How do you change a starter motor on a Fiat punto?

Answer 1

The Mk2 Punto starter motor is located at the rear of the engine on the battery side, it is not readily visible from the top of the car. Best seen from the , here the red power lead from the battery joins it and also makes it's way to the alternator. The starter is attached to the gearbox housing with two 13mm headed bolts, one accessed from underneath and clearly visible and the other not readily visible positioned 180 degrees from the first bolt and accessed from the top of the car to the rear of the battery. I started by getting the front of the vehicle up on car ramps and the rear wheels securely chocked to prevent movement and made sure the car was in neutral. As my starter showed no signs of life I first unclipped the plastic cover to expose the starter terminals and checked the voltage to the main terminal on the starter, this proved OK. Next using a screwdriver and with the car in neutral I made a connection between the main terminal across to the smaller terminal in order to bypass the ignition switch, there was no response so I concluded the starter was duff and obtained a replacement. Next I disconnected the battery terminals and then from under the car removed the 13mm headed nut securing the main terminal and moved the two red wires out of the way, then I removed the 10mm headed nut and washer securing the wire to the smaller terminal and moved that out of the way. Then I loosened the lower of the two main bolts securing the starter just to ensure it was loose and then from the top of the car accessed the upper bolt with a 13mm socket, I managed with the battery in position but it was quite tricky (in hind sight it may have been easier with the battery removed). This bolt was removed, then from under the car the lower bolt was removed and the starter manovered down and out. Replacing the starter was just a reversal of the removal procedure, I did ensure the fixing bolts were free running prior to this and from hindsight again would have ensured the nut and washer to the smaller terminal on the starter was fitted first and I was of course careful not to over tighten the nuts. After reconnecting the battery and ensuring the car was still in neutral I did a test on the starter, which proved successful after which the vehicle was lowered from the ramps. This was a successful conclusion to the operation and the replacement starter was only £25 from a breaker's yard. Having of an investigative mind I took the old starter apart to establish the cause of failure and found that one of the wires from the brushes to the stator windings was broken, this I put down to poor unsatisfactory soldering by 'Denso' when it was first assembled (I was surprised that it had lasted for so long - 8 years). Re soldering the wire proved that it was indeed the fault and I now have a spare starter for any future problem. Having approached this job cold and without a manual I searched the web unsucessfully for some clues, I hope the above will help others who may come across a similar problem.