Starter motor

I put the van through the CVRT the other day. I would normally arrange the annual service before the test but that didn’t happen this year. But it passed ok. I mentioned it to the test centre/ garage that I want to book it in for a service. I also mentioned I have an intermittent starter problem. Sometimes it clicks and nothing happens, other times the starter free wheels.

I enquired about the cost to replace the starter. They told me they don’t replace them, they recondition them. I was surprised. I thought these days they would just replace. The cost of a replacement starter on Mick’s garage, is little more than a hundred euro. I don’t see how they could re-condition for cheaper than that. ??

I think the price he quoted me for the re-con was more expensive than a new unit from Micks garage, John. I can’t remember what he said because he was toting up the labour costs too. But I think about €150 + labour. All in all €300 to €400. Not an insignificant amount. It seems a no brainer to stick in a new unit if it is only a hundred quid. Of coarse it hasn’t been properly troubleshooted so I can’t say it is the starter/ solenoid with 100% certainty.

Hopefully it isn’t a damaged ring gear, troubled with a lot of replacement starters is they are Chinese inferior quality, same go’s for reconditioned units, many are using the cheap Chinese copy components to rebuild your own unit.

Mick's garage would probably be a Chinese starter

At this stage I’ll get the garage to troubleshoot the problem and advise. Life’s too short sometimes to be arsed.

Since lockdown I've been of the same feeling.

Fixed a mysterious diesel leak which wasn't a diesel leak.

Oil pipe from oil filter to oil pressure gauge was split, it's right at the top of the engine and was running down. Now I know where all my oil was going!