Isuzu Trooper Owners Club UK™

[johnborris]

1992 3.1 TD Citation

I have had a few issues with starting recently and I have checked the 4 heater plugs which are OK and also made sure both batteries are fully charged. Now and again I get a mechanical noise from the starter motor and suspect there is a problem with the pre engagement. So I plan to replace this but the starter motor looks in an arkward place.

Is the starter motor difficult to remove/replace?

There does not seem a lot of room and the end of it to withdraw it from out of the flywheel housing.

The car has done 180K and runs fine.

There is also a switch next to the drivers heated seat switch.
I am unsure what this does and how to use it.

The picture on the switch looks like it has something to do with the engine heater glow plugs and if I turn the switch on it increases the engine revs to around 1,000 rpm so definately seems to aid starting in this cold weather.

Does this switch leave the plugs on for longer via the timer relay or does it just increase engine speed and how long should I leave the switch on for?

The switch illuminates with a green light...so I am sure it is working etc...

[Google]

[johnborris]

Well no replies to my topic....but I managed to get it all sorted.

I replaced all the heater plugs for new ones, and got a new starter motor for £120 which spins so fast the car now starts first time.

I took the starter out from underneath after removing the dipstick tube. There is only 2 bolts that hold it in place and it needed a friend reaching in through the bonnet with a ring spanner whilst I had the rachet underneath....

As for the switch.....apparently it is the cold weather device that closes a flap in the exhaust to speed up engine warming.

We did a 2,400 trip over to France last month, though loads of snow and the car never missed a beat. Averaged around 460miles to a tank with lots still in reserve

[Philp]

The fas warmup switch only works if the temperature is below a certain point and it also shuts a flap in the air intake, basically it makes the engine labour and so warm up quicker On a note of caution, the flaps have been known to stick shut so casuing loss of power and poor running and lots of smoke. I never use mine and I had no problems starting my MK 1 in -16C feb 2005 in France. I'm off again over toFrance in mine on Thursday, a 1800ish mile round trip plus whatever I do down there. Not bad for an old lady of 15 years as she'll be loaded up with tools etc. This'll be the fifth such trip since last feb.
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Phil

96 or is it a 98 Isuzu Bighorn Lotus