Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: terry paget on 29 October 2016, 09:39:27

Title: Starter not always engaging
Post by: terry paget on 29 October 2016, 09:39:27
KOV 2.5 petrol manual estate
Very occasionally when I turn the key the starter whirs but does not crank the engine. It used to be once a week, now it's once every 10 starts. I fear the cure is to change the starter, and it needs doing soon.
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: TheBoy on 29 October 2016, 10:25:12
I suspect you're probably right ;)
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: Bigron on 29 October 2016, 11:40:31
WD 40 now do an aerosol of PTFE-loaded lubricant. Try a good squirt of that on the relevant moving parts. Magic happens!

Ron.
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: Andy A on 29 October 2016, 13:10:14
WD 40 now do an aerosol of PTFE-loaded lubricant. Try a good squirt of that on the relevant moving parts. Magic happens!

Ron.

I was going to say WD-40 Silicone spray. I is the PTFE stuff better?
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: Bigron on 29 October 2016, 18:01:21
The PTFE (teflon) version is true magic, yes. If the engagement pinion is sticking on the shaft, this stuff will clean the sh1t from it and leave a very low-friction PTFE coating which is electrically non-conductive, so no harm done if you overspray onto the starter motor electrics.

Ron.
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: Andy A on 29 October 2016, 19:02:19
The PTFE (teflon) version is true magic, yes. If the engagement pinion is sticking on the shaft, this stuff will clean the sh1t from it and leave a very low-friction PTFE coating which is electrically non-conductive, so no harm done if you overspray onto the starter motor electrics.

Ron.

Thanks for explaining it Ron. Just ordered some.  :y
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: Bigron on 29 October 2016, 19:25:40
Glad to be able to help. I got mine from Wickes, can't remember the price, but there is also another PTFE spray that I got from a boot sale years ago (no maker, sorry, as I used it all and dumped the empty can), which contained a totally dry PTFE powder for where solvents are inapproproate. My best use was on the plastic runners that my double-glazed windows slide on; they run as smooth as silk and no nasty oil to collect sticky debris in the channel!
My difficulty?
As I said, I don't recall who made it, to buy more.....

Ron.
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: Andy A on 29 October 2016, 19:34:52
Glad to be able to help. I got mine from Wickes, can't remember the price, but there is also another PTFE spray that I got from a boot sale years ago (no maker, sorry, as I used it all and dumped the empty can), which contained a totally dry PTFE powder for where solvents are inapproproate. My best use was on the plastic runners that my double-glazed windows slide on; they run as smooth as silk and no nasty oil to collect sticky debris in the channel!
My difficulty?
As I said, I don't recall who made it, to buy more.....

Ron.

I'll give it ago on my sons cars electric window rubber sliders. His windows are getting very sluggish.
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: TheBoy on 29 October 2016, 19:43:28
I lube the Omega window runners with similar, along with rear blind
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: TheBoy on 29 October 2016, 19:44:13
Same shite that you use on plastic curtain rails etc, if you have a good local old fashion hardware store
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: Bigron on 29 October 2016, 21:01:54
Thanks, TB. We DO have one such old-fashioned shop in our high street, they sell almost everything. However, I fear to enter usually because it must be run by Auntie Wainright, judging by the prices!

Ron.
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: Andy A on 30 October 2016, 08:33:16
I lube the Omega window runners with similar, along with rear blind

I tried mine with wd-40 Silicone spray. Never made much difference to my slow windows. I will try the PTFE spray next.


Same shite that you use on plastic curtain rails etc, if you have a good local old fashion hardware store

Last time I went to my local Ironmongers they said, best to rub a candle along it to wax it up.  :y Never did work very well.  :'(
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: Bigron on 30 October 2016, 09:02:21
May I add a caveat if anyone intends to spray this or any PTFE-laden product near hot engine parts, especially exhaust parts, as when exposed to temperatures above around 300 degrees centigrade it breaks down and produces toxic fumes.

Ron.
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: terry paget on 30 October 2016, 10:18:53
Thanks for the idea gentlemen. I have found a spare starter in my parts heap, and realise that the only way I could spray anything on the pinion engagagement machinery involves removing either the starter or the gearbox. So I guess I have to change the starter.
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: Ever Ready on 30 October 2016, 10:37:10
Might be a plan to give the replacement starter a good spray of PTFE before fitting it.
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: terry paget on 30 October 2016, 11:07:24
Might be a plan to give the replacement starter a good spray of PTFE before fitting it.
Good thinking, will do.
 My Mini, 1960, had an inertial starter engagement system - the shaft was like a corkscrew, and the pinion was spun along  it by inertia until it engaged with the flywheel starter ring. It attracted clutch lining dust and required cleaning every year.
The starter on my Peugeot 505, 1975, had sintered bronze bearings, which wore oval and got stiff every 18 months, necessitating a new starter.
 Nowadays starters have journal bearings and solenoid engagement and last for ever, or nearly so. I believe some cars have automatic stop-start systems - I wonder how long their starters will last.
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 30 October 2016, 13:04:50
Longer than the batteries ;D
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: Ever Ready on 30 October 2016, 19:40:52
My little Pug has automatic stop-start system 'technology' I might even let it use it one day  ;D

Inertia starters were all the rage until those fancy pre-engaged jobbies came along :)
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: STEMO on 30 October 2016, 22:48:51
My little Pug has automatic stop-start system 'technology' I might even let it use it one day  ;D

Inertia starters were all the rage until those fancy pre-engaged jobbies came along :)
My wife's captur has stop/start but it is wasted on her. She never puts it in neutral at the lights.
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: terry paget on 09 November 2016, 16:07:44
Today I changed the starter for a spare. More of a job than on my Mini in 1960; that was just 2 bolts and the cable. My thanks to Gastrokleptomaniac for his excellent guide.
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: Andy A on 10 November 2016, 09:28:56
Today I changed the starter for a spare. More of a job than on my Mini in 1960; that was just 2 bolts and the cable. My thanks to Gastrokleptomaniac for his excellent guide.

Glad you got it all sorted Terry.  :y
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: GastronomicKleptomaniac on 10 November 2016, 16:59:42
Today I changed the starter for a spare. More of a job than on my Mini in 1960; that was just 2 bolts and the cable. My thanks to Gastrokleptomaniac for his excellent guide.

:y No worries, glad to help! :D
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: GastronomicKleptomaniac on 10 November 2016, 17:00:41
May I add a caveat if anyone intends to spray this or any PTFE-laden product near hot engine parts, especially exhaust parts, as when exposed to temperatures above around 300 degrees centigrade it breaks down and produces toxic fumes.

Ron.

Interesting... might get the mother in law to help diagnose an underbonnet fault...

*innocent whistle*
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: Bigron on 10 November 2016, 18:37:46
Ahem, you never heard that from me, GK!  ::)

Ron.
Title: Re: Starter not always engaging
Post by: terry paget on 12 November 2016, 04:31:59
No starting trouble since Tuesday so I guess the replacement starter has cured things.
I fitted a starter I had removed from an Omega 2.5 scrapped earlier.  When the starter suddenly failed completely on my ex-police 3.2 I fitted a used starter from Steve Brown. Browsing e-bay this morning it looks like all Omega starters are the same, and are shared with Vectras. Zafiras, etc.

Do all recent Vauxhalls use the same starters?