Starter Motor Solenoid

[Kenballs 0]

Before anyone says to do a search, I already have. My question is can the solenoid on the starter be replaced seperately or do I need to replace the entire starter? And before anyone says it probably isn't a fault with the solenoid, it is, I've done the whole relay mod etc and the problem can only be with the solenoid at this stage.

 

Cheers.

[lagonda 41]

Hi....depends what you mean by "can the solenoid be replaced?"! Technically, the answer is "yes"....but whether you'd be able to find someone selling NEW the solenoid assembly only, is another matter. If you mean swapping a known good solenoid from another starter, then yes, & it would be easy to do....difficult bit (there's always one of those with these cars) is getting the starter off & back on the car. Presumably you have a Haynes manual...this gives a good guide as to removing & dismantling the starter.

 

Firstly though...not clear what you mean by relay. The easiest & simplest check of your solenoid is to run a lenth of wire with a lucar terminal on one end to the solenoid connection on the starter, & touch the other bare end firmly & briefly on a clean area of the battery positive terminal. If this works, then your trouble is a poor connection, almost undoubtedly in the brown multiplug carefully hidden by Peugeot under the AFM. If it doesn't work, the problem could be a poor earth connection, easily checked by running one of a pair of jump leads from the battery negative terminal directly to a clean unpainted area of the starter.

 

If you've already got the starter off, you can do these checks direct to the starter from the battery with jump leads, taking care to touch the + one on the small solenoid connection. You can connect to the main + terminal, then bridge to the solenoid, but then make sure you or a friend have a foot held firmly on the starter, as if it spins over it could bounce off anywhere. Also DON'T keep it running....there is no inherent speed limitation in a starter, & it could damage itself.

 

Finally, if you're sure it's the solenoid, try cleaning everything up...old oil/grease/filth could be stopping the core from moving in /out properly. Incidentally, I'd also check the loom terminal to the main + connection on your starter. Mine was plated steel.....& half burnt through.

[Kenballs 0]

Thanks for the reply, yes mate I've done all the checks, the solenoid is working but I'm assuming it's contacts to feed power to the starter are corroded or damaged because despite the fact that it does energise, the starter doesn't turn over.

What I meant by the relay mod is basically where you take a direct feed from the battery through a relay, using the original wire to the solenoid to energise the relay. I think it's been covered here many times before.

Anyway thanks a lot, you've told me what I wanted to know, I just wasn't sure if the solenoid was integrated in the starter or removeable.

 

 

Hi....depends what you mean by "can the solenoid be replaced?"! Technically, the answer is "yes"....but whether you'd be able to find someone selling NEW the solenoid assembly only, is another matter. If you mean swapping a known good solenoid from another starter, then yes, & it would be easy to do....difficult bit (there's always one of those with these cars) is getting the starter off & back on the car. Presumably you have a Haynes manual...this gives a good guide as to removing & dismantling the starter.

 

Firstly though...not clear what you mean by relay. The easiest & simplest check of your solenoid is to run a lenth of wire with a lucar terminal on one end to the solenoid connection on the starter, & touch the other bare end firmly & briefly on a clean area of the battery positive terminal. If this works, then your trouble is a poor connection, almost undoubtedly in the brown multiplug carefully hidden by Peugeot under the AFM. If it doesn't work, the problem could be a poor earth connection, easily checked by running one of a pair of jump leads from the battery negative terminal directly to a clean unpainted area of the starter.

 

If you've already got the starter off, you can do these checks direct to the starter from the battery with jump leads, taking care to touch the + one on the small solenoid connection. You can connect to the main + terminal, then bridge to the solenoid, but then make sure you or a friend have a foot held firmly on the starter, as if it spins over it could bounce off anywhere. Also DON'T keep it running....there is no inherent speed limitation in a starter, & it could damage itself.

 

Finally, if you're sure it's the solenoid, try cleaning everything up...old oil/grease/filth could be stopping the core from moving in /out properly. Incidentally, I'd also check the loom terminal to the main + connection on your starter. Mine was plated steel.....& half burnt through.

[lagonda 41]

You're welcome.

 

To check if it's the contacts, run a heavy/jump lead from the other large solenoid terminal (ie not the battery connection) & touch it on the + battery terminal. If starter spins OK, then you know diagnosis is correct, & your trouble is faulty contact in the solenoid. Otherwise, could be dirt/oil on commutator, worn or sticking brushes, etc.

[Kenballs 0]

Cheers mate, I won't have time to sort it out for a while but I'll let you know what happens when I do. Thanks again,

 

Ken.

 

You're welcome.

 

To check if it's the contacts, run a heavy/jump lead from the other large solenoid terminal (ie not the battery connection) & touch it on the + battery terminal. If starter spins OK, then you know diagnosis is correct, & your trouble is faulty contact in the solenoid. Otherwise, could be dirt/oil on commutator, worn or sticking brushes, etc.