Last night I checked everything starting from connections to starter.
Connections were ok, starter failed, I checked the solenoid and finally
replaced but nothing had been changed. I did a last trial to avoid
starter dismantling and I connected the battery directly to the starter:
same result. So I removed the starter and I checked first brushes,
grounded ones seemed ok, the other two had quite pretty black surfaces
to the commutator. Commutator was bright, metallic but fully saturated.
As I noticed that even the brush replacement requires special soldering
tool I gave up at this level and today I left the starter for
reconditioning at a specialist. I have a spare used starter, I have
fited that and it is working perfectly.
A question: I have noticed that for starter mounting so called shim
might be necessary for bendix adjusting. Is that shim like a general
gasket made of some kind of paper? What is the process to determine the
number or the thickness of this shim?
-----Original Message-----
From: Joe Frakes [mailto:joe@ados.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2002 6:33 AM
To: Spit list
Subject: RE: starter
Did you check the voltage at the specific time you were having problems,
or
just when it was convienent (like I usually do)? I had almost the exact
same symptoms when the voltage regulator went out on my Lucas
alternator.
It would charge at times, discharge at others. When it did charge, it
did
so quite well. Of course it was a champ at discharging also.
All the connections (as others mentioned) is definitely a good place to
start, just thought I'd share my experience...
Joe Frakes
'73 Spitfire 1500 (now with Delco alternator)
'55 Chevy 210 (incidentally also with Delco alternator)
I installed the self made (a la P. T) heat shield and results are
excellent. Vapor lock has been eliminated completely even with very hot
engine. Idle is stable as well. Unfortunately the starter problem had
been getting worse. First I had starter problem only with hot engine.
This weekend when I tested the new heat shield during a 200km trip I
started the engine almost in all kind of conditions (cold, little cold,
hot, very hot, hot after 5 min...). In every cases I had successful
starts (starter turns at high rev) and completely failed ones (starter
just turns a half and stops). I can't see anymore any direct relations
between heat and starter functioning. I checked fan belt, battery
(12.6V), charging (15-16V), all seems basically ok. The starter it self
or the solenoid could be suspected, but why it works a day and do not an
other under the same conditions?
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