So I finally got this all cleaned up and back together, refitted. All in all it took me way more than 3 hours, more like 7 or 8!

In the end I loosened the drop-links for the sway bar on both sides, then used straps to hold the bar down in it's lowest position in order to get enough clearance to get the starter motor out through the side of the subframe.


The next challenge is breaking the spot weld on the starter motor, a bit of wiggling and then some gentle persuasion with a chisel managed to break it, without damaging the internals.

Click image to enlarge

Wow Siftah, well done!

I bought a spare used starter and I am trying to get the black solenoid cover off, could you pls elaborate on this

Quote:

The next challenge is breaking the spot weld on the starter motor, a bit of wiggling and then some gentle persuasion with a chisel managed to break it, without damaging the internals.

Well, there's basically three nuts holding the cover on, but then two electrodes that protrude through the cover, one just slides in but the second is the difficult one - pictures above with the chisel next to it.

That one is bent around and back on itself and then spot welded.

I was able to wiggle the bottom bit free (it looks like only the top bit is spot welded). Then I used a chisel to carefully prise the top part of the spot weld free - couple of gentle taps with the hammer and some wiggling and it broke.

It's a bit delicate but it's do-able. To re-fit I just re-bent the tab around and put some solder into it to make the electrical connection. There shouldn't be too much strain or movement there so it should be ok.

Not much else to say!

thx Siftah, I got it off. no breakages!
did you remove the propeller shaped copper contact to clean it?

. Cheers, Greg
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2011 Vogue SE 4.4 with lots of toys in Stornaway

I’ve only just seen this thread.

You can easily remove the starter motor from these in 30 minutes from underneath the car without removing anything other than the undertray.

I’ve done it on ours and with a bit of wiggling and manipulating you can get the starter out through the gaps in the subframe.

I’m lucky to have a ramp to do ours on but if you get jack the front up and get it on axle stands the same should be possible.

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

GGDR wrote:

thx Siftah, I got it off. no breakages!
did you remove the propeller shaped copper contact to clean it?

.

dhallworth wrote:

I’ve only just seen this thread.

You can easily remove the starter motor from these in 30 minutes from underneath the car without removing anything other than the undertray.

I’ve done it on ours and with a bit of wiggling and manipulating you can get the starter out through the gaps in the subframe.

I’m lucky to have a ramp to do ours on but if you get jack the front up and get it on axle stands the same should be possible.

David.

It did look like it should fit, but I couldn't get it too tbh. I concentrated on getting it out through the side as that's what I'd seen recommended though, so perhaps I didn't spend long enough trying to get it out through the bottom, dunno

I can't work out how to remove the propellor-shaped contact but don't think I need to.
I didn't know about the masking tape so I will blow it all out and hope for the best.

how about the textured / knurled surfaces vs the smooth? Siftah you went smooth for both and the guy in the video did too.

Why do we think there is a knurled surface there? (and not on the other side)?

EDIT: the guy that posted the video said in a subsequent film that his fix lasted two weeks. He then looked to upgrade the supply cable. Cheers, Greg
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2011 Vogue SE 4.4 with lots of toys in Stornaway

I went for smooth as it's what he did in the video and I have no easy way of creating a knurled surface.

It seems more logical it should be flat in order to make a good contact, but I'd also not spotted his follow-up video...

I've probably started the car about 20 times since doing it and it's still working great, even with the battery in a low state of charge. I had lots of corrosion around the trigger wire contacts that I also cleaned up, but I can see why the trigger wire mod is done, it looks far too thin to me and I've got some wire and protective tubing ready now, so will do that mod if/when I have any issues :\

** EDIT ** You said supply cable not the trigger cable. I thought the supply cable looked pretty beefy to be honest, the posts in the other threads here seem to concentrate on the trigger wire as being the issue...

** EDIT NUMBER 2, last one, promise **

Yup, just watched the video and he's talking about the trigger wire rather than the supply wire. I think whilst you've got the car apart, it's worth doing this - I was a bit pressed for time and didn't have the cable shielding available so didn't do it. He runs his wire without any protection which I would not advise, personally!

Siftah yes trigger cable sorry Cheers, Greg
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2011 Vogue SE 4.4 with lots of toys in Stornaway

Guys what kind of contact grease should I apply to the cleaned copper contacts?

I have some marine "Contra Lube 770", is it ok?

Quote:

CONTRALUBE 770 - THE TERMINAL CONNECTOR
Use Contralube 770 on all your electronic/electrical and signal/data connections. It will protect your connectors and terminals from moisture, corrosion, oxidation, dust, vibration etc.

Contralube770 was originally designed for the automotive industry. This state of the art grease can protect all your connections – multipin connections, spade contacts, battery connections, external antennae connections; pretty much everything electro/mechanical, its also compatible with most plastics.

Primarily it is an electrical contact grease but it can be used for loads of different jobs, such as: Electrical connections (multi-pin, bullet, spade etc), automotive bulbs contact areas, spark plug boots, distributor/ignition systems, hinges, locks, latches, trailer hitch electrical connections, springs, gears, seat tracks, battery terminals, door latches, antennas and much more....

just to update, I've now done this with a dead starter off ebay, took it apart, revitalised the contacts, used the contra-lube then finally got the car up on a jack on the weekend, wheel off, undertrays etc off and with some wrestling the starter came out through the triangle shaped subframe gap directly under the starter. The gap under the the arch where the anti-roll bar did not come close to letting the starter through. So far is't working a treat and a £30 fix so well pleased. Cheers, Greg
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2011 Vogue SE 4.4 with lots of toys in Stornaway

Last edited by GGDR on 24th Aug 2023 2:04pm. Edited 2 times in total

Can those that went ahead to file off / clean the solenoid copper contacts tell us if this is a lasting long term solution? If it needed to be done again, how long after? 2011 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8

Having just done mine, I am wondering the same  Cheers, Greg
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2011 Vogue SE 4.4 with lots of toys in Stornaway