Mondeo starter problems

[ferguson_tom]

Hi Everyone

 

My 2002 mondeo has started playing up when come to starting it. When i turn the key you can here the starter motor spinning but does not engage, I have to put it in gear and rock the car a little bit it then it engages and starts and runs fine.

 

I have read online horror stories of it being early signs of the DMF failing but with 140,000 miles on the clock it could just as well be a simple problem with the starter. I am going to pull the starter off this weekend and give it a good clean but is there anything else i can do to check if it is the DMF? The car drives well with no other signs of problems with vibrations etc.

 

Its a 2.0 TDCI 130BHP. 2002 (51plate) with 140000

 

Thanks in advance, Tom

Edited January 25, 2013 by ferguson_tom

[armsid]

when the starter is out check the teeth on the dmf to see if they are worn.turn the flywheel and check.hopefully it will be dirt etc. on starter bendix gear

[Gordon R]

Sounds very much like the starter is spinning, but the arm that throws the gear towards the flywheel is sticky. Take the starter off, clean the shaft and add a little lubrication, ensuring the gear slides backwards and forwards without restriction. Clean the solenoid part of the starter.

 

You can check by putting it on a battery - seeing whether the gear / cog flicks across to engage with the flywheel, as well as spinning.

[neil82]

never add lubrication to a starter pinion, all the crud from the clutch will stick to it and cause even more problems, if you need to add some sort of lube use powdered graphite, as for early signs of the DMF failing, the noise they make at idle is usually the first warning, sometimes on these it is clutch crud that clogs the pinion so this is a good place to start, also while you`ve got the motor out give the mating faces a quick clean, the trannies are known for earth faults through the starter motor/gear box earths, while you`ve got the starter out, a simple check on the DMF is to see how much travel there is before it hits the stops, also how hard it stops, better if you think of it like the cush drives that used to be fitted to motorbikes, should feel like your pressing against a rubber block rather than hitting metal, bit hard to explain but once you`ve seen the difference its easy to spot

[Gordon R]

I agree about the graphite - nothing sticky.

[neil w]

fly wheel will be worn they are notorious for it , replaced many of them well before 140,000 miles

[ferguson_tom]

thanks gents i will be getting under the car this week to clean out the starter motor. See what happens but if it is the flywheel has anybody done the conversion from DMF to a standard solid flywheel the kits are about £200 cheaper and i am not too worried about gear changes a bit harsher.

[Dr_evil]

A squirt of lube and a smack with a hammer does wonders on a landy starter

[Sergeant]

Had the same problem on mine, pulled the starter and it was full of clutch dust, its been fine since. Easy enough job to do, take out the battery tray and plastic top / bottom engine covers, remove the cable holder and two retaining bolts from the starter and drop it out the bottom. its a bit tight for access but doable in about 2 hours.

 

Tom.

[ferguson_tom]

Thanks Tom, thats good news fingers crossed it isnt the DMF. Thats my friday afternoon sorted then

[delburt0]

if it is the dmf put a solid kit on it they are far cheaper, i also bought a 06 tdci at 6 months old and put 190k on it , it never had a injector or a flywheel/clutch , i think its 99% driver error in setting off that causes the dmf and clutch failing.

 

if it is the dmf put a solid kit on it they are far cheaper, i also bought a 06 tdci at 6 months old and put 190k on it , it never had a injector or a flywheel/clutch , i think its 99% driver error in setting off that causes the dmf and clutch failing.

if its any consolation i did put 1 starter and 1 alternator on it in 3 years hope its the starter..