Is my Starter going bad?

[madmike]

This has happened to me 3 seperate times now. I hop in the Esprit, turn the key, and all I get is the alternator clicking away. The first time it happened, it fired up right away on the second turn of the key. The second time it happened, it fired up after 7 or 8 tries. Last night it happened on the second try. It's a once-in-a-while problem. I have started it several times in between each of these incidents with no problems.

Is there a problem with my starter, or other part, or is this at all a TADTS thing?

If it is my starter (or other problem) what kind of costs am I looking at to repair?

Mike

[david beer]

Occasionally we pistonheads cross threads, you should see the number of TVR owners who have the cooked starter problem. Of course yours may not be related to heat as ours are,we now generally admit we must have a heat shield.

[cnh1990]

Check the battery, starter ground cable, if they are okay it's most likely your starter solnoid.

[lotusman]

My Europa had this problem where you would get the click but no whirling sound. If the battery and the Bendix( this is a loud click just before you start the starter motor) and all electrics are okay, then the brushes of the starter motor is what I changed. Find a good auto electrics shop. There has also been times when flywheel teeth were lost after trying to start a running car too often, then you will get the whirling sound but no start. Put the car in gear, and rock the car back and forth. If it starts, it could be the flywheel.