Texasmark
Supreme Mariner
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2005
- Messages
- 14,780
Re: starter or solenoid trouble?
I have repaired many starters in my lifetime and usually it's just worn out brushes. As the brushes wear out they shorten and this allows the spring tension (holding them against the armature) to loosen and failure occurs when the brush is too loose to cary the required current.
There are all kinds of levels of repair, but not having fancy machinery and wanting to do it myself, I use emery paper to clean the armature....or a 400 grit high quality sandpaper. Just wrap it around the armature and twist one or the other till it is nice and copper colored and shiny. Pay attention to the way things are arranged before disassy and reassy in reverse order.
The brushes are easy to get out too if screwed in. If soldered in, you will need a large soldering iron to R&R them....150 watt or so.....and some ROSIN core solder.
Biggest problem is getting the brushes out of the way to reinstall the armature since they are spring loaded.. A little common sense and maybe a second pair of hands will make it happen.
I also put some light oil on the bushing where the armature is supported. The other bearing is usually sealed.
Go for it!!!!! Heck if you mess it up you haven't hurt anything, then you can pay the $100 to have it fixed.......but you may succeed and save money plus have the satisfaction that you did it. 8)
Mark
I have repaired many starters in my lifetime and usually it's just worn out brushes. As the brushes wear out they shorten and this allows the spring tension (holding them against the armature) to loosen and failure occurs when the brush is too loose to cary the required current.
There are all kinds of levels of repair, but not having fancy machinery and wanting to do it myself, I use emery paper to clean the armature....or a 400 grit high quality sandpaper. Just wrap it around the armature and twist one or the other till it is nice and copper colored and shiny. Pay attention to the way things are arranged before disassy and reassy in reverse order.
The brushes are easy to get out too if screwed in. If soldered in, you will need a large soldering iron to R&R them....150 watt or so.....and some ROSIN core solder.
Biggest problem is getting the brushes out of the way to reinstall the armature since they are spring loaded.. A little common sense and maybe a second pair of hands will make it happen.
I also put some light oil on the bushing where the armature is supported. The other bearing is usually sealed.
Go for it!!!!! Heck if you mess it up you haven't hurt anything, then you can pay the $100 to have it fixed.......but you may succeed and save money plus have the satisfaction that you did it. 8)
Mark