93 Hilux SR5 starter motor

[thommo]

You know that noise a car makes when you accidently try to start it when the motor is already running. Sort of sounds like running a saw blade across a piece of metal.

My Hilux started doing that noise when I first try to start it (i.e. motor is NOT already running), and it does not start. If I then try to start it once or twice more, it then kicks over and starts normally.

Is that the starter motor on the way out? And if so, what is the cheapest way to fix it? The old banger is too old to throw too many $'s at.

BTW I just had a new 800cca NRMA battery put in it a week ago, so battery should be fine.

cheers

[Manxman]

your pinion gear isn't engaging well. Might just need some light grease, or could be more serious. Ring gear fail would mean a new flywheel? Starters and alternators generally fail "together" @ abt 240,000km. Less with heavy useage.

Expect it, maintain accordingly. Most do not.

New starters have more net profit than repaired ones, but they aren't difficult to DIY. Ditto alternators. The hard part is undoing the case screws-I usually hacksaw them and replace. It's much easier, and less damage. Use an heat sink to stop solder wicking up the new brush leads. If gears are gone-chuck it, they're just too $$$$$.

[thommo]

Thanks Manxman. DIY is not my thing - I'd have NFI. The old bus has 267,000 on it.

Where is the pinion gear? Is that in the starter motor or somewhere else?

[thommo]

And another thought - could putting the more powerful 800cca battery in instead of a 600cca like it had, have caused the problem (i.e. too much grunt on starting?).

[thommo]

Can get a starter motor with 3yr warranty for $119 delivered from Auto 8 in Victoria. Seems very cheap? Anyone know if these things are any good (not that it matter much as I think its time to offload the old warrior and get something a bit newer).

[thommo]

Had the Auto 8 starter motor in over a month now. All good, starts beautifully. Saved about $300. It was the starter motor, not the ring gear.

Test drove a 2014 Navara & 2012 Triton - sure, they're much nicer on-road compared to a 93 Hilux, but comparative rubbish off-road unless you spend another $2-3K on a lift kit. They srape bottom on even moderate ruts. The 2012 Triton only had 67,000kms on it and already the rear suspension was shot!

So I'm doing a home re-spray job on the old Hilux, attacking the surface rust with wet & dry, rust converter, etch primer and Holts Duplicolor - quite fun actually (execept for one can of Holts from the local Repco that was 20+yrs old and blew out everywhere mucking up my painstaking prep work ). Total cost $100 vs $28,000 for a new 4WD, if I get another 5 years out of the old beast I'll be miles ahead