bello

Hi- Surprised by sudden, unexpected starter failure! Car sat for 16 days. Started perfectly, no issues. Started 3 or 4 times later is same day. No issues. Then starter seems to have gone bad....! Battery good, no issues, no noises, no sparks or smoke...! Perhaps related: On the first drive- the TPM Sensors were not reading- they worked fine when last used 17 days ago.... Question is: Easy way to replace starter?

extanker

how do you know the battery is good ?

Macster

What are the symptoms?

Failure of engine to start doesn't necessarily have to be starter related.

A car that has sat unused 16 days then started 3 or 4 times later after the 1st start after 16 days may have suffered a run down battery. Especially if the battery is not that new.

After starting the engine needs to be run a while -- 15 to 20 minutes (maybe more if the car has sat unused for 16 days) -- to replenish the power the battery gave up to start the engine.

If the engine is run for very long to replenish the battery and then to follow this with a number of short trips with engine starts between them...

While a bad starter is a possibility they generally do not fail that often. Much more frequent is the battery gets run down or suffers a premature failure. For manual equipped cars there is the clutch interlock switch which has been known to act up and prevent the engine front starting. One turns on the key and everything looks normal but when one turns the key to start there is dead silence.

Another problem is the ignition switch goes bad.

Knowing the symptoms the behavior of the car and its electrics when the starter fails to start the engine can help to pinpoint the cause of the failure.

For replacing the starter a search didn't turn up any DIY articles on this subject. There are a number of write ups on replacing older model (Boxster) starters.

bello

Battery was tested- tested good- Was still skeptical, so installed a new battery: same exact symptom- starter "clicks" but is not spinning or activating solenoid to move starter drive onto flywheel... tried to "jump" starter terminals but not easy to do with plenum in place- will attempt that later, before pulling starter. By the way, car started just fine after a 16-day rest. drove roughly 5 miles to first stop. Started fine 10 minutes later. Started again and drove 10-15 minutes to last stop I needed to make...that stop was about 2 hours' duration. That is when no-start occurred. The battery is 2 years old- never had a starting/charging issue before... Obviously I would prefer a bad battery over a bad starter- time & money big difference!

Macster

Reads more like a voltage supply problem. The solenoid doesn't receive enough power to overcome the force of the return spring and because of these can't close the switch that then supplies battery power to the starter motor.

There have been reports of a problem with the cabling from the battery to the engine and back again. These cables carry a lot of current and need to be in tip top shape. The ends at the battery live a pretty easy life but the ones that connect at the starter and the ground are more exposed to the elements.

Back in the good olds says when a starter was suspected one would tap the starter with a lead or brass hammer then have a helper attempt to start the engine. 'course with the Cayman there's probably not that much room and it might have to done from under the car.

Or you can remove the starter and see if some shop can test it for you.

Actually you can hold the starter in a vice -- use shop towels to protect the housing and don't clamp the vice too tight and crush (or even bind) the starter -- and connect 12V to it and the solenoid should move and shove the pinion gear out and the starter should spin. Don't let the starter run any longer than just enough to know it is spinning at a good clip. Mind your eyes too. Wear protective eye wear.

Now that I have typed all that in better I think to have a shop test the starter for you.

bello

Hi Again- For all of you who could not sleep not knowing the end of the story...: My car is fixed. Tried jumping terminals after removing plenum- same results as turning key: Click. Removed starter. Of course the starter worked just fine when bench tested with a battery and jumper cables...! Had it tested at a local shop: Had a dirty commutator, one of the brushes was worn out, and the solenoid replaced.
Interesting test- the alternator/starter repair shop said he tests starters 30 times. Twice! Claims many bad starters will function just fine on a bench test... so the reason for the 30-try test.... and less likely to get the job back, attached to an unhappy customer...! Mine failed his test on his bench on the 21st try...! Making a long story bearable- put car back together last Tuesday- working properly since...!

eddielasvegas

Good news and thanks for the follow up.


Eddie