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[RobG]

Fully charged battery. Tried a jumper from -ve battery to engine, still clicks, gave the motor a few whacks, still clicks. Is it donald :question

[Lazydocker]

Sounds like it may be

[RobG]

Easy enough to do Paul?

[Lazydocker]

Pass? Shouldn't think it's too bad :-/ :-/

They're normally pretty reliable though so I'd be thoroughly checking all the connections first

[TheBoy]

Bit fiddly as I recall...

[albitz]

Agreed. Check and check again all relevant wiring/connections. The starters dont often go wrong afaik.
If it needs changing the o/s engine mount needs to come off afaik, which I imagine means supporting engine from underneath until job is done.
Not that bad I suppose, and in your case, well worth the effort.

[Kevin Wood]

Try applying 12v directly to the solenoid input before condemning the starter motor. It's not impossible that there's a bit of resistance in the gearbox starter inhibit switch or wiring that is preventing it from engaging fully.

[RobG]

Try applying 12v directly to the solenoid input before condemning the starter motor. It's not impossible that there's a bit of resistance in the gearbox starter inhibit switch or wiring that is preventing it from engaging fully.

Is that the heavy cable Kev :-/

[feeutfo]

Master once described the starter as bullet proof. He's not often wrong....

[Kevin Wood]

Try applying 12v directly to the solenoid input before condemning the starter motor. It's not impossible that there's a bit of resistance in the gearbox starter inhibit switch or wiring that is preventing it from engaging fully.

Is that the heavy cable Kev :-/

No, it's the thinner of the two, black and red.

Not sure what access to the starter is like, but if it's OK use a thickish bit of wire to connect it to battery positive making absolutely certain that the car is not in gear and that you don't short the cable to anywhere else and see if the engine turns over. (Alternatively, use a screwdriver to bridge the thick B+ terminal on the starter to the solenoid input.)

Additionally, you can put a multimeter on a Voltage range between this wire and the thick battery positive to the starter and see how much voltage drop you get when an assistant turns the key. Any more than a volt or two I would regard as suspicious.

If the black and red solenoid wire is the more positive of the two, this points to a problem in the thick B+ wire to the starter (it frequently becomes loose in the crimp at the positive battery terminal). If the black and red is negative with respect to the B+ wire, it points to a problem in the solenoid feed (high resistance in an interlock switch of the ignition switch perhaps?).

[RobG]

Thanks for the detailed info Kev, will give it a go

[Darth Loo-knee]

Starters hardly ever go wrong... I have changed only one (the other day)

Not a hard job but rather a fiddley pain in the arse job.

1. Undo the engine mount nuts, lift the to enable you to remove the Mount.
2. Remove engine mount bracket.
3. There are two Torx headed bolts E12 that hold the Starter to the block.
4. 13mm socket/spanner & 10mm socket/spanner to undo the two wires...

[Kevin Wood]

Another thing to try.. Turn the key and give the gear lever a waggle, and also try starting it in Neutral rather than Park.

[Andy B]

Another thing to try.. Turn the key and give the gear lever a waggle, and also try starting it in Neutral rather than Park.

It seems to me that the starter circuit is OK as the starter (presumably the solenoid) clicks when the key is turned. 

[Kevin Wood]

Another thing to try.. Turn the key and give the gear lever a waggle, and also try starting it in Neutral rather than Park.

It seems to me that the starter circuit is OK as the starter (presumably the solenoid) clicks when the key is turned. 

There's clearly something there, but the solenoid needs lots of current to pull in fully, so if there's high resistance anywhere it can cause these symptoms.