Hi,

Does anyone know how to remove the old starter motor on a Fiat 500 1.2 pop 2009. Is it all from under the car on in the engine bay as I cant seem to get to 1 of the bolts.

Also, the cars coolant reservoir has some kind of grass/soil in there, any reasons why?

Car history:

Bought the car around 2 weeks ago showing no signs of starting. Previous owner told me they took the car to FIAT and FIAT themselves diagnosed the ECU to be the problem. Since then, It has had another ECU, Fusebox and ignition barrel. This hasnt made a difference too. I have tried a new battery but the car literally does not even try to turn off. I can hear a clicking sound each time I try to crank the key but no signs of trying to start.

Thanks.

So the car doesnt crank over? Will it push/bump start?
Rather than replace the starter directly power the solenoid wire, see if it works, look at the engine earth strap too and all earthing points. Temporary try a jump lead from battery negative to the engine itself.
Have any fault codes read too.
I've heard the starter is a pain to remove.
It would be a good idea to replace the coolent too flushing the system to remove any contaminants that sounds troubling

Soil will be Bars leaks or K seal...never a good sign.

Does the engine turn over by hand?

D

rallycinq said:

Soil will be Bars leaks or K seal...never a good sign.

Does the engine turn over by hand?

D

Click to expand...

Overheated?

John202020 said:

So the car doesnt crank over? Will it push/bump start?
Rather than replace the starter directly power the solenoid wire, see if it works, look at the engine earth strap too and all earthing points. Temporary try a jump lead from battery negative to the engine itself.
Have any fault codes read too.
I've heard the starter is a pain to remove.
It would be a good idea to replace the coolent too flushing the system to remove any contaminants that sounds troubling

Click to expand...

Cant try the bump start as I live on a very busy road. It was a nightmare pushing the car into the driveway. I had a go at attempting to remove the starter... I got to the bottom 13mm bolt which you can see and get too from under the car HOWEVER, there is still 1 13mm bolt on the opposite side and I cant even see or feel the bolt! What makes it worse is, I tried removing the inlet manifold to get access to the starter motor from the top but ones you try and wedge the inlet manifold away from the engine, it gets stuck against the cars shell. There is no way to get the intake manifold out without moving the engine forward. Any ideas on how I am meant to get to that 13 mm bolt on the starter??

rallycinq said:

Soil will be Bars leaks or K seal...never a good sign.

Does the engine turn over by hand?

D

Click to expand...

How do I check if the engine turns over by hand?

Thanks.

Same as bump start, but more gentle. Just put a gear (4th) in and push.

This may help

More pictures

hussnain said:

How do I check if the engine turns over by hand?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

Put a spanner on the crank pulley, take the plugs out, it will make it easier.

D

I took the bell housing down when I replaced the input shaft in the gearbox. There is a bolt on the driver side of the upper part of bell housing that holds onto the starter motor. There are 2 bolts, may be 1 bolt, on the other side just above the oil sump.

Hope it helps.

I have changed the starter motor-it is fairly easy-the bit you have done wrong is take the inlet manifold off
Remove battery and tray and you can easily access the other bolt-while you have the tray off, check the earth strap which goes from engine to body.
But check everything first. Is their battery voltage at the starter when it is cranked?

swifty500 said:

I have changed the starter motor-it is fairly easy-the bit you have done wrong is take the inlet manifold off
Remove battery and tray and you can easily access the other bolt-while you have the tray off, check the earth strap which goes from engine to body.
But check everything first. Is their battery voltage at the starter when it is cranked?

Click to expand...

And check there's a start solenoid switching signal, no start signal no starter.

It's a fairly easy job if you have a set of ramps. Two bolts at the bottom from under the car and a third at the top of the bell housing. You could check the wiring to the motor before you remove it.
I removed mine as the starter was sticking when cold and sounded like a screeching fan belt.

John202020 said:

More pictures

Click to expand...

In your second picture, the bolt(s) labeled A and B.. I have taken bolt A off and there is no bolt B but a hole. However, on the opposite side of bolt A is another bolt which is what I am trying to get too however I cant seem to figure out how in the world I can get to it.

Thanks.

wardpaa said:

It's a fairly easy job if you have a set of ramps. Two bolts at the bottom from under the car and a third at the top of the bell housing. You could check the wiring to the motor before you remove it.
I removed mine as the starter was sticking when cold and sounded like a screeching fan belt.

Click to expand...

I only see 1 bolt from under the car which I removed and a 2nd bolt holding the wires in place. There is another bolt on the opposite side of the starter which I cant get too.

swifty500 said:

I have changed the starter motor-it is fairly easy-the bit you have done wrong is take the inlet manifold off
Remove battery and tray and you can easily access the other bolt-while you have the tray off, check the earth strap which goes from engine to body.
But check everything first. Is their battery voltage at the starter when it is cranked?

Click to expand...

There is no way to access the second bolt from removing the battery tray. The starter motor has 2 bolts.. 1 bolt I can access from underneath the car and the second bolt is opposite the one I can access however because it is behind the engine I cannot see the bolt.

https://www.startermotor-alternator...ages/fiat-500-1.2-1.4-07-starter-motor-s2402-[3]-11668-p.jpg

Here is the picture of the starter I have. I can see the bolt hole on the left from underneathe the car and have already removed that bolt. The top hole there is no bolt there and on the opposite side of bolt A is another bolt but I cannot see that bolt from underneath the car. I tried accessing it from battery tray but you cant even see the starter from the battery side of the car.

I tried accessing the bolt from where the alternator is located as the starter is next to the alternator but I cant see the bolt or feel it.

Thanks.

Thanks.

I have changed the starter myself and the bolt is accessible from battery side of the engine. Are you sure its a 1.2 engine not a diesel or twin-air
One bolt remove from starter motor bottom from under car, and the other from top of car on battery side of top of bell housing (on 1.2)

Hi,

Okay starter has been replaced.. Swifty500 was right, all this time I didnt realise the bolt is coming into the starter from the battery side!!! Thats all done thank you to you all however the issue is still here. Starter has been replaced but the car still does not crank over. When turning the key to the start position, there is a single click which will happen only ones each time the key is turned to on position. What else could it be as I am lost for words.

Replaced starter. Nothing.
Cleaned up some wires including the starter wires. Nothing.
ECU replaced including fusebox and ignition barrel. Nothing.

Thanks.

Did the starter run when outside the car wirh power applied ? Or does the old one ? Careful, they tend to jump around when not fixed due to the momentum...