Disconnect the battery
before attempting this.

Graz wrote:
> Having a few problems with this one. First of all, the ignition
> switch failed on Saturday (wouldn't spring back from START position).
> I replaced the ignition switch yesterday, but I now get a horrible
> grinding noise when I switch the engine on - as if the starter isn't
> retracting. I will turn the engine manually to see if there's any
> visible damage to the flywheel teeth, but I think the starter motor
> needs replacing.
>
> And here's the problem: I can't see any bolt heads on the front of
> the starter motor: looking at it from underneath the front of the
> car, what I can see is a semicircular end to what should (?) probably
> be a bolt head. Anyone come across anything similar? Could the
> bolt head have been partly sheared off?
>
> thanks in advance for any suggestions.
>
>
>

 

On Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:07:20 -0600, TonyJ <"tonyjnospam at nospam
visi.com"> wrote:

>You should check to see that your battery is fully charged before
>suspecting the starter.
>
>IIRC the starter has at least one bolt that needs to be removed from the
>back. The nut may also be square rather than hex. I think that it has
>bolts that are removed from the front and back. Disconnect the battery
>before attempting this.

It turned out that the starter wasn't retracting - quite obvious when
looking at the replacement part. Everything fine now.



>Graz wrote:
>> Having a few problems with this one. First of all, the ignition
>> switch failed on Saturday (wouldn't spring back from START position).
>> I replaced the ignition switch yesterday, but I now get a horrible
>> grinding noise when I switch the engine on - as if the starter isn't
>> retracting. I will turn the engine manually to see if there's any
>> visible damage to the flywheel teeth, but I think the starter motor
>> needs replacing.
>>
>> And here's the problem: I can't see any bolt heads on the front of
>> the starter motor: looking at it from underneath the front of the
>> car, what I can see is a semicircular end to what should (?) probably
>> be a bolt head. Anyone come across anything similar? Could the
>> bolt head have been partly sheared off?
>>
>> thanks in advance for any suggestions.
>>
>>
>>