Rover 214 & 414 Service and Repair Manual - Rover club

9 Starting system - testing
2
1 If the starter motor fails to operate when the
switch is operated, the following may be the
cause:
a) The battery is faulty.
b) The electrical connections between the
ignition switch, solenoid, battery and
starter motor are somewhere failing to
pass the necessary current from the
battery through the starter to earth.
c) The solenoid is faulty.
d) The starter relay is faulty.
e) The starter motor is mechanically or
electrically defective.
2 To check the battery, switch on the
headlamps. If they dim after a few seconds
then the battery is discharged. Recharge or
renew the battery. If the lamps glow brightly,
operate the ignition switch and see what
happens to the lamps. If they dim, then you
know that power is reaching the starter motor,
therefore the motor must be removed and
renewed or overhauled to cure the fault. If the
lamps stay bright (and no clicking sound can
be heard from the solenoid), there is a fault in
the circuit or solenoid. If the starter turns
slowly when switched on, but the battery is in
good condition, then either the starter must
be faulty or there is considerable resistance in
the circuit.
10.4 Starter solenoid main terminal nut (A)
and spade connector (B)
10.6a Starter motor lower mounting bolts
viewed from underneath
3 If the circuit is suspected, disconnect the
battery terminals (including the earth
connection to the body), the starter/solenoid
wiring and the engine/gearbox unit earth lead,
thoroughly clean their connections and refit
them, then use a meter or test lamp to check
that full battery voltage is available at the
solenoid terminal of the battery positive lead
and that the earth is sound. Smear petroleum
jelly around the battery terminals to prevent
corrosion. Corroded connections are the most
frequent cause of electrical system
malfunctions.
4 If the battery and all connections are in
good condition, check the circuit first by
disconnecting the wire from the solenoid
blade terminal. Connect a meter or test lamp
between the wire end and the terminal and
check that the wire is live when the ignition
switch is operated. If it is, then the circuit is
sound. If not, proceed to paragraph 7.
5 The solenoid contacts can be checked by
putting a voltmeter or test lamp across the
main cable connection on the starter side of
the solenoid and earth. When the switch is
operated, there should be a reading or
lighted bulb. If there is no reading or lighted
bulb, the solenoid is faulty and should be
renewed.
6 If the circuit and solenoid are proved
sound, the fault must be in the starter motor.
Remove the motor and check its brushes. If
the fault does not lie in the brushes, the motor
windings must be faulty. In this event, the
10.5 Starter motor support bracket-togearbox
bolts
10.6b Starter motor upper mounting bolt
and earth strap (arrowed) - viewed from
above
1689 Rover 214 & 414 Updated Version 09/97
Starting and charging systems 5C•5
motor must be renewed, unless an autoelectrical
specialist can be found who will
overhaul the unit at a cost significantly less
than that of a new or exchange starter motor.
7 If the circuit is thought to be faulty, first
check the starter relay which is situated in the
engine compartment fusebox. A simple test is
to temporarily replace it with one of the other
relays from the fusebox, such as the
cooling fan relay, which is known to be in a
good condition. If this resolves the fault, then
the starter relay is faulty and must be
renewed. If not, check the ignition switch and
wiring.
10 Starter motor -
removal and refitting 2
Removal
1 Disconnect the battery negative lead.
2 Firmly apply the handbrake then jack up the
front of the vehicle and support it on axle
stands. Remove the right-hand front
roadwheel.
3 From underneath the front of the vehicle,
slacken and remove the three bolts securing
the bumper flange to the body. Remove
the seven bolts securing the front
undercover panel to the body and remove the
panel.
4 Undo the nut and disconnect the battery
cable from the main solenoid terminal.
Carefully disconnect the spade connector
from the solenoid (see illustration).
5 Unscrew the two bolts securing the starter
motor support bracket to the gearbox (see
illustration).
6 Slacken and remove the three starter motor
mounting bolts, noting the earth strap which is
fitted to the upper bolt, and manoeuvre the
starter motor out from underneath the vehicle
(see illustrations).
Refitting
7 Refitting is a reverse of the removal
sequence, tightening all nuts and bolts to their
specified torque settings.
10.6c Removing the starter motor
5C