Starter motors on a Triumph 6

[David]

My Roadster ran well over the weekend but a couple of times it's not started first time, getting the 'clunk' as if a dead battery but its not dead.

Most times it's started second or third attempt but once I needed a push, just happened to be when heading of to the Kop Hill Climb start line, bugger.

So from memory it could be loose connections, possible as the local garage took the battery put to change the slave cylinder, but check and all good.

So could it be that the starter is on the way out?

I'm tempted to just go exchange on a standard stater motor but also by the hi torque versions and from what research I have done there are three main suppliers, Hi Torque, Powerlite and WOSP.

Does anyone have any experience comparing any of the hi torque motors compared to standard and so which brands?

Thanks,
David.

[b_caswell]

Re: Starter motors on a Triumph 6

Its more likely to be the starter solenoid that you can hear clunking and then not making a connection, so first check the connections at the solenoid and then the starter motor and also make sure the earth from engine to chassis and back to battery are all good. A replacement solenoid is cheaper than a replacement starter motor.

[David]

Re: Starter motors on a Triumph 6

Thanks Ben, I just went out to the garage and same issue. It's not a clunk, it sounds more like the starter tries to turn the car over then stops, but second attempt it turned over OK. Just like when the battery is flat.

[b_caswell]

Re: Starter motors on a Triumph 6

Check all the connections first but one thing that can happen is that extended periods of trying to start the car can make the motor hot and it cooks the soldered/crimped connection from the post to the windings inside. You could try taking the motor off and checking the brushes and springs.

I assume you are not losing any coolant, as if you are it could be hydraulic lock up if coolant is getting into a cylinder bore. HOPE NOT!!

You should be able to find an exchange at a reasonable price. I have no experience of the high torque starters and I don't think it really needs one.

[greyV8pete]

Re: Starter motors on a Triumph 6

My Roadster ran well over the weekend but a couple of times it's not started first time, getting the 'clunk' as if a dead battery but its not dead.

Most times it's started second or third attempt but once I needed a push, just happened to be when heading of to the Kop Hill Climb start line, bugger.

So from memory it could be loose connections, possible as the local garage took the battery put to change the slave cylinder, but check and all good.

So could it be that the starter is on the way out?

I'm tempted to just go exchange on a standard stater motor but also by the hi torque versions and from what research I have done there are three main suppliers, Hi Torque, Powerlite and WOSP.

Does anyone have any experience comparing any of the hi torque motors compared to standard and so which brands?

Thanks,
David.

I had the same problem with my Hunter a few years ago. You need to start checking at the other end of the wiring circuit! Check that the battery terminals are really clean and also check the inside of the battery terminal connectors, especially the earth one as it is often out of sight behind the battery if it is in the boot like mine. Then, if you have the type of battery terminals that are the clamp type with a pinch bolt and the battery and earth cables are attached with two screws (rather than the old much better soldered on type), make sure that the screws are really tight and the wiring is not oxidised or discoloured with heat.

On mine the bad connection / high resistance had heated the wire so much as the strands had progressively melted. As the cheapo metal used for the clamp (not like the old brass original type) had also started to melt with the heat generated the problem had become progressively worse, eventually resulting in total failure to start. Peter.

[djj_engineer]

Re: Starter motors on a Triumph 6

I had a dirty connection to the engine earth strap on Tolkien. When I cleaned and dried this the battery was ok. Derek

[dcunn]

Re: Starter motors on a Triumph 6

Agree with DJJ, a good starting point (sorry about the pun) to look at
Rgds DC

[David]

Re: Starter motors on a Triumph 6

Thanks guys, I'm going to systematically go through the whole starter 'sub system' and check it all. Low and high side before I start buying bits!

[David]

Re: Starter motors on a Triumph 6

It was the battery, it wasn't holding charge at all. I charged it for a day and got just one half hearted turn of the starter out of it before it was depleted. New battery installed and I bought a 'trickle charger' as well and it's all good. Thanks once again for tips from you all.

[chris_cussen]

Re: Starter motors on a Triumph 6

Sort of an aside but I use one of these solar trickle chargers plugged into a power socket: Keeps the battery topped up using free sunlight - bargin!

https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered-12v-15w-battery-auto-trickle-charger-l58bf

[David]

Re: Starter motors on a Triumph 6

That's a neat idea.

[HairyDave]

Re: Starter motors on a Triumph 6

Also hit the starter motor with a long bar my Landrover kept going for 6months like that.