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MG MGB Technical - Nice fried Starter


This is a photo of two of my starters which I have replaced. The one with the corrosion replaced the one the right. When I took the one on the left out I noticed some blackening on the terminal and should have paid more attention at the time. I took a look at the last eve and I guess over the past 16 months the black has somewhat matured into a white corrosive mess.

The current installed starter shows no signs of shorting out/burning etc, just some wires which looks like one has seen better days. This weekend I will be taking a much closer look, but I am sure that the starter shows no signs etc.

I am not sure if this was a bad starter from the beginning or not, or somehow related the starter and wiring issues I have at the moment. Of the three starters I have sitting around it is only the one on the left which shows signs of shorting etc.

Any ideas what may have caused this or was it a faulty starter from the beginning. I had bought it at a car show and the guy tested it for me there and then

Cheers

Gerry

GG Ginty

GG-
The LH one shows signs (discoloured nuts) that it was a bit warm at the solenoid-motor connector, consistent with the blackening you said was there. That is probably from a loose/dirty connection. The heat from that burned off any oil or paint in the area and the white corrosion is just normal for extremely clean aluminum alloy that has been exposed to humidity. White corrosion could also be a result of cleaners that were used (by the guy who cleaned it up to sell it) and got down around the rubber/plastic insulator and have come out to slowly eat the alloy. Good chance that if everything including the connection is cleaned up it will be fine. WD40 is excellent for cleaning up such stuff.

The oily one doesn't have the white fuzz problem because it is covered with oil & paint, but could still have a bad connection at the solenoid/motor connection.

Three starters that "fixed" it and then fail intermittently is a dead giveaway that you have wiring issues. When you change the starters you move the wires around in all sorts of ways and temporarily improve the bad connections. Crimped connectors and splices are especially known for this behavior.

FRM
FR Millmore

Thanks... Just have to find the culprit it's down there somewhere. Will be underneath this weekend

Thanks
GG Ginty

GG, are you functional yet?

FRM
FR Millmore

Yes Fletcher I am up and running now. Better than ever. Not sure if you got my e-mail or not!
GG Ginty

This thread was discussed between 12/04/2011 and 09/06/2011

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