Starter motor has died!

[Teshu]

Hope you can shed some light/impart advice for me.

I've had a leaky injector on my surf 2.4L, it got alot worse a week or two ago and there was a clear fuel leak onto the floor. The car got harder to start lot's of turning over and then would start with a fair amount of smoke. Guess this was air pulled into the cylinder as fuel leaked out when engine not running.

So got the part and local garage replaced it, all seamed fine. For a day. The garage (A good bloke IMO) said that the starter motor was on it's way out and that the solenoid was burnt/burning out. From all the turning over of the engine?

So tried to start it last friday pretty much nothing on the key at first and then a vague attempt at turning over. But would not start so reckon the starter motor is dead.

Is there any way of getting the old hilux going without the starter motor or will I need a tow or trailer to get me to the garage? Isn't towing auto's a bit iffy?

Is changing the starter difficult?

Any advice gratefully recieved
Alex

The car was running fine once started, smooth and not billowing out smoke once going.

[legendgamesmaster]

Hi m8.
do a search on here for servicing a starter. www.roughtrax4x4.com do a contact replacemnt kit (£30 or similar) or you can get a new one for about £120 (IIRC).

It is a perfectly do-able job, for a non mechanic (I managed it!) but if you can afford a mechanic to do it, then fair enough.

To pull the starter you can eitehr undo it and drop down through the arch (difficult) or up throught eh bay - easier, but you need to get all the pipes out the way by removing the fuel filter nuts (not the filter, no need) to move the filter a bit. Tie a rope round the starter to help pull it up and out - you can tie it off teh parking mirror as you manouver it out bit by bit. The bolts on the starter are accessed along the transfer case using a socket and two or three extenders and elbows..... its a bit of a pain!

ANDY