John McCormack Posted June 24 Report Posted June 24 Today I was given a starter motor I understand was from a USA TR4. It looks to be almost if not new, no detectable wear on the pinion. Photo attached. I'm not familiar with original TR4 starters. My TR4 has a modern hi torque starter and the TR2/3, with which I am very familiar, has the bomb starter. I have run the TR4 starter off the terminal on the starter and it spins up really well. However, the pinion doesn't extend down the shaft like it does on a TR2 starter. I have lubricated the pinion/shaft and can lever the pinion down the shaft manually with a screwdriver. Is this normal or is there a problem with it? Also, I can't get it to run off the solenoid. I'm not good with electrics, should it run with 12v on the solenoid terminal? Quote
Ralph Whitaker Posted June 24 Report Posted June 24 Hi John, first establish if the solenoid is working by earthing the body of the starter and then putting 12v to the small terminal on the solenoid, that should pull the pinion forward with a definite click. Next apply a power feed to the large terminal on the solenoid, where the main starter lead should attach, then touching the small terminal again with 12v the starter solenoid should pull in and operate the starter at the same time. Ralph Quote
rcreweread Posted June 24 Report Posted June 24 John - that's not a TR4 or even 4A starter - it looks like a pre engaged one from a TR5/6 which has its own built in solenoid - i'm guessing but I suspect when you test rigged it, it may not have had enough electrical power to blast the pinion to the end - it certainly wouldn't have enough power to do that simply from connecting the solenoid unless i misunderstand and you connected a heavy duty feed to the solenoid in addition to its switched feed - you would also have the earth the starter body. There should be some serial numbers on the side of the starter which would help ID it properly Cheers Rich Quote
John Morrison Posted June 24 Report Posted June 24 Rich just beat me to it John put your picture in our TR 6 section John Quote
had17462 Posted June 24 Report Posted June 24 I don’t think that for a Tr 5/6 the solenoid body looks different but could be the picture angle Quote
RobH Posted June 24 Report Posted June 24 11 hours ago, John McCormack said: Also, I can't get it to run off the solenoid. I'm not good with electrics, should it run with 12v on the solenoid terminal? On that sort of starter it is the solenoid which moves the pinion into mesh as well as closing a contact to power the motor. You need a high current connection to the big solenoid terminal for the motor and a lower current connection (circa 30A) from live to the small terminal to operate the whole thing. As others have said, that probably will not fit a 4-pot car. Quote
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted June 24 Report Posted June 24 That is a Lucas 2M100 unit. Certainly not original to TR4. That does not mean it will not do the intended job. Before the geared starters were generally available that type of starter was adapted to fit the wet liner engine, mostly for the racers who wanted a more positive starter motor when high compressions were used. I certainly did a couple for a certain race engine builder back in the early 1980’s. You needed a different ring gear. That is solved by using the TR6 ring gear on an early wet liner flywheel (shrink on not bolt on ringear flywheel) That particular stater looks a bit TR7 to me. What numbers are on the stickers and stamped in the casing. With those we might be able to id the original use. Quote
John McCormack Posted June 25 Author Report Posted June 25 (edited) 18 hours ago, Ralph Whitaker said: Hi John, first establish if the solenoid is working by earthing the body of the starter and then putting 12v to the small terminal on the solenoid, that should pull the pinion forward with a definite click. Next apply a power feed to the large terminal on the solenoid, where the main starter lead should attach, then touching the small terminal again with 12v the starter solenoid should pull in and operate the starter at the same time. Ralph Thanks Ralph. It works. Just need to figure out what it is suitable for. Edited June 25 by John McCormack Quote
John McCormack Posted June 25 Author Report Posted June 25 1 hour ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said: That is a Lucas 2M100 unit. Certainly not original to TR4. That does not mean it will not do the intended job. Before the geared starters were generally available that type of starter was adapted to fit the wet liner engine, mostly for the racers who wanted a more positive starter motor when high compressions were used. I certainly did a couple for a certain race engine builder back in the early 1980’s. You needed a different ring gear. That is solved by using the TR6 ring gear on an early wet liner flywheel (shrink on not bolt on ringear flywheel) That particular stater looks a bit TR7 to me. What numbers are on the stickers and stamped in the casing. With those we might be able to id the original use. Thank you. Here are the numbers. Quote
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted June 25 Report Posted June 25 LRS318 fitment. https://www.heritagerotating.co.uk/product/morgan-plus-eight-rover-sd1-3-5-v8-1968-86/ Quote
John McCormack Posted June 26 Author Report Posted June 26 (edited) Thank you. But would it work on a TR4 engine? The gentlemen who gave it to me, an elderly long term Triumph man, got it some years ago from another now departed TR owner who had labelled it as for a TR4. I have just lined it up against a spare TR2/3 bomb starter and I can see that the casing over the pinion is at a completely different angle and is likely to hit the ring gear when installed. I doubt it could be used on a TR4 but if anyone knows differently please let me know. Edited June 26 by John McCormack Quote
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