Ah, right. If it’s snug in the big hole, that’s fine. Just need to get the bolts in the right place for holding it when it’s doing hefty starting duties.
Cars with stop start systems use agm batteries and the charging system is set to match Maybe it was to do with that and there was some confusion with calcium. Out of the bunch of old batteries I’d hoarded for years it was a calcium one that hadn’t declined over time And it charges just fine with an old style transformer battery charger aswell as a Lidl intelligent charger.
Sorry for the late reply, I’m just back from lunch. The spigot on the motor should be a snug fit in the hole in the bellhousing, that locates the motor relative to the ring gear so it will mesh correctly. The motor will rotate slightly within the bolt hole clearance but you can’t move the motor closer to or away from the ring gear. I rotated the motor clockwise (looking towards the engine) before tightening the bolts to increase the clearance from the heater control pod but it doesn’t really matter.
Flywheel rotates anticlockwise (viewed from the rear), so pinion rotates clockwise, so torque reaction on starter body makes it try to twist anticlockwise. Just need to get your bolt holes arranged so they take the load in that direction.
You’re overthinking it. The friction between the motor body and the bellhousing takes the torque. Just fit the motor and tighten the bolts.
So have I .And it doesn’t matter, they’re not fitted bolts and there is no side loading – unless you don’t bother to tighten the bolts.
No - not the case - this was removal of SM, removal of bush, discussion of whether it needed to be removed eventhough it had been removed, fitting of bush, fitting of new SM, its failure to solve the issue, the purchase of a new self supporting SM. plus hot start relay, new earth strap and battery investigation and as Jimmy Cricket used to say ‘and there’s more’… so definitely not two bolts
I’ve slipped it in the hole and it’s nipped up. I’ve made up the wire extensions. Got dark again so can’t progress now. At sunrise tomorrow wires will be fitted and the grand start up Will take place although just for the drama, I may take a week over starting it up - I mean you don’t want to rush things
Seriously though (well almost). I work Monday to Friday and it’s pitch black when I come home. So -10C in the garage on a weekend is the only chance I’ve got. I can’t help if if I can’t get it in
Well got it in! it starts up brilliantly. But, and there has to be a but of course - there a significant whistling sound that varies with engine speed so I’m thinking starter is not disengaging. Ignition switch staying on for some reason?
I would pull the starter out and inspect the teeth. Quite likely to be a fraction too long and staying just engaged as the flywheel spins. Its obviously a generic part with the correct tooth pitch and fixing shoulder diameter, the fact the holes in the "ears" are slotted means they cover more fitments with the same starter motor. Quick test/ fix - identical washer under each "ear" of the starter to space it back by about 1mm, tighten the bolts, then try again. If it is that either get the old starter reconditioned , or get a shim made up to space the starter back a bit properly. I just checked my stock recon Bosch and it looks like the top of the pinion gear is 32 mm from the mating face of the starter (not the bit that locates in the hole, the surface that touches the bell housing)
