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[Dr A. 33 1.5IE]

Dear alfistas,

I have been facing an issue about my starter motor. Every morning the car starts alright but there times that in cold weather the car might die after a few seconds of running cold and then I have to restart t. Most of the times that's ok but it happened a few times so far that on a second attempt to start the car, I can hear the solenoid spinning but not engaging the flywheel. This can go on for a number of attempts and usually I have to wait for 10-15mins in order to try starting the car again. The same issue has occured and with the car properly warmed up and driven for a number of miles, so I pressume is not just the early morning situation that might be at fault.

My mechanic's efforts so far was to check if the starter motor runs straight from the battery which it does (the wire trick from the battery to the starter) so as to exclude the motor at fault. Then We have replaced the ignition switch and I am carrying an extra which when the problem occurs I have connected this one to the plug to just find out that the switch is not the problem.

So that only thing left is the starter motor itself. What should I do? Does a relay to boost the power going to the starter might save me from this trouble?

Thanks in advance
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1994 Alfa 33 1.5 IE Cat. 220.000Kms and still going strong!!! (Από την Αθήνα και τώρα στην Λευκωσία)

[eagle3]

[Oggie]

I recently helped a friend out fitting a starter to his wife's Punto, it suffered similar symptoms when I removed the motor the teeth on it were half worn out ( the width was half-ed) anyway eventually the starter would not engage so a replacement was fitted, that reminds me he owes me a curry for the trouble. the starter on the 33 is quite easy to remove as its on the top of the engine, remove air filter and wiring from the back of the starter then 2 bolts and a bit of twisting and its out. Good luck.
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PHAT 33