LDV Pilot van - Fixing the starter motor

Today I took it down.
Here are a few pics of the necessary tools and how it look slike + cable connections...

BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING, DON'T FORGET TO UNPLUG THE CABLES FROM YOUR BATTERY (at least the Positive one +, red).
Also when working with electric parts some use glasses and gloves. Gloves are good when they fit just to protect skin from cuts and dirt.
Lastly if you need to work under the van like me, glasses are useful to avoid dirt in the eyes but also remember to hold parts as you unscrew them so they don't fall on your face in these enjoyable awkward positions we have to get into.

Tools you need

8 and 13 is all you need but in different shapes.

These are good once you are going to open the motor up.

Check your connection before you take them off and find a way to remember what they were.

 

There is only these 3 bolts to take off but they aren't all easy to get to.

That's when the extension comes in handy.

 Solenoid

D7 R26 is the part number if you need to order a new/used one

 

I opened the motor today and the brushes are worn (+ one spring sprang out and it'd take me hours to find it back) out so I'm just gonna replace the whole part cause i've no time and no gear to solder new ones on.
Although this mechano shows how to do it and I'll have to do it later so I can fix the motor and sell it or replace the used one I got and sell it.

Then I tested and mounted the motor I purchased. The engine cranked up and off I went for 10 min. I parked and again, back to nothing but the click of the happy egoist solenoid. Unmounted and tested and remounted the motor, cleaned motor connections. The engine goes and stop and refuses to go again. nothing but solenoid. (30£ and time spent for nothing).

I started to think it's due to the ignition or some relay.

I took down the dashboard (I'm very curious).

I learned how to test 4 pins relays (testing relays post here) and did it to all since I couldn't find online which relay was the ignition switch one. I bought a new 5 pins relay thinking it was the defectuous one (and ignition one) cause there was water in it but wrong again and minus 15£ and time running around (Pilot parts aren't easy to find!) and time running out for the little moving job I needed to do.

Next day with a quieter mind. I wrote down all the stuff I knew worked, the stuff I knew didn't work, the stuff I needed to check to keep things clear and methodical.

1. The click noise means a healthy solenoid and enough current through the ignition and relay is working

2. Looked online and managed to read the wiring diagram of the van from a video advertising online (also bought the pilot workshop manual but it takes a few days to be delivered).

3.Ignition relay is the second one on the lower level on the passenger's side. It worked.

4. The main fuses (50Amp) are all fine.

5. went through this good video tutorial again to check if current is going through

6. Found that current wasn't going from battery positive knob to battery positive cable when plugged.

7. cleaned the cable proper, pushed in the bits that were sticking out.

The starter motor went spinning and the engine started!

Only one thing to say:

If you hear the solenoid click noise,

check your connections well with a voltmeter and a friend turning the key in the order shown in the video.

I'm thinking of putting that info in images and writing here in case that video goes down the utube plughole sometime.