Other Cars Technical Chat

[Hairy Mark]

Hello all,

I think I need to replace the starter motor in my old (1994) Escort. When I turn the key, I get a whining noise & the engine doesn't turn over. After a few tries (2-8 goes) it'll spin over & the engine will start.

I'm thinking the starter motor is on it's last legs but it's a fairly expensive part to replace (£45) if my diagnosis is wrong.

Is there anything else which might cause similar symptoms?

The Estima is of course running fine (take note Ford  ) 

[ADarbon]

Sounds the same as when my starter went on my mark 3 escort, Have you tried the scrappies that or recondition the one you got, with new brushes no too hard a job

[Hairy Mark]

Scappies want £25. A recon starter is £45. For the sake of £20 I think I'll get a recon one. I got the engine & calipers from a scrappie so might be pushing my luck with a scrap start too

[mr mince]

Aye I'll give starter my vote too, I remember when L.Cid's starter was playing up it was a similar sound. Think most of my Dad's cars in the 70s and 80s had to be parked on a hill in case of a similar event too

[ADarbon]

for now get a mallet and give the starter a few taps to get it going moves it off the dead brush

[mr mince]

for now get a mallet and give the starter a few taps to get it going moves it off the dead brush

Whatever you do don't get PW to help bump start it, when he had a go at it in L.Cid I think he'd forgotten what the clutch was

[Hairy Mark]

Well the class seem to think it's the starter so I've bought one. If it stops raining before Christmas I might even fit it.

Shall I do a tutorial? You never know there might be a large posse of Estima owners who also own a mark V Escort, which coincidently has starter problems & even more coincidently they don't know how to fit a starter (or how to read a Haynes Manual)

[ADarbon]

you can do mark. the rain is a nightmare, my back gardens turned in to a swamp the grass is so boggy.

[mr mince]

you can do mark. the rain is a nightmare, my back gardens turned in to a swamp the grass is so boggy.

Aye mine has been boggy since about July but that's normal with the drainage around here.

Every tutorial helps Mark, even if no one ever needs one for an Escort a starter change is a starter change and will bear a good bit of similarity to more than a few cars.