You Can Be Lucky

[Zuffen]

Yesterday I decided to crank my new engine over to get up oil pressure before I installed the manifold and supercharger system.

Well, when I hit the switch I heard "click" and nothing else.

Some checking revealed the starter ran with direct power but wouldn't turn the engine over if the solenoid was used.

This starter was overhauld in November by one of the North Shore's finest.

I returned it yesterday and their first comment was "that's a Lexus starter" and they then went on to commiserate with me for having to remove it.

I explained there wasn't a manifold on the motor and they were relieve.
Hopefully I'll have it back on Monday and make another step toward starting it up.

Just goes to show that you should test everything beofere it goes on the engine.

To be doubly lucky last time I installed the engine I left one cap head bolt out and used an normal bolt which allowed me to remove the starter. had the cap head been in there I would have had to remove the engine or grind the head of the cap head off which being HT would have been a bit of a task.

Lesson to all. Check everything before you install it especially if it is going to be hard to get at.

 

[Zuffen]

The problem turned out to be corrosion in the solenoid.

When the engine was first built the O ring on the heater transfer pipe would leak intermittently. We only found this out when it was on the dyno!

I replaced the Toyota O ring with a spare one from my Wurth drawers and solved the problem.

The starter kept working as I was starting the car every day or so hence it didn't have time to stop working.

Once I pulled the engine and rebuilt it the starter had time to sit and corrode.

This time the cooling system will be pressurised to check it doesn't leak before the intake manifold goes on. I did this when I fixed itlast time and pressurised the system to 20psi (way over what it could ever get to) and left it for an hour. Once the pressure didn't drop I figure I had it licked.

 

[Gutz]

Good to hear it was an easy fix.....

 

[Lextreme II]

Starter will take 6 hours to do. It is good that you double check everything.