[Nudge]

Been having sporadic starting issues for about a fortnight !


Background info

Car does 2 trips per school day - 800m each way to school and return in mornings then again 800m each way in the afternoon, plus maybe 2km at weekends to local shopping centre, the car is used as a run around town vehicle. It does about 20km in total per week with 25 start cycles per week.


Issue

Week before last, pulled up at a servo to re-fuel, tried to restart the car and nothing, no clicking, nothing.
(I installed a new battery about a month previous to this (D27M Optima Blue Top 900CCA ), but non the less checked battery with volt meter and 13.3volts) Didn't have time to muck around so I push started the car, when I got home, car re-started without issue.

During the past week have noticed during starter motor operation that the cranking power seemed weaker than normal. I've checked the Voltage several time this week 13.1-13.3volts & the charging voltage is fine @ 14.7Volts

Car started fine this afternoon, did the first half of the afternoon school run, turned the car off, came back about 10minutes later, tried cranking the car and nothing, no clicking, again checked the voltage & 13.3volts.

Unfortunately, I could not get the car home because its location makes it impossible to push start so I've arranged a flat-top in the morning to get it home.


Assumption

Would it be silly assume the problem is with the starter motor and or solenoid ?

Game plan is to firstly check that there isn't a loose wire on starter or solenoid, failing that pull the starter motor and see if the problem is an easy fix, otherwise I'll have to replace it.


Questions

1) Based on the above, am I heading in the right direction?

2) Is the solenoid able to be separated from the starter motor and be serviced/replaced separately or are they a fixed or un-serviceable unit?



Any guidance would be appreciated.

[Nudge]

After some testing as per the workshop manual, the Starter Motor, is definitely fubar'd.

Went to the local suzuki dealer and ordered a new Starter Motor, which should be in stock hopefully tomorrow. Spent the rest of today smashing fingers, skinning knuckles and screaming expletives getting the old starter motor out, the top bolt was a nightmare.

Hopefully will have her back on the road on the weekend !