Starter Motor problem with Vauxhall Vectra

[rreid]

I am wondering if anyone can help me with a problem with my Vauxhall Vectra 1.8.

I had to replace the gear box on the car and my Dad decided to do it himself to save me money as he's good with cars. A tooth had broke on the diff which caused the issue in the first place.

We have replaced the gear box and put the engine back in but now it won't start.

My Dad is the expert with the cars not me so forgive me if my question is not phrased right or terminology is slightly wrong. I will try to explain the issue as best I can.

The first time you turn the key in the ignition it makes a slight noise and then stops. If you try to turn the key again it won't do anything. My Dad then puts the car into first gear and we have to rock the car to get the starter motor unlocked. Then if we try again the same thing happens e.g. only a noise the first time you turn the key.

My Dad says the starter motor is locking somehow.

The battery is fully charged and has been tested.

With no starter motor we can bump start the car and the engine also turns by hand.

We had no problem with the starter motor before my gear box went so we were surprised after putting the new gear box in when we started having issues with it.

Yesterday we bought a new starter motor and put it in but we are still having exactly the same problem.

My Dad says that it can only be 3 things that he knows of that could be wrong.

1 - Battery, but this is fully charged.
2 - Dead engine, which its not as it turns by hand and we can bump start the car. 3 - Dodgy starter motor. This would mean 2 in a row have had exactly same problem.

My Dad is stumped and so has asked me to post some questions on the internet.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[banjo]

I am wondering if anyone can help me with a problem with my Vauxhall Vectra 1.8.

I had to replace the gear box on the car and my Dad decided to do it himself to save me money as he's good with cars. A tooth had broke on the diff which caused the issue in the first place.

We have replaced the gear box and put the engine back in but now it won't start.

My Dad is the expert with the cars not me so forgive me if my question is not phrased right or terminology is slightly wrong. I will try to explain the issue as best I can.

The first time you turn the key in the ignition it makes a slight noise and then stops. If you try to turn the key again it won't do anything. My Dad then puts the car into first gear and we have to rock the car to get the starter motor unlocked. Then if we try again the same thing happens e.g. only a noise the first time you turn the key.

My Dad says the starter motor is locking somehow.

The battery is fully charged and has been tested.

With no starter motor we can bump start the car and the engine also turns by hand.

We had no problem with the starter motor before my gear box went so we were surprised after putting the new gear box in when we started having issues with it.

Yesterday we bought a new starter motor and put it in but we are still having exactly the same problem.

My Dad says that it can only be 3 things that he knows of that could be wrong.

1 - Battery, but this is fully charged.
2 - Dead engine, which its not as it turns by hand and we can bump start the car. 3 - Dodgy starter motor. This would mean 2 in a row have had exactly same problem.

My Dad is stumped and so has asked me to post some questions on the internet.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

check that there is a good earth to the gearbox. you can use a jumperlead from the neg on the bat to the engine.

 

[mikeFNB]

yep i'd go with that, or atleast no earth strap at all to anywhere put back! you need 100+ of amps to move a starter motor when it is engaged. poor wiring or connection will not be capable of doing this.

a good test here would be to remove the starter motor
put it in a vice and give it some power via jump leads.
that way you know it works

then when you put it back in
it must be lack of good connection to either + or - [or both!]

mike

 

[Alan (archive)]

How about a badly aligned starter motor which jams up when used?

I suspect the electrics/earth strap.

Testing it on a bench is a good idea.

Alan

 

[rreid]

Hi There
Thanks for your replies. Still having problems though. There is a problem with battery not being charged correctly but we are trying to jump start it at the moment and the car is making an awful noise. Here are some things my Dad told me earlier today.

Respond to the guy whose e-mail you referred to this morning, saying your dad has tried to jump start the car but on doing so, the car is making a high pitched screaming noise something like a slipping drive belt. This was the noise it was making before he changed the starter motor. The car makes the noise a) whether the clutch is depressed or not,and b) whether the drive belt is connected or not. The engine turns freely with a spanner on the crankshaft pulley nut and via the roadwheels and gearbox. Any ideas?

It has never started with a jump start yet, although the engine turns but makes a hell of a noise. It makes this noise whether the clutch is depressed or not.

The car details are: Vauxhall Vectra 1.8, N reg 1996

Thanks for all your help its much appreciated.

 

[Mike (archive)]

As regards the noise, see if the cambelt pilleys arent catching anywhere on the covers.

Mike

 

[AB]

Hi There
Thanks for your replies. Still having problems though. There is a problem with battery not being charged correctly but we are trying to jump start it at the moment and the car is making an awful noise. Here are some things my Dad told me earlier today.

Respond to the guy whose e-mail you referred to this morning, saying your dad has tried to jump start the car but on doing so, the car is making a high pitched screaming noise something like a slipping drive belt. This was the noise it was making before he changed the starter motor. The car makes the noise a) whether the clutch is depressed or not,and b) whether the drive belt is connected or not. The engine turns freely with a spanner on the crankshaft pulley nut and via the roadwheels and gearbox. Any ideas?

<snip>

Make sure any earth straps have been reconnected that were removed, as mentioned by another poster. The strap shold be either on the end cover of the 'box, under the wheelarch, or a thick brown cable direct to the battery that connects to the gearbox near to the starter mounting bolts.

The squealing is probably a rogue feed due to the missing earth strap causing the starter to partially engage and grind away the teeth on the flywheel or starter pinion. Also, the alternator is not connected to the battery with this earth strap off, hence the battery not charging.

HTH

Anthony

 

[Mr E]

Are you sure the replacement gearbox is exactly the same as the old one?

Check the earth strap too, but is sounds like the starter is throwing the pinion and then seizing on something.

Rocking the car lets the pinion slip back.

Cheers

D