In a message dated 10/1/02 6:10:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time, tab@penworks.com
writes:
> Which might not be unreasonable - I've had a hell of a time starting it in
> the mornings lately (for reasons I think are due to the weather), and
> trouble keeping it going initially - it's been very ragged for the first
> few minutes. Once it's going and been driven for 5 or 10 minutes it's
> pretty much fine for the rest of the day. But initially, I've been beating
>
> on the starter a lot to get it going, and it's entirely possible that
> somewhere in there it went belly up on me.
- - - - - - - - - -
It isn't hard to test the starter, but you need to remove the starter, which
requires tiny hands.
Take out the starter, wrap a rag around it and clamp it (not too tight) in a
vise. Use your jumper cables from the battery to the starter. Clamp the
ground to one of the mounting ears, and then just touch the hot to the
terminal post. The starter will spin like a house on fire and the pinion
gear should move down it's shaft.
If the gear is sticking, or it doesn't move freely, clean it all off with
brake cleaner or carb cleaner and lube it with a VERY light coating of white
lithium grease. As long as nothing is bent, it should be fine.
Use care not to spin the terminal post when you put the starter cable back
on. It can cause a short in the starter.
Replacement is the reverse of removal. I have a 1500 Midget, and I'm not
sure what car you have. The starter is a lot of fun to remove and refit in a
Midget.
Allen Hefner
Philly Region RoadRally Steward
Merchandise Chairman
'77 MG Midget #51 (FSP)
'75 MG Midget (The Project)
'92 Mitsubishi Expo LRV Sport (HS)
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