Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Went to start up the '66 S3 SE the other day and got what sounded like
an initial engagment of the starting gear followed by a whizzing type
noise. Never had a problem with what appears to be the stock starter
up to this point. I rocked the car to move the flywheel ring gear
along, and it started right up. Initially, I thought it may be a tooth
problem on the ring gear, but it's gotten progressively worse to the
point that the rocking no longer works. The battery is relatively new,
and next I'll check all the connections I can find leading up to the
starter. Any other ideas of what to look for before (if I have to)
pull the starter?

Jon Eckman

Jon,

Pray that it's the starter. If it's the ring gear, you'll be pulling more
than the starter out!

Frank Howard
'71 S4 SE
Minnesota

Jon

The engagement you hear is probably the solenoid behind the dash
clicking in. The wizzing means that the Bendix gear has not engaged with
the starter. I would first check all the connections as you said and
that the starter is bolted securely to the bell housing.

Pulling the starter is not very hard and you could find that it is a
broken Bendix gear, this is not that uncommon.

Rod

Rodney Stevens
CSIRO Minerals
phone 02 9710 6701
Mobile 0432 506 427
Web: http://www.minerals.csiro.au/

Personal Web Page
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/rodjohnst ... mepage.htm

-----Original Message-----
From: ***@***.***lto:***@***.***
Behalf Of lizzie5412
Sent: Friday, 14 July 2006 2:39 AM
To: ***@***.***
Subject: [LotusElan.net] Starter motor questions

Went to start up the '66 S3 SE the other day and got what sounded like
an initial engagment of the starting gear followed by a whizzing type
noise. Never had a problem with what appears to be the stock starter
up to this point. I rocked the car to move the flywheel ring gear
along, and it started right up. Initially, I thought it may be a tooth
problem on the ring gear, but it's gotten progressively worse to the
point that the rocking no longer works. The battery is relatively new,
and next I'll check all the connections I can find leading up to the
starter. Any other ideas of what to look for before (if I have to)
pull the starter?

Jon Eckman

The Lotus starter is notorious for sticking. Some people make the
mistake of lubricating the bendix (they should run dry) which eventually
leads to dust getting trapped inside and stops it working. Hope this is
all that's wrong with yours.

The starters are very common, early Minis have the exact same starter,
the Cortina/Escort starter can also be used if you cut off the third
mounting web. I have a Cortina starter in my S2.

If you have top take it out it is easier from underneath the car. Also,
a tip for getting the top bolt back in (it can be very difficult to get
at), get a piece of heater hose a little longer than the starter and big
enough to fit the head of the bolt inside, push the bolt head in one end
and insert a rod (metal or wood, anything stiff will do) to make it
stiff and you can use this to get the bolt started. Once it is started
a socket will do the rest.

Good luck
Peter

lizzie5412 wrote:

Remove the starter from the car, rotate the bendix by hand and you will
see the threaded advance inside the bendix, which causes the starter
pinion to engage. Clean and lubricate this thread inside the pinion with
a light spray lub like CRC or Triflow (WD-40 will do in a pinch). Of
course examine everything for excessive wear while apart, but normally
the condition you've described is due to lack of lubrication.

Roger

Alternatively buy a preengaged starter..

(Newly converted Lucas starter user).

Tim



________________________________

From: ***@***.***lto:***@***.***
Behalf Of Roger Sieling
Sent: 14 July 2006 14:04
To: ***@***.***; ***@***.***
Subject: RE: [LotusElan.net] Starter motor questions



Remove the starter from the car, rotate the bendix by hand and you will
see the threaded advance inside the bendix, which causes the starter
pinion to engage. Clean and lubricate this thread inside the pinion with
a light spray lub like CRC or Triflow (WD-40 will do in a pinch). Of
course examine everything for excessive wear while apart, but normally
the condition you've described is due to lack of lubrication.

Roger

"Some people make the mistake of lubricating the bendix (they should run
dry) which eventually
leads to dust getting trapped inside and stops it working."

"Clean and lubricate this thread inside the pinion with
a light spray lub like CRC or Triflow (WD-40 will do in a pinch)."


Ok, what's the consensus? Someone must be mistaken . . .


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