I've got an funny intermittent problem with my starter motor, hope my description isn't too confusing (or boring).
The starter on my blue Tipo (1.4 ie 1995) began to play up late last year. For 3 or 4 times (intermittently) it would hesitate VERY SLIGHTLY before spinning, then one time it suddenly did nothing at all (no noise etc) when I turned the key - completely dead. The Recovery/Rescue guy eventually came, in the end he reckoned he could just hear something clicking under the bonnet so we push-started the car and it started fine.
I drove home and the next day I swapped the starter for the one on my 1994 silver Tipo, and took the dodgy one to an auto electrician. He first dropped it on the floor!, then dismantled it to check brushes etc (all fine), sprayed the shaft with WD40, and checked the solenoid and starter with 12V on the bench - all fine. He said maybe the shaft had been a bit sticky, put it back on and see how it goes. So I put it back on the silver car and it seemed fine, though MAYBE a bit noisier than the other one?
Anyway now I'm using the silver car regularly, and last week the starter began to play up, but slightly differently. At night once or twice it wouldn't respond to the key, so I turned the lights off and then it fired immediately. Then one day I turned the key, and I could hear a big click (solenoid operating) but nothing else. I tapped it with a hammer a few times, then removed the starter and span the shaft, slid the pinion along the shaft, scraped out any crud etc. Put it back on and it started fine. Took the starter to the same auto electrician, he had said to me "typical Fiat, there's a plastic threaded shaft inside that sticks, we always replace them with a metal one". However when they dismantled it and checked it, said "there's nothing wrong at all, it'll be fine for years, go away!".
Now I'm sure there is something wrong but what? I will probably get a spare from a scrapyard or a recon anyway, but it is puzzling. Do you think it's mechanical (something sticking) or electrical (not enough juice sometimes, earthing problem). Sometimes it seems that it might spin a bit slowly or more noisily, but perhaps I'm just imagining it!
The starter on my blue Tipo (1.4 ie 1995) began to play up late last year. For 3 or 4 times (intermittently) it would hesitate VERY SLIGHTLY before spinning, then one time it suddenly did nothing at all (no noise etc) when I turned the key - completely dead. The Recovery/Rescue guy eventually came, in the end he reckoned he could just hear something clicking under the bonnet so we push-started the car and it started fine.
I drove home and the next day I swapped the starter for the one on my 1994 silver Tipo, and took the dodgy one to an auto electrician. He first dropped it on the floor!, then dismantled it to check brushes etc (all fine), sprayed the shaft with WD40, and checked the solenoid and starter with 12V on the bench - all fine. He said maybe the shaft had been a bit sticky, put it back on and see how it goes. So I put it back on the silver car and it seemed fine, though MAYBE a bit noisier than the other one?
Anyway now I'm using the silver car regularly, and last week the starter began to play up, but slightly differently. At night once or twice it wouldn't respond to the key, so I turned the lights off and then it fired immediately. Then one day I turned the key, and I could hear a big click (solenoid operating) but nothing else. I tapped it with a hammer a few times, then removed the starter and span the shaft, slid the pinion along the shaft, scraped out any crud etc. Put it back on and it started fine. Took the starter to the same auto electrician, he had said to me "typical Fiat, there's a plastic threaded shaft inside that sticks, we always replace them with a metal one". However when they dismantled it and checked it, said "there's nothing wrong at all, it'll be fine for years, go away!".
Now I'm sure there is something wrong but what? I will probably get a spare from a scrapyard or a recon anyway, but it is puzzling. Do you think it's mechanical (something sticking) or electrical (not enough juice sometimes, earthing problem). Sometimes it seems that it might spin a bit slowly or more noisily, but perhaps I'm just imagining it!
