Starter Trouble

[tomster10]

Hello All,

I acquired a 1979 SIII 88" 2.25petrol while in Eng this Spring and had it shipped stateside in May. It had passed it's MOT prior to having it shipped and I drove it daily until it wouldn't start one day. It had always been somewhat slow to start, very similar to an old airplane turning over, but one day it was tried to turn over once then nothing. Anyways, I checked what I could with my limited knowledge but nothing I did worked. So I roll started(probably not the correct term) it and drove it to the local mechanic. He affirmed my suspicion that the starter had gone out. Luckily I had bought a refurb spare while in the UK and had it put in only to have it burned out during the mechanics test. I am ignorant regarding these things. The mechanic said that the starter was getting 400amps which is apparently far too much. SO my questions are. What would cause the amp problem? Would a new starter fix it? and, Are the refurbs worth the time and are the new ones worth the money? Thanks

[Partsman]

Hi Tom, I have no answer about the 400 amps, seems excessive to me, but I can comment on the starters, you could certainly go for a refurb, but you're still talking about an old rebuild item. When my starter went last winter, I bought a gear reduction starter, I can honestly say, it's the best thing I've bought for my truck, and costs less than a refurb original starter. I would certianly think that if you're getting the kind of high amperage that the mechanic says your getting, that other electrical items in your truck would be burning out as well, is it possible that you have a negative ground truck?

[SafeAirOne]

To me, it sounds like something is keeping the starter from rotating freely or there's a short. Does the starter rotate or attempt to rotate at all during the test or does it just smoke and smell?

Speaking personally, I'd take it apart and see what's going on inside. After all, I know I couldn't possibly make it work any less than it already does, plus I'd learn something new, and who knows, I might even find something wrong and be able to fix it.

Don't quote me, but I think there's starter testing/fixing info in the back of the bible (factory Workshop Manual).

[tomster10]

Partsman, I believe it is a negative ground. What would that affect?
Thanks

[Partsman]

Just thinking that if it was a positive ground that it may need to be hooked up differently, but I really don't know that much about electrickery, thus my saying in my first post that I had no answer for the 400 amps. But if it's standard negative ground that eliminates one possibility for the problem.

[SafeAirOne]

It came out of a 1979 Series III, so it's definitely not a positive earth.

Inspection/testing/overhaul of the SIII starter motor can be found starting on page 86-25 of the SIII WSM.

[triumphtr7guy]

Tomster, start with the basics, start with the ground side of the battery, check the terminal and follow the cable to where it grounds, loosen, clean, tighten. then follow the positive cable from the starter back, at the connections, loosen, inspect, clean, tighten. On my Landy, stopped turning over one day very suddenly, hmmm, dead starter?? followed the cable down to the starter, and the starter end was a steel connector, all corroded. Down to the auto parts store, get a copper one, and with the help of the Acetylene torch and some lead solder, filled the cup with molten solder and stuffed the end of the cable in, and no more missing connection. To draw that much amperage sounds like something amiss, but check your wiring first, corrosion means resistance, and more amps to do what a few should do. Good luck Bruce, Triumph TR7 guy

[tomster10]

Thanks for all the suggestions. The problem is that the Rover is in Galveston, Tx, where I had it shipped and spent the summer, I am now back in school in Arkansas so I am doing this over a distance. It is at the mechanic and I'm really just wanting to get it running so that I can get it to a shop here that specializes in Rovers. I feel that replacement is the fastest, most sure solution to do that. Which starter do y'all recommend? Partsman mentioned a gear reduction starter but none of the starters I've looked at mentioned being gear reducing. Thanks

[SafeAirOne]

I'm really just wanting to get it running so that I can get it to a shop here that specializes in Rovers.

Why not just use the hand crank starter till you can get it to your mechanic then? Some people have gone on for months this way.

http://www.brookwell.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/getimg.jpg

[tomster10]

Whenever it died I tried the hand crank with no luck. That why I ended up push starting it.

[yorker]

Just get your old starter(s) rebuilt. If it is done right it is as good as new and I've never paid more than $50-75 to have it done around here. Find an old school motor/starter rebuilder who works on tractor parts and big truck parts etc. These starters were made to be rebuild-able almost ad infinitum, back when people repared things and expected to be able to fix rather than throw away.., They are a good strong starter.

Check all connections in the wires to the starter, make sure they are all clean and not corroded, double check your ground from the battery to the vehicle.

[tomster10]

Talked with the mechanic and they were able to get a solid starter out of the two that had gone out.

[Partsman]

For future reference incase you ever want to go gear reduction, I used there guys to get mine, they have great customer service:
http://www.britishstarters.com/Home.html

[triumphtr7guy]

The gear reduction units are pretty good, using one in my TR7, weighs about 10 lbs less, not that that would bother a Landy, and easier to get in and out of the 7. For what its worth, if the landy unit comes with a spacer ring, get the spacer lined up, and the use some glue to hold it in place, biggest complaint about the unit is that there are too many pieces to juggle and line up while under the vehicle and then get the bolts in, and do this with 2 hands!!! some kinda trick let me tell you!! Happy motoring!