Page 1 of 3

Starter Issues

Posted: 05 Jan 2016 11:33
by iandvl
I've had a bad morning. Have a doctor's appointment for a spider bite (presumably sac spider). I also have to renew both vehicle licenses today. Get all my paperwork together. Climb in the 'trol.

I turn the key to start, and all I hear is the solenoid clicking. Nothing else. Except for the laughter of cruiser drivers...

Measure voltage on battery. Fine. Get my spare battery out to jump start. Nothing. Just the click of the solenoid... (and cruiser laughter).

Next step: fuses and fusable links. All fine.

So, it is time to pull the starter. This is a horrible job on the 4.5. It's virtually impossible to get at the starter motor without stripping other things. In any case, after about 20 minutes of swearing, bruised knuckles and dirt in my eyes (the only place I could get a clear view to disconnect the cables was from underneath), I get the unit out.

In short: Very small issue. The bolt keeping the live feed from the solenoid to the starter had worked its way loose over time. Cleaned everything up with sandpaper. Tightened everything. Returned everything. All is good with the world again.

Crappy job, but glad I got it sorted. It is also my first "larger" mechanical Patrol repair job. So I'm feeling rather chuffed with myself... :woo: :woo:

What I've learnt for this (in case it helps others):

1: Remove the harness clip to the starter and the live feed to the solenoid lug from beneath the vehicle with 12 spanner.
2: Loosen the top starter bolt (14 spanner) from the top of the motor until the bolt can be hand turned.
3: Remove the top starter bolt from the bottom (I could not reach from the top).
4: Remove the bottom starter bolt (14 spanner) from the bottom whilst supporting the starter.
5: Guide starter out between chassis and suspension to get a clearer look at the bits.

Installation is a reverse of the removal.

Oh - and disconnect battery before doing anything. But I guess that can safely be assumed.

Re: Starter Issues

Posted: 05 Jan 2016 12:11
by IanT
Hi Ian, know the feeling I had a Datsun Tracker years ago, went on the Bike SA desert run, on day two in the sand turn the key and click, click, checked everything could not find anything wrong, so they had to pull start me every morning, and I tinkered under the bonnet at night! One day out from Windhoek (at night so it was dark!) I got someone to turn the key while I was in the engine bay and I see a spark! It turned out to be the earth wire to the chassis that was loose. Problem solved or so I thought! driving the next day through the Thomas Hoegland it starts missing!, Cut a long story short I had left the ignition on so long while I was tinkering I had half burned out the points!!! :redface:

Re: Starter Issues

Posted: 05 Jan 2016 12:23
by Michael
Ian, glad you got it sorted

I also had a similar experience. When I was rebuilding my Patrol Engine, the bonnet was removed and the starter was hanging on the power cable in the engine bay for a couple of months. I think it was hanging with the bendix side pointing up and filled with allot of water.
I did not know this at the time and the engine started fine at first, but after about a month I also hat the click sound only.
I removed it (very easy on the 4.2D) and could not believe that it actually worked at one point with all the water that came out of it.
Luckily for me all I had to do was clean it properly and its been running ever since with no problem :blonde:

Re: Starter Issues

Posted: 05 Jan 2016 13:17
by Herrie
I also had a starter problem in our Botswana tour.

The brushes was a bit short and I cleaned every thing and it was working again. In the morning of our last day to home I could not start again and the guy with his LC pulled my to start easy. At home I removed the starter and opened it and found that the brushes were broken with the armature commutator pieces that moved up. :thumbdown:

I did buy a new starter and also got the old one fixed.

When we drove to Kgalagadi I was driving on a gravel road at 2500rev when I heard a funny noise and the engine died. I found the ABS fuse of 30A broken and fixed it but could not start the engine. I phoned the hotel manager and ask him to come and pull me to start the engine and we did that and at the hotel I took the starter out and found that the brushes where broken again in the new starter with the armature commutator pieces that moved up. I realised that the starter was starting while I was driving - it must be the ignition problem - and the manager gave my a switch because I want to disconnect the volts to the starter after I started the engine. I did put the fixed old starter back on the engine.

I did get the new starter replaced after our holiday and I just put a starter button in so that I can just put the ignition on and press the button to start the engine. I do not use the ignition to start the starter and for years now I never had a problem with the starter again. :thumbup:

Re: Starter Issues

Posted: 09 Jan 2016 16:41
by Michael
Well, three days after I brag with my starter that has been working perfect....... it stopped working :think:

Its jusd stone dead, not even a click.
Battery if full, so I suspect the solonoid is dead. Wil investigate tonight

Re: Starter Issues

Posted: 11 Jan 2016 10:20
by Michael
Last night myself and Josh had a look at my starter issue and it seems like it points to either the ignition switch (which I dont really think it is) or the immobilizer.

The Starter works perfect when you bridge it out

Re: Starter Issues

Posted: 11 Jan 2016 10:22
by JoshJ
Jaa Ouens please help. Any advise will be apreciated.

Re: Starter Issues

Posted: 11 Jan 2016 10:27
by Michael
David V is sending me another ignition switch so will test that as soon as I have it. Nissan does not sell the ignition switch separate on the Patrol, you have to buy the whole ignition barrel with it at 3.5k

Re: Starter Issues

Posted: 11 Jan 2016 10:31
by JoshJ
Broer, dis mos daylight robbery. :oldtimer:

Re: Starter Issues

Posted: 11 Jan 2016 10:38
by Michael
Ja dis malligheid, jy kan n Mikra of omtrent enige ander een se ignition switch koop vir R600.......ma nie die Patrol sin nie