Luke Beaumont Posted May 16, 2001 Share Posted May 16, 2001 Hmm, K starter motors are giving me grief, and I haven't even fitted one yet. Got an LRS543 motor on SOR, after discussing in mail with Nick Green of this parish. The nose is too long & fouls on the bellhousing, and it looks like I'd have to take shedloads off this VVC block to get it to fit - such that I'm worried about broaching the crankcase. So, gearing myself up to paying 176 quid for a Caterham one, I recalled that being remarkably close to what Cambridge Motorsport charge. A phone call to them got a rather vague "some people get them to fit a K Caterham, some don't" and an offer of SOR. So, has anyone either got a Cambridge one to fit a K, or any advice on which standard type motor I need? A thousand thankyou's for any help. Something else that might help is if someone has a dead example of the new type of motor they'd let me have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Carmichael Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 Whereabouts are you? I have an unused Caterham race k-series starter motor sitting around in my garage. It wouldn't fit under my new exhaust headers so I have a choice... ... more new headers or ... flog the starter motor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Bees Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 Luke - I tried one of the Cambridge Motorsport ones on SOR, it definitely won't fit. They do supply them to Caterham, but with a different mounting flange. The LSUK STR543 is a pattern fit for the standard Caterham starter motor (which is Magnetti Marelli, or was in '97), it fits perfectly in the space occupied by my knackered standard one. It sounds as though you are in the process of fitting a non-Caterham derived K-series engine? You do need to grind the block. Do you have the spacer that's needed between the starter motor and the bellhousing? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Beaumont Posted May 17, 2001 Author Share Posted May 17, 2001 Peter: I'm in Ipswich, but nothing Citylink can't sort out. What is the difference twixt std. and race motors? All I got out of Caterham when I asked once was "One's designed for racing, you definitely want the std. one". Mike: Spot on. So it seems like I've got the right motor. I've got the spacer plate, and I'd figured on disfiguring the block, just not by as much as would seem to be necessary. Re the CM ones, they seem to want to send you a Caterham specific one, whereas I thought they must do a motor for the Ford car that the 543 is sourced from. In theory that should just drop in. I'm tempted to go up there and sort it out once and for all. Cheers guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Bees Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 I spent quite a while at CM's counter discussing it with them (I took my existing starter with me), they guy I spoke to even went & 'phoned Caterham while I was there. He maintained that they couldn't do me a Caterham-specific one, presumably because they have an agreement with Caterham. The Caterham-specific one has a 3-hole mounting whereas the generic ones only have a 2-hole. The generic one simply will not fit, the orientation of the motor housing & solenoid wrt the mounting flange ensures that whichever way you try it it fouls the block. Anyway I was more than happy when I found that instead of 200+VAT I could get away with 33+VAT... Caterham have actually used 3 different starters for the K, the std one plus 2 others, both geared I believe, one being a lightweight and one being a heavy duty. Not sure which the CM one is. Both geared types have given problems apparently. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Green Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 Luke, Sorry to read you are having all these problems! I can only say "It worked for me" sad.gif Had a little think about this, and while Caterham's Skoda-sourced geared starter certainly has no nose (it doesn't smell awful though), you'd still have the problem of aligning to the ring gear on the flywheel. Obviously, I haven't seen your bell housing, so I don't know how deep the hole is. I don't think getting another starter is necessarily going to help. Certainly not from Caterham, anyway. Edited by - nick green on 17 May 2001 18:40:43 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Beaumont Posted May 17, 2001 Author Share Posted May 17, 2001 Mike - thanks, that saves me a trip! Caterham must have some on the ball lawyers - their exclusivity agreement is far reaching. And you're right, I'd rather have a dead cheap motor to replace than a 200 quid one. Nick - no drama, you at least pointed me in the right direction and for that I'm grateful! I'll be sticking the flywheel on this weekend to get a measurement of the distance twixt motor & ring gear. The guy who supplied the 543 seems to think this will be illuminating. Then, I guess it's time for a bit of Dutch courage and take to the block with a die grinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R2D2 Posted May 19, 2001 Share Posted May 19, 2001 Has anyone tried these guys http://www.castleauto.com.au/starters.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Beaumont Posted May 20, 2001 Author Share Posted May 20, 2001 Dunno, but no immediately available info as to whether they're available in this country. However, with the assurance that the 543 was the right motor, my Dad & I set to it this arvo. Got the thing to fit the bell housing with judicious use of washers, and I shut my eyes while Pa set about the block with rotary files. Doesn't look as bad as I thought, so a result I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Beaumont Posted June 10, 2001 Author Share Posted June 10, 2001 Just to put this saga to bed, and leave some useful info if anyone comes searching in the future... Grinding stuff off the block was going well until we offered up the motor. Miles off. Ground as much as we dare - the main problem being the curved surface of the crankcase between the webs, but couldn't bring ourselves to grind sufficient clearance for fear of broaching the crankcase. Sat and sulked, pondered etc, went back to the motor supplier, verified that it was an LRS543. Gave it back to him to trawl through the stocks he had to see if there was one that was a different size. Bingo. We had a Bosch to start with, lumping great thing, and he dug out a Magnetti Marelli. A full 12mm less diameter. No flaming wonder we were having strife. Planted that on, and with the metal that we'd removed thus far it fitted like a charm. To save money over buying a Caterham motor, that's the hardest I've ever worked for 130 quid mad.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Green Posted June 11, 2001 Share Posted June 11, 2001 Ah! I've heard the Bosch ones are big. Almost got one for mine; lucky escape there then it turned out. Worth knowing, that Bosch is too big!! For the record, the Halfords one is a Lucas job (I thought that is what the LRS 543 was), and fits fine too. All's well that end's well, then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Beaumont Posted June 11, 2001 Author Share Posted June 11, 2001 Yes. Doesn't stop me wanting to scream that such a minor thing should cause such unmitigated grief! Honestly, this starter motor affair is one of the things I'd do differently if I were doing it all again. Whatever Caterham charge, it's cheap if it saves you all that hassle. Oh well, I'll know next time. Thanks again for your help Nick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elie boone Posted June 11, 2001 Share Posted June 11, 2001 Luke, what is the nr on the Magnetti Marelli and whould it fit a Kent engine,i am looking for a lighter alternative than the Bosch lump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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