starter motor not cranking

[l1ttle_d3vil]

got a bit of a problem with my starter motor. every so often, at random, when I turn the key the engine won't turn over. everything has power (fuel pump, radio, dash, lights etc etc) but when I turn the key to start its just totally dead. the starter doesnt even click. if I short the starter out it'll start.

30 minutes later the car could start from the key no problem.

now im thinking its either the brushes in my starter are stuffed or ive got a dodgy connection in the starter circuit. ive got a couple of ideas where that could be but before I go pulling all my wiring apart, if it WAS the brushes in the starter motor that are stuffed would it atleast "click" when I turned the key to start?

hope this makes sense. im getting kinda desperate as I need to fill up with fuel and methinks it'd be a bit dodgy shorting the starter out at a fuel station...with sparks flying...

thanks

[Cakky]

hit it with a hammer lol always gets it ticking

correct me if i'm wrong somebody but if it was the brushes you would still hear it click when you turned the key??

[slonlo]

ive seen this a few times
almost always a bad connection from the key to the starter
ive just run a new wire from the ignition barrel to the starter and never had the problem again.

only other time it was a bad earth connection to block/starter.

[gepsk8]

avoid using a hammer, it will $&#$% the starter! (just only when u have to)_
firstly what car??

u any good at electrics?
check battery termals earth at postive feed to starter,
when its plays up.
put of activiter wiring(from key) put test light see if its getting a power feed? make sure termal is tight fitting on starter(if not change), with no burn makers where it plugs on to.
put test light on brushs side of solnoid try cranking it
what does it do, lights up then ( hold test light clear on anything earthed)
put starter out check bushes lenght?(take to auto sparky if u dont know what ur doing. if the car is old my need a start relay fitted.

[matt dunn]

hit it with a hammer lol always gets it ticking

correct me if i'm wrong somebody but if it was the brushes you would still hear it click when you turned the key??

Correction then.

For the solenoid to Click i must pull in,
and the pull in circuit on a starter goes through the solenoid and then in thrrough the brushes,
that way when the solenoid has pulled in the "pull in" windings are no longer energised, and only the lower current "hold in" windings are.

My bet is on starter brushes.

[fangsport]

My bet is on starter brushes.

worst case scenario is like the Trueno i had that Matt supplied the Starter windings for , when it had 2 seized main bearings, but had al the hallmarks of a stuffed, hot starter motor.
promptly sold

[big_boy]

like sed above when it douse it again put a wire from the little termanal on the solinoid to +12v on the battery & if it starts its your wireing from key-solinoid

at least i think some one sed that