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I need advice on a potential starter motor problem[240-260/84] posted by jason Levine on
Tuesday, 28 April 1998, at 8:57 p.m.
Today I was looking at an '84 245 intercooled turbo at a guy's house. The other day we had tried to start it, but could not manage to get it jumped. Well, today I threw a new battery in, and the thing just would not turn over. It cranked as though the battery were near dead. I heard the click from the starter solenoid and a clunk as the starter motor attempet to turn the engine over. All that resulted was the engine vibrating a bit. I kept trying it, and all I kept getting was the "click" and the engine shaking a bit. I read up on it in the haynes manual and from what I gleaned, the starter motor seems to be shot. I heard the click from the soleniod, so I am pretty sure that is still relatively ok. I was curious to know if the problem could be anywhere else, so I don't take something off that didn't need to be taken off. And, if it is the starter motor, how long does it take to replace. Can I jack the car up and take it out that way? I am debating whether or not to buy the car based on this. If it is not a time consuming job, I want to get a used starter unit(both soleniod and motor), and put them in on-site so I can hear the engine.
Comments would be much appreciated in response to this novella.
jay levine
Re: I need advice on a potential starter motor problem[240-260/84] posted by Chris on
Wednesday, 29 April 1998, at 9:41 a.m.
Maybe you can get by with just replacing the brushes and cleaning-up the commutator on the existing starter. You can try this at a fraction of the cost of a new (or rebuilt) starter. If the brushes have worn enough that the retaining springs have "bottomed-out" against their stops, then replace them. They're cheap! Some fine emery cloth and an old tooth brush should clean-up the commutator good enough. Of course then you're not supporting the people that do this (along with a new bearing or two) and sell it to you as a rebuilt unit.
--Thank You, Chris
Re: I need advice on a potential starter motor problem[240-260/84] posted by Ed Lipe on
Wednesday, 29 April 1998, at 10:01 a.m.
The Chevy method of starter repair might work well enough for you to get the car started and check it out.
Chevy method: Rap the starter briskly with a small hammer or ratchet handle.
ED7, '51 R25, '65 R69S, '67 1600 GT, '86 745 TD, '90 240 GL, '95 RWL
Re: I need advice on a potential starter motor problem[240-260/84] posted by George Downs on
Wednesday, 29 April 1998, at 6:24 p.m.
The fact that you hear the solenoid click doesn't
mean it is making good contact. You can take the
solenoid apart by taking the potting out of the
screw holes and unsoldering the two places
(look like grommets with wires soldered into them)
where the solenoid coil hooks up. If the big
copper contacts are worn, take off the nuts
(one will be pretty hard to get off, it is more like
a washer than a nut, but you have to unscrew it)
and you can get the contacts out and file them
smooth and flat, same for the ones on the solenoid
core. I did this so many times on one starter that
I had to build it back up with silver solder, which
worked fine. It was about once every 4 years
but I've had the car since 1971.
George Downs Fort Clayton, Panama