Starter Motor R&R daunting task !! LS400

[melvinmelvin]

Sounds like a sticking solenoid. If it engages the ring gear teeth the flywheel or flex plate teeth are likely okay. Do they sound good when the starter is turning the engine?

when starter engages and turns cogwheels and teeth sound OK

the solenoid was tested quite a lot before the starter was installed,
but, sure could be a problem with the solenoid

can anything be done to a lax solenoid or is the solution to change it?

 

[Zuffen]

If you go to the effort of removing the starter put a new solenoid on it.

Not worth having to remove it again.

I can usually get the manifold off in about 30 minutes, swap the starter and be driving again in about 90 minutes.

 

[melvinmelvin]

If you go to the effort of removing the starter put a new solenoid on it.

Not worth having to remove it again.

I can usually get the manifold off in about 30 minutes, swap the starter and be driving again in about 90 minutes.

right, ta,
takes me a wee bit longer though, awkward working conditions in a rolling boat

bloody odd though that a virtually brand new starter, hardly used, should have
a "faulty" solenoid

doesn't appeal to me to buy electrical stuff from a scrapyard,
will see what Toyota in BKK can come up with

 

[melvinmelvin]

Forgot to add;

If I start the mill every day it works fine, the solenoid does its job immediately and it fires
up quickly.

If I let 4-5 days go by without starting then I must do the hammer/spanner bit to get
the starter/solenoid to work.

Maybe I'm wrong, but this gives me the idea that its something else than the solenoid
playing tricks here.

 

[gloverman]

How much water gets splashed around in your Boat? We run these engines in jetboats without starter issues. have you checked for voltage drop over those few days of sitting? personally I would be heading towards a starter solenoid issue.

 

[melvinmelvin]

How much water gets splashed around in your Boat? We run these engines in jetboats without starter issues. have you checked for voltage drop over those few days of sitting? personally I would be heading towards a starter solenoid issue.

quite a lot of water when its raining heavily and blowing like hell,
but not much unwanted water in the area around the starter,
that area is reasonably protected from rain

nope, haven't checked voltage drop, should do that,
(but don't really see that hammer/spanner exercises would solve voltage drop problems)

yes, solenoid seems a likely candidate, although weird that a brand new starter should have a retarded solenoid

I had the idea that old/flywheel/cogs/teeth and new/starterwheel/cogs/teeth
somehow mismatched

will have a look at voltage drop,
no clues; need to open up the shit and try another solenoid
or at least try out the existing solenoid heavily

(wrong time of the year for this, rainy season, cats and dogs every day
and almost horizontal rain when local fronts passes)