The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

I'm fitting a hi-torq starter to my 1500 but it's an inertia type, the same as on a Spitfire. On the Spitfire the solenoid bolts to the bulkhead, but where would it go on a Dolly? Has anyone coverted their car to the inertia type? Any clues gratefully received!

Are you sure you need a solenoid? The common high torque rubbish don't need one.

Jeroen

Well this is what I have; http://www.powerlite-units.com/products/rac801/
The data sheet/fitting instructions don't mention whether a solenoid is needed or not.

I see. Yes you need one.

The best is to source a NOS one. These show up on ebay often, in the red Lucas Boxes.

All parts in the green Lucas boxes are Chinese and last only a few months or are already non functional before fitting. You can also buy a Hella or Bosch solenoid.

The starter you are going to fit is less rubbish. The pre engaged ones with the separate relay fitted on the starter fail. These are originally Denso starters that last 500.000km on a Toyota but after a high torque overhaul Chinese contacts are fitted and these burn very fast. Also no grease is fitted and the solenoids do stick within time what makes your "upgrade" make the well known only click sound what you just didn't want by fitting a high torque. Fitting contacts from a 300.000km Toyota again would improve the quality of a new high torque starter significantly.

The separate bulkhead solenoids do come with or without a ballast resistor connection so make sure you buy one with the extra spade tag when you have the superiour ballast system fitted.

Good luck.
Jeroen

I would fit the remote solenoid to the inner wing on the side the starter already lives. This way the wiring can be kept nice and short. You would have main starter heavy cable going to one side of solenoid and the other to the battery. The small wires then go to the solenoid to actuate it, like a large relay really. The solenoid bracket may need to be earthed to the body, I'm not sure but it can be done with either the paint removed under the bracket or a wire into the bolt hole going to the battery earth (or engine block).

Tony

triumphdolomiteuk wrote: ↑Sat Feb 16, 2019 2:36 pm I'm fitting a hi-torq starter to my 1500 but it's an inertia type, the same as on a Spitfire. On the Spitfire the solenoid bolts to the bulkhead, but where would it go on a Dolly? Has anyone coverted their car to the inertia type? Any clues gratefully received!

Thanks Jeroen and Tony, that's helpful. It's dawned on me that the Dolly 1300 uses the inertia starter, so I'll have a look at where the solenoid sits on one of those. I've spotted a Bosch unit online for about £30, bit that doesn't look as simple to fit as an original Lucas unit. Comments about Lucus units now being made in China noted...

I'm surprised nobody has commented on the obvious flaw in this plan, that being the ring gear, which is different on an inertial starter fitted car to that fitted with a P/E starter.

Basically, the inertial fit ring gear has angled "leaders" on the gearbox side face of the teeth to help them mesh with the starter pinion. On the P/E starter fit gear the leaders are much smaller and on the engine side.

An inertial starter fitted together with a P/E ring gear WILL work, after a fashion, but it will be very noisy and crash in engagement and the starter pinion gear won't last long! It will probably chew the ring gear too!

Are you sure you don't have the original P/E starter there somewhere Andy? I'm sure I left it in the boot and it's not here anywhere that i've been able to see. The cheapest course of action would be to get that old one rebuilt by an old school sparky.

Steve

The problem is that I've invested £200 on a new one already and I'm keen to make use of it, but it's looking increasingly likely that I'm going to take quite a bad hit on this.

That link shows a pre-engaged starter, not a inertia one.. i know it says "inertia type" but if you look at the picture the pinion sits at the back and slides forward into mesh, the same as the original pre engaged one. An inertia starter has the pinion at the front and it meshes backwards towards the body. The starter you have should work fine..

Lrs 101 is an inertia starter, but as Matt says the picture says different, very strange. Got to be worth a trial fit though, the sound will tell you straight away if it's ok or not.

Tony.

You may need to fit a lot of spacer shims with that starter.

All very interesting comment, thank everyone. I've tried fitting the unit to the car. It turns the engine, but very noisily. Once the engine fires there is a loud screeching. I very rapidly switched off the ignition and removed the starter. Something's not right...

Has the gear the same teeth and same dia?

The listing says it has 9 teeth which is correct, maybe as trustno1 says it might need a spacer? The GT6 has one standard, not sure about the 1500?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Spit ... :rk:1:pf:0
Similar to these.

Tony.

I have a few of those spacers if you want to try one...