51 diesel Mondeo starter motor

rmg1

Hi all

I don't know if this is a "design feature" or not, but it's annoying.
Half the time when I'm trying to start the car, the starter motor spins like it's not connected to anything.
I never park my car in gear and I always check that it's in neutral before I turn the key (not necessary but a habit I've got into).

It always starts (eventually) but it can take 5 or 6 goes to get it going.

Anyone any ideas?

cbrpaul

my 51 plate fiesta has a similar problem ,

Turn key and you get a horrible "shreeking" noise ,

I had the starter replaced , only for it to have no effect ,

thenwas told its the ring gear on the flywheel worn !!:o

Basically a large cog sits on the flywheel , and the starter motor gear wheel flies out and engages with the ring gear on fly wheel ,

If the two cogs dont engage the starter motor will just grind away at the ring gear on the flywheel

Bit of a job to change the ring gear on the flywheel !!!

payless

You don't want to read https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1415651

starter motor issues in those Mondeo may be a sign of Dual Mass Flywheel problems , that said they are good workhorses so if can live with it ?

rmg1

Thanks for the good news :eek:
Mine's a 2.0 TDDI engine if it makes any difference?

payless

TDCI seem to have more issues than TDDI ( which I believe also has DMF) , that said guess more TDCI around.

Maybe try and get ( you or garage) the starter off and cleaned up ? are you suffering any of the other issues associated with DMF failure ?

I had a 2002 model, was concerned after reading up, but to be honest it was a good car.

forgotmyname

TDCI appears to have more issues because there are more of them. TDDI only made for 2 years, TDCI
made for 6 years with many more sold.

£500 - £800 to fit a new clutch and DMF. DONT fit a single mass flywheel. DONT buy the parts and
supply the garage. Unless your fitting it yourself or paying a mate.

Paying a garage to fit your parts could be costly if something doesnt fit or breaks soon after. Double the
labour bill to remove it again.

harveybobbles

New DMF is needed. While the gear box is out, I'd fit a new clutch too for the extra £80.

Ask them to clean the starter motor out and you should be ok.

luap2411

This used to happen with starters when the bendix became clogged up, usually with dust through normal wear from the clutch plate.

The bendix is the worm type gear on the end of the starter, when the starter is spun this normally moves up the starter shaft to engage the with the ring gear, which then spins the engine. If it gets clogged up it won't get thrown up the shaft and engage with the ring gear, so you just hear the start spinning away.

After a few attempts it might engage, but it will become worse and fail to engage at all. There is also a risk that it will engage, and once the motor starts it doesn't retract again, this can be nasty.

Before I started to worry about dual mass flywheels I would get someone to take the starter off and inspect the bendix action, usually a good clean will recover things. For info type starter bendix into youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwAK4p04Rh4

Although slightly different to a car starter this shows the principle of the moving gear that can get clogged.

molerat

And the last time I saw a bendix on a car starter was ............ about 197something. They are all pre-engage now so if it is spinning it should be engaged.