S600 (w220) starter jammed! Any advice?

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CaptainBlack

New Member
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Jul 21, 2016
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3
Car
S600 L
Hello,

I'm hoping that some knowledgeable soul might be able to offer some advice...?

Drive my car today 1.5miles to local post office ten minutes later came back out to the car and it wouldn't start, I can hear the solenoid click into place but that's it.

RAC have been out to the car and have concluded that either the starter motor is knackered or (hopefully) just jammed...

The RAC guy said that what's most likely happened is that the gears which engage the starter to crank the engine have not meshed as they should and have caused it to jam.

Now it appears to be stuck.
Is there any way to free it off?
 
Not much you can do if it is an auto, manual cars we used to shove them back and forward whilst in gear.
 
You could try whacking it with a long piece of wood and a hammer
 
Hello,

I'm hoping that some knowledgeable soul might be able to offer some advice...?

Drive my car today 1.5miles to local post office ten minutes later came back out to the car and it wouldn't start, I can hear the solenoid click into place but that's it.

RAC have been out to the car and have concluded that either the starter motor is knackered or (hopefully) just jammed...

The RAC guy said that what's most likely happened is that the gears which engage the starter to crank the engine have not meshed as they should and have caused it to jam.

Now it appears to be stuck.
Is there any way to free it off?
I'm assuming RAC have checked for obvious stuff like battery, earth strap condition etc :eek:

V12 is going to be tight but there must be a bolt on the crank pulley if you're feeling brave - obviously if the starter is at fault it's going to have to come out at some point soon anyway but at least you can check the engine will turn over and see if the starter might un jam.

Where is the car now - did they not recover it for you?
 
V12 starter motors are not uncommon, there was is no room to turn the engine or whack the solonoid I'm afraid.
 
Battery / starter refurbish

It's curious. Obviously the RAC guy has looked at the car and checked it out, but at this (dark, cold, damp) time of year my immediate assumption would be either a flat battery or dodgy electrical feed.

But a) the RAC guy went through all that (did he?), and

b) you would have seen some warning signs.

If it is a faulty starter, there's no need to jump to a brand new replacement. A good independent will be able to get it repaired, or source a reconditioned unit. Not to save you a fortune but to..."save the environment."
 
The RAC guy was really good (has a Merc himself), we try a jump pack and even a brand new battery but with the same symptoms.

Yes the car has now been recovered but it's been recovered to where I'm working at the moment (temp contract 200miles away from my home), thankfully I don't need the car as a daily driver as I live on site at the moment.

I am hoping that (in the light of day) there may be a way of persuading the starter to release, friend suggested that there 'might' be a nut on the front of the engine that 'should' allow access for a big spanner to juggle the crank a little and maybe only a few degrees is required to free it, here's hoping...

I'll have a look when I get chance over the weekend in daylight.
 
Having struggled with pre-enaged starters over the years- one of which I remembered used to seize in cold weather because the solenoid had got wet and used to freeze in cold weather- it could be resurrected by pouring boiling water over it to "defrost" !!!!!!!!! I took it apart dried it out lubricated it etc etc only for it to fail again in a couple of months! My advice would be- even if you get it freed off-- fit a reconditioned one-- NOW! Why --- because its an item capable of completely immobilising your CAR if it doesn't work- simple.
 
Well my first thought was whack it with a hammer,it seems you cannot get to it,we also years ago with manual cars just put it in gear and rock the car that used to free the starter,not sure you can do that with a auto,as you are away from home maybe call a mobile mechanic to get the starter changed,or a local indy.
 

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