Hi all, just wondering if any knows for sure where the starter motor is on 2.0TDi CR 170? It looks to me it could be on the front of the engine on the right, does that sound about right?

The reason I ask is tonight I did a short trip, about a mile, to the shops, when I got back I turn the engine off, removed the key and I could hear a motor spinning really fast that just wasn't stopping, when I looked under the bonnet the sound and a horrid electrical smell was coming from the right side of the engine, it must off run on for 2-3 minutes before slowly winding down with a wisp of smoke, Whilst this was going on the ignition was dead but everything else worked!

I suspect that when I started the engine the starter disengaged but kept spinning which I didn't notice as it was a straight run home, It eventually stopped but I don't know how!

I have been able to start the car without any problems numerous times and I've been for a good drive and no problems there! Is this a sign of a potential problem or just one of those one of things, I had a new starter 2 years ago so will be ****ed if it's on it's way out already!

Cheers

Are you sure it wasn't an interrupted DPF regen cycle?

Are you sure it wasn't an interrupted DPF regen cycle?

Sounds exactly like what this is.

 

Can the car start now? If so, its unlikely to be the starter. They burn out pretty fast.

Sounds exactly like what this is.

 

Can the car start now? If so, its unlikely to be the starter. They burn out pretty fast.

 

Yep, sounds like a regen to me too...

Definitely not a regen, heard that a million times, thats normally the fans running on and the hot smell, the fans were definitely not running and the noise was a really fast electrical motor running noise! A really loud whining noise and the smell was more electrical.

Definitely not a regen, heard that a million times, thats normally the fans running on and the hot smell, the fans were definitely not running and the noise was a really fast electrical motor running noise! A really loud whining noise and the smell was more electrical.

So is the starter motor, still starting your motor?

So is the starter motor, still starting your motor?

Yes, thats the strange thing, thats why I want to know where it is on the engine!

Pretty sure it wasn't a regen as I know what that is besides you can start the engine during a regen where as I couldn't whilst this was going on.

I've heard a starter motor wizz up whilst on a bench and it sounded familiar thats why I'm suspecting the starter motor, I know the fact it still works doesn't seem to make sense so I'm open to other theories. Cheers

A starter motor run on a bench is quite a different sound to a starter motor running under load, i.e when connected to the engine unless as you say the "pre-engage" was faulty.

Look at the pictures of gearboxes on this page. Starter motor goes in the large horizontal hole towards the left of each image, near to where the gearbox attaches to the engine, at the front of the casing.

Cheers Wino, about where I thought.