The V8 Owners Forum -

Think my starter needs looking at as it's barely turning the engine over with a good battery attached and 180amp boost charger. Does anyone know where to buy a service/re con kit? It's a RV8 SD1 engine circa 1980.

Just check all electrical connections first, especially the earthing strap between engine and chassis. The high current drawn by the starter requires solid connections. Paint etc under the earthing strap, loose connections etc are all known to cause these problems.

A voltmeter will also show if there are any voltage drops anywhere.

marcjagman wrote:Think my starter needs looking at as it's barely turning the engine over with a good battery attached and 180amp boost charger. Does anyone know where to buy a service/re con kit? It's a RV8 SD1 engine circa 1980.

If it really is the starter and not a poor battery or connection - or the engine tight - it's likely got some shorted turns. So best to just buy a new one, or risk secondhand.

Pull the plugs and it spins like hell. Connecting the battery direct so no faulty connections. Don't really want to buy another but if needs must

Connecting the battery direct - both positive and negative? Or are you earthing the bat negative on the body or engine block?

Chris.

Where are you

I have a spare in the garage you can try if you are local

Ian

Spinning ok with plugs removed takes much less current, could be the starter, or solenoid contacts or even an ignition timing thing (try with coil disconnected but plugs in, in case a severely over advanced ignition is causing it).

Has this just happened or are you trying to fire up a newly built engine?

ChrisJC wrote:Connecting the battery direct - both positive and negative? Or are you earthing the bat negative on the body or engine block?

Chris.

Earthing the starter direct

Denis247 wrote:Spinning ok with plugs removed takes much less current, could be the starter, or solenoid contacts or even an ignition timing thing (try with coil disconnected but plugs in, in case a severely over advanced ignition is causing it).

Has this just happened or are you trying to fire up a newly built engine?

Coil isn't connected, not had a rebore but almost everything else is new, it's really slugish about 1 revolution in 1.5-2 secs.

Ian Anderson wrote:Where are you

I have a spare in the garage you can try if you are local

Ian

Thanks for the offer but I'm in Yorkshire

A used unit is worth a punt, I picked one up second hand and it works fine, wasn't very dear.