Subject: [TR] TR3 Starter Problem

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2013 13:49:21 +0000 (UTC)

When I did the restoration 10 years ago, I swapped out for a gear reduction starter.

Toward the end of last driving season, I frequently tried to start the car, but the starter would spin without engaging the flywheel.

This week, seems worse.

Since I just rebuilt the engine, I know there are no broken teeth on the flywheel. I expect it's the solenoid.  

Question...is there any experience with the solenoids on these after market gear reduction starters failing?

Terry Smith, '59 TR3A  TS 58667
New Hampshire

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2013 10:19:50 -0400 (EDT)

I have never had any solenoid issues with mine. But, I did have a problem  
with not getting the right engagement gear on the starter. I have an earlier 
TR3  than you, which had a bomb-type starter. However, apparently it had 
been fitted  with a later-type ring gear in error (maybe the earlier ring-gear 
wasn't  available at the time). So, I had to switch to a later type 
engagement gear on  the starter, despite having an earlier car, and that solved the 
problem. 
 
It's an unlikely cause, I know, but you may wish to consider compatibility  
between the ring gear and the starter's engagement gear.
 
Tim

In a message dated 17/03/2013 9:49:48 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
[email-masked] writes:

When I  did the restoration 10 years ago, I swapped out for a gear 
reduction  starter.

Toward the end of last driving season, I frequently tried to  start the 
car, but the starter would spin without engaging the  flywheel.

This week, seems worse.

Since I just rebuilt the  engine, I know there are no broken teeth on the 
flywheel. I expect it's the  solenoid.  

Question...is there any experience with the solenoids  on these after 
market gear reduction starters failing?

Archive:  http://www.team.net/archive
Forums:  http://www.team.net/forums
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/triumphs/[email-masked]

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From: "Randall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2013 10:47:14 -0700

> When I did the restoration 10 years ago, I swapped out for a 

Are you sure you got the right starter for the flywheel you have?  Your
description sounds exactly like what happens if you mate a starter designed
for the early flywheel to a later flywheel.  It works at first, but only the
very tips of the gear teeth are touching.  Soon the teeth wear down and it
starts to slip.

When this happened to a local club member (TR2 motor had a later flywheel,
go figure), he was able to get the starter vendor to supply the pinion for
the later flywheel.  Apparently it's an easy swap.

It's not impossible that the linkage to move the pinion gear is at fault,
but unlikely IMO.  The solenoid has to move before power is applied to the
motor, so if the motor is turning, the solenoid did its job.

-- Randall