The starter motor on me Perkins 4.236 powered JCB 3CX is giving me jip...Anyway, after sitting for a few months while I fixed the radiator, fired the old girl up (with the aid of a jump start) and it ran fine. Stopped, replaced the fuel filter and (jump) started again (battery not too hot & bleeding it all through took a few goes!). Ran it for a while to give the battery a good charge up, all's well with the world. Just be sure, thought I'd turn off and make sure it started again, before calling it a day. Turned the key, to be serenaded with an electrical 'bzzzt' noise...then nothing! Tested with a meter, the wire from the ignition switch to the starter solenoid was getting 12v when the key was turned, and 12v at the main solenoid terminal...but no starting action. Fast forward to yesterday, armed with a new solenoid I set out to get the machine going again. Fitted the new solenoid, connected it all up, and it (jump) started fine. To see how the battery was charging, I stuck a meter on the battery...voltage 12.44 volts. Same at the alternator terminals. Hmmm..... So, i turned off to See what happened next...and you guessed it, on turning the starter the same old 'bzzzt' and then nothing!! Tested with meter, still getting 12v at ignition switch solenoid wire. 12v at the 'input' terminal on the solenoid....when key moved to start, that drops to 0v, and all the time the start switch terminal on the solenoid is earth. So...my question is...what's going on???
I'm guessing the alternator is knackered, with a low battery & a voltage of 12.44v, doesn't seem to be charging. But why would it keep blowing starter solenoids? Is the starter kernackered too, or could a bad alternator be taking out the starter solenoid after a few mins of running? It seems to start fine with a new solenoid, but could get a bit expensive for every start!!
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