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DIY Starter Repair. How-to: Remove, Disassemble, Grease, Reinstall (w/pics)


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If you're starting the "injection" just ahead of part "13" in this view, then your fill is going to be impeded by part "22" the overrun clutch, before the lube gets to part "19" the gear assembly. Given that, not sure of the efficacy of a lube-push process, nor whether the lube would even make it to the gears which are a critical lube "point"

 

http://static.opposedforces.com/epc_img/366495109301.png

- Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum -
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It is a hole in the part#13 (which is the same as part#21), not ahead of it.

 

Seems to be an access point left in the other side of part #21, so I could see all the stuff between 21 and 22, but it does not show in the perspective. This hole gets you to the spiral gears, but not to the part#19.

 

My problem was a grinding after the engine started, and it was related to the spiral gears not retracting properly due to gunk accumulated between parts #21 and #22, and not related to the starter turning (part#19).

 

Here are the pics (some new, others from Chato):

 

http://s29.postimg.org/eke6o92qb/Grease_Hole.jpg

http://s29.postimg.org/gdh3cknwz/Grease_Hole2.jpg

http://s16.postimg.org/jnyre5nb5/Grease_Hole3.jpg

http://s16.postimg.org/udcg6ez41/Grease_Hole4.jpg

http://s16.postimg.org/g32vuxirl/Grease_Hole_WD40.jpg

 

Now I am sure now this hole gets into the spiral chamber -- I put the WD40 straw deep into the opening (Fishbone's questions answered!).

 

A syringe with grease is a great idea to apply it to the hole - I'd still blow it with air to spread to the gears.

 

So, this will definitely put grease where it is needed, easily. It may be a decent step to do if it's too cold to work in the car.... You can increase the effectiveness of this shortcut by flushing it with WD40 first, and then adding good/new/clean grease into it. But, this is ONLY A SHORTCUT -- the only long term solution is described on Chato's tutorial (Remove, Disassemble, Grease, Re-install - see first post of the thread).

 

Happy greasing!

Edited by Sarli
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So I can shove a straw and push some WD40 in there until come spring when I can pull it and do it right. Thank you sir!

I try my best to stop cranking half a second before the engine turns and for the most part it works, but 2 times out of 5 it will still grind the starter and I am afraid it will kill it before I can get to it.

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Sarfi - Understand now.

 

Fishbone - Getting gunk out of the the overrun clutch and getting some SuperLube in there should be enough to get you through the cold season until you can do a proper R&R on the whole unit. Be careful you don't overwhelm inside the unit with WD40 or another "degreaser". You don't want to inadvertently short out the starter guts.

- Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum -
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the spiral gear was bone dry and did have some sort of buildup on it that could probably be helped with a splash of penetrating lubricant. That a lubing the shaft would likely get you through a winter.

 

For mine, the issue really seemed to be a combination of the shaft (dry), spiral gear (dry, small amount of buildup), and the three smaller engagement gears (original lube thickened and no longer lubricating).

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  • 2 weeks later...

It's impossible to get to that port on an automatic. There are like 5 things in the way. So I said f-it and pulled the starter, cleaned and lubed it. Works so great now.

The only thing is ... I used plain white dielectic grease. Is this a big issue?

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dielectric probably won't hold up as well over the long term since it is meant for insulating electrical components and not necessarily as a friction lubricant. I've personally found that it gums up over time in dryer climates (guess that depends on what part of TX you're in).

 

the second time you take out the starter it goes much more quickly. :spin:

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  • 3 weeks later...

For the full removal and lubricate procedure, how about brake caliber slider lube like this:

 

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RASG8WZ2L.jpg

 

Doesn't gum up and can withstand heat pretty good. Seems like it would be good in this application?

 

Car is going into the shop for the typical throw-out bearing/'07+ clutch and flywheel/center diff bearings overhaul so I figured maybe I'd grab the starter while the tranny was out and fix it up and drop it back off the next day.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I did a full teardown and used Mobil high temp synthetic last year. It worked until recently.

 

I pulled it off last weekend and greased the bendix shaft with Valvoline molybdenum since I discovered I was out of brake cleaner. It is much better, but I didn't get to do a full teardown like last time. I noticed it is much quieter now than before.

 

I am going to inspect this weekend and see if I need new copper contacts.

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my next improvement to the starter will be replacing the main power wire, the PO trimmed it and it has a fair amount of corrosion inside the cable. think this really slows the starter's performance a bit.

 

also, as a general update, I haven't had a single problem with the starter sticking or weird noises since pulling it apart.

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  • 6 months later...

Just did the "short version" of lubricating the starter the other night.

 

I used the brake caliper lube pictured above and got a cheapie syringe and squirted it through the hole. Our CVS pharmacy would give us syringes to measure out liquid medicine when our kids were babies if they ever needed a prescription for something. It worked great!

 

Not sure how well it worked since the starter sounds fine at the moment, but in a month or two when the mornings are cold, it will surely start to squeal...or not...hopefully!

 

005.JPG

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^ Those things are indispensable for point-lubricating in small doses... keep on in my tool box and one in my travel tool bag.
- Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum -
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Mine's been going strong on the lithium grease I used back in January :lol:

In retrospect I think I got a wee bit of grease on the bendix gear/teeth when lubbing the shaft, might wanna look with a flashlight but the amount was so minisculse I'm not going to worry about it too much especially since it's been working great since.

Edited by fishbone
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Received an 08 Spec B starter with my 6MT swap bits. Going to take it all the way down to parade rest, clean, relube it and install it with the trans/rear bits.
- Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum -
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  • 4 weeks later...
hard to say how well that would work without looking at it all taken apart again. there a good amount of distance to cover between the housing and spiral gear. but certainly an interesting development. let us know how it works out for you long term. I bet just cleaning with a penetrating lube would solve many peoples problems short term. Perhaps a syringe with grease could get right down to the spiral gear?…………...

 

Adding grease through that hole in the housing is definitely not the equal of taking the starter apart and lubing it. Not even close. But if you want to spray some grease on the helical splines, using a straw on a can of pressurized lube, you will first need to expose the helical splines. The spline is only exposed when the pinion gear is fully engaged with the flywheel gear. This means you have to energize the solenoid with 12V, but not the motor, hope that the gear teeth are aligned (about 20% probability) to allow full engagement, and then spray away. It could get you through the winter. But don't overdo it with the grease, you do not want it to migrate to the motor brushes. And do not overheat the solenoid.

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………….Dab a little lube in your finger, put it in the lube hole(see below)... dab more, put more on the hole... try to push it inside...after some 3 or 4 times, the hole seems filled. Then, a blow of compressed air sends it all in there. I used regular compressed air from a hose, but a keyboard cleaner should work too. Then... Repeat. I did it some 10 times... Even the sound of the starter is nicer……………….This requires nothing removed – not a single bolt. It is all visible from under the car, and you can reach with your hands – all you need is to put the car on ramps.

 

Do you guys think this method puts the grease where it is needed? Please share your thoughts.

 

Sorry, but this method creates a big greasy mess inside the starter. Most of the grease does not go where it is needed.

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