ferrett starter

[paulob1]

Hi Guys how easy is it to get the starter off a ferrett...need to replace mine its getting very very slow...

[AlienFTM]

Pull up a sandbag.

 

In 1976-7 I was with the UNFICYP Force Reserve Squadron driving Mark 2 Ferrets along the Green Line all day and every day.

 

One of the outstations at which we were based was at Skouriotissa, a mining community in the Danish Contingent's (DANCON) area of responsibility at the extreme western end of the Green Line. From here for two weeks in cycle we patrolled the Green Line eastward halfway to Nicosia and back.

 

One morning we stopped as usual at a Danish OP overlooking the Green Line and the two vehicle commanders talked to the OC OP while the two drivers blagged coffee and browsed Danish porn. Meeting concluded, we drove off. The ground was wet (this was a winter tour), a wheel slipped on the muddy track through the minefield down from the hill and I ran over a large rock which threw 01EC28 about a bit. Big CLUNK but no damage. Continue patrol.

 

Stopped at the next OP, same routine. Meeting concluded, I turned the master switch on and pressed the starter. Zilch, zero, nada, rien, gar nichts. Luckily we were again on a hilltop between the minefields. The other crew gave a gentle push and off we went down the hill and I was able to bump start it without running off-track and into the minefield. We got home okay.

 

We had a REME fitter attached to each troop / outstation. I invited Screech to have a gander.

 

"Hmm. Looks like a knackered starter motor." He got on the phone to Nicosia and the AQMS told him a new starter was on the way and to prep the Ferret for a starter motor change. So there we were grovelling under the Ferret. I got the stater motor access plate off and he set to work undoing the three bolts that held it in place. Having struggled to get the spanner in place (9/16" AF rings a bell), he found it was too long to actually attack any of the bolts. Back on the phone.

 

"Known problem with the Ferret starter motor. Cut your spanner in half." He did so. It took him about six hours to get the three bolts off and work the starter motor round from the bottom off the engine bay, round the engine and out of the top. A new starter motor had arrived from Nicosia. A further six hours reversing the procedure. The sparrow's were lighting up their first fags of the morning and kick-starting their lungs when Screech invited me to start her up. Nothing. Good job this morning it was the other section's (half troop: two scout cars) turn to patrol.

 

Screech got back on the blower. "Get the crew to return to Nicosia and we'll have a proper look in the LAD with all the proper equipment."

 

As it happened, there was a bunfight on in the Officers' Mess that night and Rommel (Troop Leader and my vehicle commander) was down to miss it. Instead, he dressed in his Number 2s and we set off back. "Hold on, hold on," I hear you intervene. "How did you get the Ferret started?" Good question. Luckily the former mine manager's house in the mining complex at Skouriotissa (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skouriotissa) was on a mound raised above the quarry floor (more likely the quarry floor had been lowered below the manager's house). In the 20 or so metres of ramp down to the quarry floor, we were able to push start the Ferret and set off for Nicosia. The UN record time from Skouriotissa to Nicosia had been set at 34 minutes by a lightweight Land Rover driven by a UN-authorised reporter. I did it in 45. Not bad in the dusk, in the wet and with 12 volts going through the 24-volt system.

 

Yes indeed. We got back to Nicosia, Rommel got to the mess do, AQMS had a look at the Ferret and found that when I'd hit that rock, it had dislodged a battery which had shorted against the battery box and discharged. New battery and I was ready to return to Skouriotissa in the morning, the cool, fresh, not in a rush 40mph breeze doing a good job of clearing Rommel's weary hung-over head.

 

Moral of the story? If you are changing the starter motor in a Ferret, go for a pack lift: it's far easier.

 

Shortly thereafter 01EC28 was removed for a full base overhaul and I was issued a new Mark 2/3 to replace it. Trailing digits were 23, but I can no longer remember the new (it was older, but freshly-overhauled; it was soon part of a PRE and declared the fastest Ferret in the squadron by the VM who test drove it) Ferret's full number.

Edited September 14, 2011 by AlienFTM
Squadron had an AQMS not an ASM

[MiketheBike]

Paul,

 

I would guess taking the fuel tank out would get you good access, and its no biggy getting the tank out. Certainly did the trick when replacing the fuel pump and thats down low on the other side.

 

Mick

[barrynevuk]

A very good friend of mine spent a weekend changing his starter motor only to find exactly the same problem as above. To change the starter is a real pain in the a***.

He to found no change, but with 2 new batteries the starter few into life.

[Tony B]

So the moral seems to be: Clean and check tightmess of all electrics first! Much easier and Electrons hate dirt. :-D

P.S. Just because it LOOKS clean and tight dosen't mean its electrically clean.

[ferret]

Check the battery's first! I have had this with 2 Ferrets both times had one cell down on a battery. Use a Hydrometer to check the cells.

 

If you do need to change the starter pm me. It is doable without dismantling too much.

 

Chris

[ferretfixer]

Alien, Why didint you have a starting Handle? Ferrets are a Piece of p*ss to start with one!..........:-D

[griff66]

have started my ferret from cold with starting handle, yes its a damn good workout!, when engine hot starting with handle is actually very easy

[AlienFTM]

Alien, Why didint you have a starting Handle? Ferrets are a Piece of p*ss to start with one!..........:-D

 

On the hillside, engine warm, downhill, push-starting was easier than digging the handle out of the bin. In camp, top of ramp, cold engine, to be honest, we'd push started it the previous day: never gave a thought to the handle. Couple of guys from the troop walked out, quick push, wallop.

[Bill Nickson]

On 9/14/2011 at 4:59 PM, ferret said:

Check the battery's first! I have had this with 2 Ferrets both times had one cell down on a battery. Use a Hydrometer to check the cells.

 

If you do need to change the starter pm me. It is doable without dismantling too much.

 

Chris

Hello Chris.   I've a Ferret starter here that needs to come out for servicing.  I've done all the elec. checks.  So far I have the manifold extensions off and also the vent tube.  Of the three mounting bolts I've been able to remove the ones at 12 & 3 o'clock but the one at the bottom is an issue.  Would you have any advice on this matter?  This is a heritage vehicle for the 8th Canadian Hussars and this old tanker is trying to do his best for the regiment.  My e-mail is <eurauto@rogers.com>.  On facebook I can be found under 'Bill Nickson', Saint John, NB.  Thanks for your help with this.  Yours,  Bill

[john fox]

On 4/17/2023 at 4:20 AM, Bill Nickson said:

 the one at the bottom is an issue.  

basically you have to butcher a (ring) spanner so you can get in and under there 

[Richard Farrant]

Having removed starters on Ferrets a good few times in Workshops, we had a 9/16" A/F combination spanner, cut it in half so we had a short flat ring spanner and a short open ended one. The short ring spanner had a hole drilled in the end with a piece of string attached, so if you dropped it, you could easily retrieve it. Still got one in my toolbox and have found it useful in other situations as well, seem to recall lower bell housing bolts in a Saracen being one....