starter motor

[Beav]

1993 vr commodore v6 5 speed

The cranking has been getting longer but now its just a click. The battery indicator says battery is fine. It can be push started. Would starter motor of died?
Auto pro want $330 for a brand new starter motor

 

[Demonica]

I bought an aftermarket one off ebay for less than $150. Had it for 2 years now and still going strong There is a few on there for around $80 too. Guess it depends how quickly you want it.

Does sound like a stuffed starter motor to me.

 

[rambunctious]

In the front of the starters are the brushes which often jam up and don't connect to the armiture as they should.

Try tapping the starter with a hammer to loosen the brushes, don't beat the krap out of it, just tap it.

I did this on the wifes VZ in October and it is still working perfectly, also did it on a Mack truck but eventually I removed the Mack starter (29 bloody kilos) and fitted new brushes.

 

[Beav]

Thanks. I'll give it a tap with a hammer and see how it goes

 

[BlackVXGTS]

I wouldn't rely on the battery indicator. Sounds like the battery is no good if you can start by push starting. Try using a set of jumper leads connected to another (donor) car with a fully charged battery. Connect the two +ve terminals of both batteries together with a lead. Connect the -ve terminal of the battery on the donor car to a non-moving part on the engine of your car. Start the donor car and wait for a few minutes. Try and start your car - if it starts the starter motor is OK. Remove the leads in reverse sequence. You should also check the connections at the battery and starter motor and make sure they are clean.

 

[David87965]

1993 vr commodore v6 5 speed

The cranking has been getting longer but now its just a click. The battery indicator says battery is fine. It can be push started. Would starter motor of died?
Auto pro want $330 for a brand new starter motor

$330? i just changed my starter motor 2 weeks ago and cost me $77 brand new and i installed it in few hours. i bought from eBay.

 

[Jonah 101]

Starters pretty much work or they don't. If its not the battery make sure you power cable and earths are fine.

 

[Jxfwsf]

It could be the starter but it could be the battery, how old is it?

Get the battery tested first (99% of automotive places do this for free), just because the "indicator" says it's ok doesn't mean a thing, for a start that thing is only in 1 cell of 6..... a battery doesn't die across all cells at once, never rely on that crappy little indicator, you need to test all 6 cells with a hydrometer not just 1 to be able to say what state the battery is in but these maintenance free batteries don't allow access (unless you smash the top off the battery and render it useless....) so a load tester is the next option.


In addition to the instructions for jump starting a car, why you should always connect the final negative clamp to the engine or chassis and why you always disconnect it first is it creates a spark.
If you have been cranking a battery for ages and run it flat or it has been charging, a lead acid battery it will have generated hydrogen gas, sparking near this is dangerous and can result in the battery exploding and sending acid all over the place including you (it's a low possibility that this can happen, it's better to be safe than burnt and blind, stupidity taught me long ago not to create a spark near a charging battery..... wrecked my good shirt taking a shortcut and blew the top off the battery)

 

[Beav]

Yeah I learnt about the batteries at tafe I'll try another battery and see how I go.
I'm pretty sure the starter has never been changed so it's old

 

[Beav]

So found a starter motor for cheaper and they gave me the wrong starter motor
There a fun little job to get off