[Healeys] 100 starter issue

[Bob Spidell]

By way of explanation, electricity flows better through a cold circuit 
than it does a hot one ('superconductivity' requires near-zero degrees 
Kelvin to work; 'room temperature superconductivity' is still a pipe 
dream). What may be happening is the starter's field coils don't conduct 
as well when hot, so the starter can't crank as well when it's 
heat-soaked. If the starter has never been (properly) rebuilt, the cloth 
wrap on the field coils is likely shot and allowing some leakage through 
the windings. Also, a partial short anywhere in the starting circuit 
could cause or contribute to the problem; when the engine is cold, try 
cranking--without a start if possible (I don't recall if the key needs 
to be in 'run' to crank, if so you can disconnect the low-voltage lead 
to the coil)--and feel the cables and connection points, if any feel 
inordinately warm check them out. A failing starter solenoid could also 
contribute (though that's usually more random--at first). I had starter 
issues--not heat-related--with my BN2, after a starter rebuild. I 
finally figured out that, after the rebuild I'd put Grade 8 flat washers 
and split washers under the nuts on the starter bolts; it turns out I'd 
impinged the path to ground with the flat washers, when I took them off 
the starter worked as it should.

Mike Martinez at Star Auto Electric has done starter and generator 
rebuilds for me, and knows Healeys: http://starautoelectric.com/ (NFI)

Bob


On 7/5/2020 7:24 AM, Michael Salter wrote:
> Hi Gary,
> In my experience it is difficult to accurately determine the cause of 
> starting problems without some diagnosis.
> Checking the voltage between the starter power terminal and ground 
> during activation of the starter is the first thing to check.
> Typically there should be at least 10 volts during this test.
> That said however, the symptoms that you describe are pretty typical 
> of a starter that is on the way out.
> If the starter is starting to fail be careful ... applying power to a 
> starter which is not turning can melt the solder of the commutator 
> which substantially increases the cost of rebuilding the unit.
>
> M
>
>
> On Sun., Jul. 5, 2020, 9:06 a.m. warthodson--- via Healeys, 
> <healeys at autox.team.net <mailto:healeys at autox.team.net>> wrote:
>
>     A friend's 100 appears to have an issue with his starter. On a
>     recent day trip, the car started fine in the morning at home &
>     would re-start again if the car had time to cool down after
>     stopping. But if the car was only stopped for a short time, like
>     at a gas station, before re-starting the starter would barely turn
>     the engine over, if at all. He has a new battery & the ignition lite
>     was lit when the engine was not running & was not lit when it was
>     running. Does this indicate something is wrong with the starter &
>     what is it?
>     Gary Hodson
>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/healeys/attachments/20200705/239d06ed/attachment.htm>