2018 Regal TourX Starter Change

[SpecialEducation]

While many find the auto start/stop feature annoying, my wife particularly enjoys the gas savings. Comparing the normal operation of the vehicle to intentionally defeating the start/stop system my wife found a typical improvement of 2-3 mpg when she lets the car do it’s thing. My question has been, will the gas savings pay for the starter wear?

 

Well, earlier this week, at just over 80k on the clock, the auto stop turned the engine off at a stop light. When she lifted her foot off the brake, nothing.   This system was a little more difficult to troubleshoot than a typical car, but as far as starter changes go, I’ve got older Opel powered cars that are similar, if not a bit more difficult. 
 

I am quite spoiled in this day & age. Whenever doing an unfamiliar task I usually take a quick class at YouTube University. Unfortunately, that was a complete waste of time.  I’ll document the process here through a series of posts and try to put together a YouTube video in the future to help others out. 

[Matt Harwood]

I hate the start/stop feature on my 2019 TourX, but it only works like 2% of the time, so I'm OK with that. I don't know if my car is broken or something in the software is buggered, but it very rarely shuts off at a stop.

As an old car guy, the most terrifying thing in the world is a car that goes silent at a red light. I'm really glad to not experience it very often in my modern daily driver.

 

Good luck with the job--I'll be interested to see what's involved. Is it more than just a routine starter change? I bet there's a lot of plumbing in the way...

[SpecialEducation]

Let’s start with the tools needed. Not much, really. A 10mm socket to disconnect the battery cable, 13mm sockets for everything else (Not shown: A 5” extension to get past the starter).  Some wire & test lights for diagnostics, and flush cutters to clip some zip ties. The little screwdriver is to pop the red safety clip from the weather-pack connector on the starter. 

 

 

[SpecialEducation]

12 minutes ago, Matt Harwood said:

Is it more than just a routine starter change? I bet there's a lot of plumbing in the way...

Surprisingly easy. The weirdest part is the weather-pack connector on the starter. 

[EmTee]

5 hours ago, SpecialEducation said:

My question has been, will the gas savings pay for the starter wear?

So, what's the verdict?

 

There's probably no way to really know how many cycles that starter had over the 80K miles, but I'll bet it had to easily be five to ten times what a 'normal' car would see over that span.  I guess that means the design is pretty robust.  I never understood why all the effort to incorporate that start/stop baloney until spending some time on the gulf coast of FL.  When being stopped at a light for 10 minutes every half mile begins to add up... 

[SpecialEducation]

3 hours ago, EmTee said:

So, what's the verdict?

The verdict is now that I’ve spent $300 on a lifetime warranty starter I’m not going to spend more money on a box to defeat the start stop. Future failures will only cost me a couple hours so I’ll leave it. 
 

My rough estimation is that the start/stop has saved about $900 of gas over the life of the starter.  If I was paying someone to do the work, it would probably be a wash. 

[SpecialEducation]

Quick diagnostics:  I was pretty sure the symptoms were indicative of a bad starter but I’m allergic to changing parts without proper diagnosis. I borrowed a friend’s minivan (gag) last fall and it acted like a dead starter because the computer won’t even let the starter try to crank if the battery voltage is less than 12.0. I got a volt meter to and tried a jump box, just in case this thing was like that. No joy.
 

This starter is weird, there’s a separate trigger for the motor and the pinion, and separate relays & fuses for such as well. One relay is duplicated in the j-box so that’s an easy swap. The other isn’t so beyond the fuses and one relay it’s under the car we go. 

 

[60FlatTop]

16 hours ago, SpecialEducation said:

it would probably be a wash. 

That would probably meet all the criteria of the Net-Zero Act. Too bad you didn't get carbon credits to use for repairs.

[SpecialEducation]

Having never laid eyes on the starter I instinctively dropped the skid plate. In retrospect, I suppose that wasn’t necessary. Typical Opel OHC, starter is in the back. 

I’m looking through the gap between the drive shaft and the exhaust, while reaching up between the exhaust and the subframe. The biggest pain here was unplugging the weather-pack connector that triggers the pinion and the motor. The power lead from the battery to the starter to the alternator is still hot for electrical testing. 
 

I just popped the red safety clip out with the little screwdriver, and actually wedged my flush cutters between the connector and the air box to pop the connector loose. 

[SpecialEducation]

I buy these bulbs & bulb holders in bulk on Amazon to use for various testing & experimental purposes. This one is actually 28v because I’m an aircraft mechanic/engineer, but it still works for this purpose. 
 

After pulling the plug from the top of the starter I had my dad hit the brake & the start button. Both terminals lit up. 
 

With that, I’d proved that all three terminals were getting power so the fault had to be in the starter.