MTodd

Hi,

I was recently at a track event with my 88' 911 and after my third time out and with a hot engine and good battery, my starter would not turn(engage?). An on-site guru quickly diagnosed the problem as my starter solenoid.

He poked around some underneath and got it started and noted that when a 911 is hot and has a soon-to-fail solenoid/starter this non-starting is a problem.

Has anyone out there had this problem? If so did you go with just a solenoid replacement or the entire starter/soleniod? Or was the problem something else? I think that getting to the starter involves a partial engine drop - so any ideas of labor involved here?

Thanks

Barry Schultz

If your starter is situated like mine is (I have an SC), your starter can be removed along with it's solenoid without a lot of fanfare and certainly without a partial engine drop.
I have experienced the same thing with my starter when it got hot, for me it was on a long trip, and I simply removed the entire starter along with the solenoid still attached and took it to a local auto-electric shop to be freshened up (new brushes, checked over, etc.) After re-installation the problem went away. If you have a 'good' shop , it will make a difference on your outcome. Bottom line is to take the starter out and have it checked over before buying anything new, including the solenoid. You may be OK with what you have. I hope this helps some. Good luck

ned monaghan

You must remove the tranny support shift linkage etc. and lower the front to access the drivers side bolt on the starter, compliments of the G50 gearbox. All low tech but it is tedious.
Note that in the parts and tech book they discuss a ring gear issue for these cars, apparently some need a longer gear, mine, an 87, has good engagement though.
Ned Monaghan

JDaniel

Could you give me some information on the Ring Gear issue? During startup, my '87 sometimes makes a sound similar to a starter not completely contacting the ring gear... or else the ring gear is missing a few teeth.
thanks,
Dan Tolley

ned monaghan

Dan,
I also had a nasty starting noise which took me too long to diagnose. I was quite certain it was chain related until I clutch started it on a hill and the noise went away. Somehow the solenoid would not engage properly at times with resulting head hiding noises. A rebuild fixed that, and I reaalised then that the starter had not been spinning the engine fast enough. It's great now.
Regarding the ring gear issue, if the engine numbers are outside the range of 64K01999 to 64K02208 and have engagement problems, install gear no. 950 116 143 01.
My ring gear looks ok so no action is needed.
Ned Monaghan

JDaniel

Thanks for the help.

BK911

Not sure if this is relevant, but here goes anyway... I had a hot start problem on my 70T. Turned out to be the transmission ground strap. Apparently when the strap gets warm, it loses some of its conductivity. Not enough juice was getting to the starter. Could this be your problem? Maybe, maybe not! Might not be a bad idea to hook up a voltmeter to the solenoid and see if you’re getting adequate voltage before you replace anything.

john walkers workshop

the original 87 up starter ring gear was quite thin, resulting in the teeth wearing into a pointed shape, and becoming noisy when the starter was cranking. a thicker ring gear replaced it that didn't wear as bad. the gashing noise is from rows of teeth in several spots becoming flattened on the starter side from repeted starter gear engagement. the engine usually stops in one of 3 positions, and that's where the wear occurs. this wear can happen on any car, regardless of ring gear construction.