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Re: starting problem

To: "Breda O'Sullivan" <conbreda@eircom.net>
Subject: Re: starting problem
From: skip <tfsbj7@mindspring.com>
Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2006 19:35:24 -0400
This sounds like a classic starter problem with the original starter. 
Dust builds up in the channel that surrounds the bushes.  One of the
bushes (there are two) hangs up just a hair too far away from the
armature for a good electrical connection, and the starter doesn't
turn.  In early stages (such as where you are) ambient vibration (just
closing the car door is sometimes enough) will let the bushes bounce
back to the armature... so the symptoms have the confusing intermitent
properties you describe.   

Later, those of us who are too lazy to fix the brush problem right away
resort to tapping the starter motor with a hammer on the odd occasion
that the starter doesn't go.   

Later still, we finally get "unlazy" and remove the starter from the
car, open the brush access port (there is a strap around the starter
which will be obvious once you have the starter in hand...this strap
coverst the brush access port).   Once the port is open a squirt or two
of any common electrical component cleaning fluid will get rid of most
of the dust... but not all.    

The starter is easily reassembled and reinstalled and the problem will
go away for many months (years?).   (but the problem will return
...eventually.)

As others will probably tell you, the brushes on the original starter
are huge... would take thousands and thousands of starting cycles to
wear the brushes out.  However, this dust problem will hang the brushes
in their slider slots more and more often as the springs behind the
brushes get old and the brushes get worn.    So a true and complete fix
is to replace the brushes... but this is a bit more work than this lazy
owner is willing to do when a simple squirt of cleaning
fluid/lubrication will put the starter back into service....:-)

Best Wishes
-skip-


Breda O'Sullivan wrote:
> 
> Guys,
> 
> I have a problem starting when starting the car.
> 
> When pressing the starter button a loud click can be heard on the engine
> side of the bulkhead, but the starter motor does not engage.
> 
> It does this about 80% of the time, the other 20% the car starts normally.
> 
> I have just fitted a new battery as I though this may have been a
> contributing factor, but it has improved nothing.
> 
> The test button on the solenoid, engages the starter every time I try it.
> 
> Any advice would be appreciated, should I remove the starter motor? Renew
> bushes etc




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