I think I need a more powerful starter motor.

Every so often, the starter will not turn over the engine. It doesn't happen every time and more often when it does, the engine is hot. The starter I have is a new one as are the 075 battery and 70 Amp alternator. Compression on my engine is 13.5:1.

I'm running an RS2000 pre-engaged starter motor and wonder if, for example, there is an interchangeable starter motor for a diesel that would have a bit more power.

I'd be grateful for any help here.

Thank you very much

John

Sounds like the ignition is a tad too advanced, causing the charge to be fully burning just before TDC and trying to push the piston back down. Once running the momentum of the reciprocating components overcomes this.

quote: Sounds like the ignition is a tad too advanced, causing the charge to be fully burning just before TDC and trying to push the piston back down. Once running the momentum of the reciprocating components overcomes this.

No it's not that. I've installed an independent switch for the starter and when the engine is spinning, I turn on the ignition. This helps but occasionally I still get the problem.

John

This post has just brought back memories of decompression levers on old large singles, (motorbikes.....before the slant eyes took over)

Mick

It might be an ideal to do cranking voltage test --- look for about 10.5 volts across the battery when cranking a warm engine with the ignition off.

13.5:1 compression is really way on the high side particularly if you aren't running a full race cam.

quote:13.5:1 compression is really way on the high side particularly if you aren't running a full race cam.

No this is a properly built n/a Cosworth race engine with all the right bits.

I've just spoken to Burton and their suggestion is a geared starter which I was hoping to avoid.

John

Remember reading in CCC magazine years ago, possibly an article by David Vizard that a lot of hot rod racers used a starter from an automatic as they have more cranking power.

A slightly cheaper tham burton's geared starter here

Cheers

Mark

Thank you for your replies, particularly mookaloid. I have contacted the Ebay seller and he tells me that it is a pre-engaged starter which is what I need and it does sound as if it is the solution to the problem and as you say a lot cheaper than from Burtons.

Thank you once again

John

you do not say what battery you have fitted.

a small capacity battery is not doing you any favours helping to start the engine.

quote from original message:Every so often, the starter will not turn over the engine. It doesn't happen every time and more often when it does, the engine is hot. The starter I have is a new one as are the 075 battery and 70 Amp alternator. Compression on my engine is 13.5:1.

The 075 battery will start a 2 litre diesel.

John,

I have one (OK, two) dumb question(s), and I'm quite sure that you've got it covered but...

a) How thick is the cable from the battery to the starter?
b) How thick is the engine earth strap?
c) Have you checked the connections and the earthing?

(Damn! 3 questions!)

Hi David

I've checked that there is no voltage drop at the starter and the earth strap is battery cable with sound connections at either end. The cables are the heavy duty type.

I've done a bit of checking and I think this is not uncommon for this engine hence the need for and availability of geared starters.

The strange thing is that it does not do it every time and seems to happen if you try to restart after stallling; the very time when you need to cover your confusion with a quick restart!!

If the situation doesn't get any worse I'll stick with what I've got because it has always started, in the end.

atb

John