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Tips
Tips

starter woes?

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d a

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Just tried to start my xjs tonite after trying out my rearranged garage but only got a "click". I assumed battery and try to jump it but to my surprise still got the "click". Sounds like a starter to me... any thoughts? How tough is it to change?? Are they rebuildable?
Don
94 XJS V12, 66k miles
 
I have had my starter in and out a few times. It is not a simple task. Check the battery for a dead cell , low water or low specific gravity. Itis easier to rule out the battery first. If the battery is low, it will engage, but not turn.

The 94 v-12 uses a smaller high torque starter (about $325). it is pretty much indestuctable though. To get it out, undo the r/h exhaust at the three bolt flange just behind the first muffler. Drop the exhaust at the second catalytic converter. You have to remove the four nuts holding the y-catalytic converter in place. There is a clip holding the O2 Lambda sensor cable inside the r/h wheel well. Remove the cable from the clip so that the converter will drop all the way. You will swear that Coventry started with the converter and built the rest of the car around it. Be patient. It has to be removed to make enough reoom to lower the starter. I tried every other combination, including loostening the motor mount and jacking the engine. There is no other way that I could find to get it out. Two hours and several scraped knuckles is my fastest time.
 
Help! 2 Hours! I spent all day trying to figure out how to get the downpipe/cat whatever, down and out of the way so I can get to the starter. It won't come down! It moves around in that space but won't come down. It seems that I can't get around the exhaust header studs?? I am really stumped. removing the 4 header bolts, the exhaust bolt connecting the cat to the exhaust pipe were not much of a problem, it just won't come out!! Also, any tips on getting to the top starter bolt(when and if I ever get that far)?
thanks
Don
 
I haven't removed one of these so I can't offer any specific advice on this car,....but are you *sure* the connections to the starter and solonoid are good? I wouldn't even take the starter out on my Sprite (easy) until I was absolutely sure all the connections were clean and tight. Also check key switch (although if it clicks, this is probably OK).
 
After what I've been through so far with what I thought would be a one or half day job, this starter had better be bad. I checked all connections(they were pretty rusty on the starter and solenoid posts but cleaned up OK), put battery directly to starter, used another car battery directly to starter (bypassed solenoid) and got nothing but a high current drain and warm 6 guage cables (no sounds). If there is another check I can make, let me know because as of now it's still in, but I'm working on that.

Don
 
Got It! Albeit the long way around. It was bad connections after all. Lessons learned:
1. Ask you guys BEFORE I start taking things apart!
2. Always, Always, Always, check the connections first!!!
3. You can get this starter out in 2-3 hours!
4. You must drop the rh exhaust to get the starter out.
Finally, FYI, the top starter bolt on my 94 XJS is a 11mm and the bottom bolt is a 14mm.
Thanks to all for suggestions, help and education....The cat is on the road again!!

Don
 
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