92 Sc400 Starter Motor - Engages Too Long

[AppleJack]

I've noticed a strange sound from the starter motor on my 92 SC400 over the last 3 - 6 months. The starter engages fine and turns the engine over and it starts right up .. but then I hear a strange winding down sound. I'm certain the winding down is from the starter but it isn't normal - and it almost seems like it stays engaged with the flywheel/motor too long and it gets forced a little by the engine and revs up the starter motor. Then finally after it disengages - this might be the soft "wwheeerrrriinnnng" sound as the starter motor slows down to a stop.

Any thoughts or ideas on this? Is it hard to get to the starter - and what part of it may need to be checked out/rebuilt?

(thanks in advance)

[jzz30]

well bad news buddy, the starter is hard to get to as its under the intake manifold and to hit you even harder the two nuts you need to take off are right against the firewall and are hard to reach also

as for the starter issue if its anything its probably the solinoid contact has pitted and is fusing together and if this presists the starter will stay engauged and you wont be able to turn your car off unless you disconnect your battery.

[lovlex]

disconnecting the battery won't work because doesn't the car run off the alternator, once it's running?

[jzz30]

yea but the starter wont keep on turning the motor over so as long as the ignition is off the car will shut down

[AppleJack]

Anyways guys - thanks for the info .... I've got an ex-Lexus mechanic and friend checking it out. Sounds like its a major pain to get at - but once you have it the solenoid or contacts can be rebuilt? (Is there a link to instructions / pics to get at the starter?)

[jzz30]

yea you can rebuild it but i would just take it in to a starter rebuilding shop because most of the time the bearings go too because of the heat. it will brobably run like a hundred bucks with new bearings and everything.

[AppleJack]

ok. sounds like the same thing I did with the alternator. Instead of giving the dealer a whack of cash - I spent a fraction of the price to get it reman'd... and with a 1 yr warranty ....

[jzz30]

thats the plan!

[AppleJack]

Ok - now back to square one. Does anyone know of any links or instructions to remove the starter motor... thanks.

[AppleJack]

Well - my starter just went on me... Now I just get the wonderfull little "CLICK" sound when I turn the key....

I saw a good link a few months ago on how to get to it - but can't find it now. Anyone with tips and pics or links etc on this - please let me know.

thanks

[lexus082]

Ok - now back to square one.  Does anyone know of any links or instructions to remove the starter motor...  thanks.

←

Here you go, have fun with it:) http://www.lextreme.com/starter.html

[AppleJack]

Well the instructions were really good. Especially the ratchet with the flex head - worked great to get the two hard bolts loosened.

I have a flurry of questions:

It's probably a good idea to test the rebuilt starter before I put it back in. I've read that in several places and think its a good idea. However I'm not sure exactly how to do this - Should I just reconnect the battery and reconnect the starter terminals and let it sit loose in the V of the engine and then turn the key to start? Will the start motor torque and spin? - or Should I hold it while a friend gives it a crank? Also, with all the other 20 or so sensor disconnected all over the engine - will there be alarms/faults which will prevent the engine from trying to turn the starter motor over at all ...?

What about the gas line - it will have fuel pumped out - should I be ready with a small tank to catch it ... I'm assuming I need to crank for about 2-3 seconds to make sure the gear moves out and turns ... and I should try that a couple of times before installing everything back together ...

THanks for all the help - because this was a stretch of a job for me but it's almost over once I get the rebuilt starter back!!!

[jzz30]

if you had your starter rebuilt then most places test it before they give it to you so i wouldnt worry. and yea you might get a check engine if you turn on your car with a buch of things disconnected

[AppleJack]

Right. I kinda agree - but I need to make sure it will engage and turn over properly once installed ensuring no little connection hiccups. For you guys who have done this job - you can appreciate not spending another 10 hours digging back into the engine for some goofy little thing ...

(by the way - starter had a destroyed bearing and contacts were needing replacement soon since car has 220,000Km)

Has anyone put their starter in and had issues with error codes which would not allow turning the key to test the starter (while injectors, manifolds, etc are still removed ...)??

[Nick T]

AppleJack,

Take your rebuilt starter to your local pepboys, advanced auto, trak auto etc. and have them bench test the starter. Most offer this service for free.

Do not crank it while someone is holding the starter, very bad idea. The starter will put out so much torque it will probably fly all over the place.

I would also advise against trying to crank it with the top-end uninstalled. More risk then it's worth.

Regards

Nick T

[AppleJack]

Good day. Well I finally did the big starter change job - and what a job it was.

Long story short- I put everything back together and it started right up.

New problem - car is running rough?? Need help?

* no black smoke , no blue smoke, no white smoke.

* engine seems to rock a bit when idling

* slow rough accleration in gear, and even in Neutral revs up slowly - and sounds waffley

* I had cleaned the throttle body and both intake manifolds to remove carbon gunk build up....

- My gut feeling is it is not electrical or fuel related as I was meticulous about every electrical connecter. Are there some hoses in particular which may cause this effect? such as vacuum lines or EGR parts ...?

thoughts or pointer are appreciated

[AppleJack]

Update on my rough running engine. I don't think it has anything to do with the vaccuum lines.

While the engine is running, I went through each of the wire connections (to the plugs) and pulled them. The first one and last one made the engine run worse. The middle two (#3 and #5) didn't cause any change - so they're not firing!

Oddly enought these two ignition wires are fed from the other distributer on the left side. I'll have to dig back in under the left cover just to make sure the wires are connected - and then I'll go through the same process.

(I also wasn't sure if maybe the two injectors were not working - but when I touch them with a long screwdriver I can feel their pulsation so I think they're ok)

Any one else have any ideas ...

[jzz30]

check your iginition stuffs or try and swtich the wires from the other side and see if the symptoms transfer or stay on the side

[AppleJack]

Well, I've crossed the two wires at the distributer and now corrected the ignition cables and it runs fine - but now I notice that when I shut off the engine - I hear that thermal cooling sound - like "clinking" from underneath the passenger side under the vehicle. For years I've hear some clinking from cooling and its normal to have some - but now it's pretty intense and

I"m wondering if I could have screwed up my catalytic converter? I also notice a fair amount of heat generated from beneath my vehicle if it has been running for 15 -20 minutes and as I open the door on the drivers side the heat just swoops up...

Does my car have 2 catalytic converters? Is there an easy way to tell without removing the catalytic converter?