Starter Motor Delay

[stericker]

I use my LS400 MK 4 every day and every day it starts within about two revolutions of the starter motor.

For the last couple of days there has been a fractional delay before the starter motor starts to react.

Is there a problem looming ?

[The-Acre]

1 hour ago, stericker said:

I use my LS400 MK 4 every day and every day it starts within about two revolutions of the starter motor.

For the last couple of days there has been a fractional delay before the starter motor starts to react.

Is there a problem looming ?

Sounds like starter motor contacts, fairly common on the LS.  Cheap parts but sadly a long job.

[stericker]

Thanks Phil. Does that mean immediate attention or will it gradually get worse ?

What sort of money are we talking about if I took it to an indie ?

[cruisermark]

Have a read here:

 

[dendonc]

3 hours ago, The-Acre said:

Cheap parts but sadly a long job.

a) If it's a lexus starter motor lexus edgware rd was doing a refurb exchange for 250 quid a couple of years ago.

b) I have no idea what the problem is, or the 'maybe' emerging problem but I can tell you this much applies to the 1995 LS......The starter motor is at the back of the engine between the cab and the top manifold, that has to come off to get the starter motor off, it's a long, hateful, pig of a job & it's going to cost a bit in indi charges, so 'be prepared', if it stops starting it's simply going to leave you stuck where ever you happen to be, part from that, happy new year......I don't know if it's the same on a 1999 LS.

>Take this into account unless you know for sure what the problem is: If you go an indi they might have to find where they can get any parts needed, then get them & 'possibly' have to wait a while for the parts, any customers car is taking up space for other repairs whilst waiting for parts & stopping an indi making money on that space, maybe your not far from Lexus edgware rd (carlise rd servicing etc) in which case it might be more worth while to get the thing off & by prior arrangement just do the exchange, as I said its a real pig of a thing if the 1999 still had the starter attached to top manifold.

Another alternative, you can buy a refurb from Lexus edgware rd, get it put on & take the old one (providing its a lexus starter motor) and get a refund on the full price, obviously you need to get more details from lexus service dept carlisle rd, but, if it were me, that option is what I'd do, after I wipe the tears away.

 

 

[steve2006]

It’s not a pleasant job to do,  cheap for the repair parts but back breaking in all other respects.

[Bluesman]

6 hours ago, stericker said:

I use my LS400 MK 4 every day and every day it starts within about two revolutions of the starter motor.

For the last couple of days there has been a fractional delay before the starter motor starts to react.

Is there a problem looming ?

It may just be the freezing cold weather we are having at present.

[Farqui]

5 minutes ago, Bluesman said:

It may just be the freezing cold weather we are having at present.

Indeedy, slowing the electrickery and/or early signs of a tired Battery.

[The-Acre]

4 hours ago, stericker said:

Thanks Phil. Does that mean immediate attention or will it gradually get worse ?

What sort of money are we talking about if I took it to an indie ?

If it is the starter contacts it will gradually get worse, eventually it won't turn at all.  I can't remember now exactly what they charged me, I think it was about £250 labour and parts were £13.

The starters themselves seem pretty tough, just a shame the contacts aren't!   Obviously you need to make sure it's not something silly like a loose Battery terminal.

[dendonc]

47 minutes ago, Bluesman said:

t may just be the freezing cold weather we are having at present.

 Im in inner London & we have not yet gone below freezing, that said, why on earth would a cars starter mot go wonky 'cause its below freezing, even with my total illiteracy of mechanics I know thats not what happens.

[dendonc]

42 minutes ago, Farqui said:

Indeedy, slowing the electrickery and/or early signs of a tired battery.

Yes!

[ambermarine]

There is another cause of slow start contact and that is the starter relay,when the starter problem occurs  the starter solenoid contact as a clicking sound just like a low Battery causes ,this disables the starter because it can't get enough power .

from your description you are not having that problem.

I would get the Battery and starter relay checked before the starter motor.

[ColinBarber]

32 minutes ago, dendonc said:

why on earth would a cars starter mot go wonky 'cause its below freezing, even with my total illiteracy of mechanics I know thats not what happens.

grease is thicker which creates resistance on the solenoid, bearings  and ring gear.

[The-Acre]

39 minutes ago, dendonc said:

 Im in inner London & we have not yet gone below freezing, that said, why on earth would a cars starter mot go wonky 'cause its below freezing, even with my total illiteracy of mechanics I know thats not what happens.

I think Mike is saying that the cold weather zaps a car's Battery very quickly, which is an important point.

[dendonc]

54 minutes ago, ambermarine said:

I would get the battery and starter relay checked before the starter motor.

Yes, I remember having my Battery checked a couple of times, its simple & a regular indi usually does it for free

[dendonc]

38 minutes ago, The-Acre said:

cold weather zaps a car's battery very quickly, which is an important point.

Yes, but would that cause 'a fractional delay' for the starter to actually kick in/react? I ask 'cause on the odd occasions over the years when my Battery has run down I have never noticed anything with the starting motors.

[Bluesman]

40 minutes ago, dendonc said:

Yes, but would that cause 'a fractional delay' for the starter to actually kick in/react? I ask 'cause on the odd occasions over the years when my battery has run down I have never noticed anything with the starting motors.

I know I take longer to get my self-going in the cold weather.

[Bluesman]

2 hours ago, dendonc said:

 Im in inner London & we have not yet gone below freezing, that said, why on earth would a cars starter mot go wonky 'cause its below freezing, even with my total illiteracy of mechanics I know thats not what happens.

I have relatives who live in Hillingdon and they have had to clear frost from their screens several mornings.

[stericker]

Thanks to all of you for your comments/suggestions. At the age of 77 I am not going to start

taking the car to bits. My first car was a 1929 MG 'M' type (with boat back) and I could dismantle

the engine and put it together again but today's engines are beyond me.I think Lexus Edgeware Road

is probably the answer. It might be the weather - living in East Finchley, one of the highest points in London,

we have had a number of below freezing mornings.

[cornershop]

We’ve just moved out of East Finchley, I only ever saw a Silver LS400 mk4 with a private plate outside the Aylmer Pantry coffee shop nr the Esso on route to Highgate.

Anyway, I would not recommend Lexus Edgware after my only experience last year.

Maybe try Japex in kings Langley - near the train station so easy journey via Euston and circa half the labour rate for a job which is pretty much 95% labour.

Probably worth putting your Battery on charge overnight, before paying someone to investigate further.

[Texas]

+1 on giving the Battery a charge and thus eliminating it, easy to do (  if you have a Battery charger of course) and at no real cost.

if a charging session makes a big difference to the next start up afterwards then your Battery prob needs a good charge as if you are using it as a daily driver this time of year ( short daylight hours) then unless you go over 30+ miles then you are prob taking more out of the Battery in each journey with current draw than is being put back in!

paul m.

[plastic orange]

I'm sure I was charged £150 to fix the starter - plus the cost of the new contacts. I too went down the checking Battery route etc, but when it eventually failed to start it was a relay job to the garage. Like most things on these cars, if they are showing a problem at X age or mileage, rest assured it will happen to you - or so it seems lol.

 

Pete

[stericker]

So maybe it was the weather after all. Forthe last 20 or so starts there has been no problem.