Maintaining a starter?

[cobbcfi]

I am not having any starter issues but fired up the boat today and it took the starter a few raps with a hammer to get the spindle to pop up and engage. Once it engaged after 10 or 12 attempts it engaged every time.

My question is how to lube a starter or maintain one to prevent this in the future?

There are 3 bolts on top of the starter that holds the spindle guard down, can that be removed and get in there and clean it out or is there some kind of lube I can shoot down in the starter to keep it maintained?

Thanks for any help or advice.

1996 Johnson 225

 

[cobbcfi]

Well this post went into the logs as a dead post... Gonna revive this one, how or can you preventative maintenance a starter, to keep it in good working order?

 

[emdsapmgr]

Not sure if this is what you are after. Probably more than you want to know: The bendix on the starter should be lubbed periodically. All I know is that there is a special thin bendix grease for them. I have never seen it, only heard that it is made. One of the experts here will be able to comment. I have a tub of white lithium grease. There is a heavy oil which will sometimes precipitate out on top of the lithium grease-I use a dab of it. Starters need this type of fairly thin grease, so they rotate when it's operating in cold temps. It's just thick enough that it won't wear off. (3-in-one oil is too thin.) If the starter makes a loud screeching noise when cranking (typical of a really old starter,) the upper and lower armature covers need to be lubbed. Same oil/grease. Disassembly required. If you take it apart to lube it, vacuum out all of the black carbon dust before reassembly. Check the brushes to make sure they are not worn out. Check to be sure the armature has no scratches, gouges (they can cause sparks during rotation) Starter problems are often confused with bad starter solenoids-you'll put on a couple of them before you need a new starter.