Hey all - got a bit of an issue with my Punto Mk2 8v 1.2 Y-reg

So the last few weeks I've had the odd occurrence of having the starter motor continue to spin for 5-6 seconds after the engine has started (giving a high pitched "growling" noise - like a dentists drill or an F1 pit stop pneumatic gun). Over the weekend that progressed to the car making that noise when I turned the ignition, with no other signs of life from the engine - just the high pitched noise. Normally on the 2nd/3rd go it'd kick into life.

It's done it again tonight straight after work, and I tried a good 15 or so times to start it with no joy. I've got a solid feeling it's a stuck starter motor - tried shaking the car to unstick it, and gave the starter a few taps with my tyre iron but couldn't resolve it. Any other ideas/am I even in the right ballpark?

One other point - I had this happen before, about 6 months ago. I replaced the starter motor and that fixed it. It seems weird that the motor would go again so soon. The last time this happened had been when I'd been driving 100+ miles with 4 people in the car on work trips (plus golf clubs...i.e a lot of weight), and this was the case for this weekend just gone too. Any ideas why the extra weight might lead to the starter motor playing up?

I've left my car at work overnight and just got a train back. Way too tired to deal with this tonight!

it sounds like the starter gone to me, the weight issue will have nothing to do with it, its probably just the starter unit given up the ghost. Was the one you fitted a re-con or a cheap motor shop unit i.e QH ?

all you want to do is give it a bump start get a couple of people to push you while you have the ignition on then let the clutch while you have the car in second gear and it should fir up.

to test the starter properly i use a multimeter to test the amp draw and also volt drop the connections to make sure it at fault, but without being to technical if the starter has been growling after starting its staying engaged and the clutch mechanism of the starter is`nt working its just the pure speed of the engine that is eventually throwing it out.

i would go to Andrew pages or euro car parts and get a bosh starter they are 20 - 30 quid more but much more reliable.

any more probs let us know.

cheers chris

Yeah the replacement that got put in a few months back was a generic Halfords cheapy. I've got a Euro car parts 10 minutes away in Slough so will look at getting a new one tomorrow.

What a nightmare this car is sometimes! Cheers.

That High pitch Wizzing Noise is the Starter Motor actually working fine
Its the Starter Solernoid thats Jammed in the Away position - so the motor is working under No Load = Spins Fast

Happened on my brother punto - stick the car in gear
Rock! the Car Forward a few times (ie play within the play of the gears - trying to inch it forward a little)
And THEN try to start it
See if that helps start it up

Ziggy

True, but unless you can rebuild the motor the easiest option is to replace it. Another faint possibility is a problem with the ignition switch so its not going quickly back to the run position.