Note. Depending on the malfunction that has occurred, the sequence and scope of repair work can be changed.
The most common starter failures are:
1. The winding burns out or the contact bolts and the contact plate in the starter traction relay burn out. To eliminate these malfunctions, it is necessary to replace the starter traction relay. This can be done on the car without removing the starter;
2. Faulty freewheel starter drive. To eliminate this malfunction, it is necessary to disassemble the starter and replace the drive;
3. Worn starter brushes. It is necessary to remove the starter from the car, replace the brush assembly and clean the collector. When replacing the brush assembly, there is no need to remove the starter drive and the traction relay.
To perform starter repair work, you will need:
- two power wires (with clips at the ends) to start the engine from the battery of another car;
- expanding pliers for removing retaining rings;
- ohmmeter.
Examination
Note. You can check the electrical part of the starter without disassembling it.
1. Remove the starter from the car.
Helpful advice. When checking, do not short circuit the wire clamp connected to the positive terminal of the battery to the starter housing. To do this, the clamp should be extended, for example, by inserting a steel drift into it.
2. With one wire, connect the negative terminal of the battery to the starter housing. The second wire, connected to the positive terminal of the battery, is connected to the contact bolt (2) traction relay to which the starter wire is connected. If the starter armature starts to rotate, the starter motor is good.
3. Connect the second wire to the contact bolt (1) starter relay. Using a screwdriver or other suitable metal object, close the output together (3) and the contact bolt of the starter traction relay. If there was a loud click and the starter armature began to rotate, the traction relay is working properly.
To further check the starter, as well as to determine the cause of the malfunction, it is necessary to disassemble the starter.
Disassembly
1. Using a 10 mm socket wrench, unscrew the nut that secures the wire tip to the terminal (contact bolt) starter relay.
2. Remove the wire tip from the contact bolt of the starter traction relay.
3. Using an 8 mm socket wrench, unscrew the two bolts securing the starter traction relay.
4. Remove the traction relay from the starter (in this case, it is necessary to disconnect the earring of the traction relay core from the upper end of the drive lever).
Recommendation. Check up ease of a course of a core of the traction relay of a starter. Connect an ohmmeter to the terminals of the traction relay and, sinking the armature to the stop, make sure that the contact bolts close (electrical resistance close to zero). A defective starter relay must be replaced.
5. Using a 10 mm socket wrench, unscrew the two nuts of the tie rods.
6. Having carefully disconnected the stator from the front cover of the starter, remove the stator from the studs.
7. Remove the central gear of the planetary starter gear (sometimes the gear remains on the armature shaft).
8. Using a slotted screwdriver, remove the three planetary gears of the starter gearbox one by one.
Recommendation. Check the condition of the starter planetary gear. The needle bearings of the satellite gears must not be damaged. The teeth of the gears of the reducer should not have chips, scuffs, traces of corrosion and other damage. It is necessary to replace the defective elements of the gearbox (either drive or starter assembly).
9. Using a screwdriver, resting on the top of the front cover of the starter, pry off the support of the drive lever.
10. We remove the drive from the cover together with the drive shaft, the drive lever, the lever support and the external gear of the gearbox.
Recommendation. Check drive condition. The drive must move freely without jamming along the splines of the shaft. The starter drive gear must be freely screwed in only one direction, chipping of the teeth and strong nicks on the lead-in part of the teeth are not allowed. Minor defects can be eliminated with a diamond file or an abrasive stone. It is necessary to replace a faulty and badly worn drive (or starter assembly).
11. With a hammer, through a 13 mm open-end wrench, knock down the ring of the starter drive stroke limiter (at the same time, a wooden block or a piece of dense rubber should be placed under the gear of the gearbox).
12. Using a slotted screwdriver, remove the stop ring of the drive travel stop from the groove of the shaft and remove the stop ring and travel stop ring from the shaft.
13. Remove the starter drive assembly with the lever and clutch from the shaft.
14. Using special expanding tongs, remove the retaining ring of the drive lever coupling.
15. Remove from the drive (4) puck (2), clutch (5) complete with drive lever (3).
Note. When replacing only the drive, further work on disassembling the starter can be omitted.
16. Using special expanding tongs, remove the retaining ring of the drive shaft support.
17. With shaft drive (1) sequentially remove the thrust washer (5), shaft support (4), sealing rubber ring (3) and the outer gear of the planetary gearbox (2).
18. Using a Phillips screwdriver, unscrew the two screws securing the brush assembly to the rear cover of the starter.
19. Remove the back cover of the starter.
20. Prying with a slotted screwdriver, remove the brush assembly from the starter armature collector.
21. Remove the front armature shaft support.
22. Remove the thrust washer from the armature shaft.
23. Overcoming the force of the magnets, we remove the anchor from the stator.
24. We inspect the collector and windings of the starter armature.
Note. Traces of charring of the starter windings are not allowed - such an anchor must be replaced.
25. We clean the polluted collector with sandpaper («zero»), holding the armature shaft through a strip of thick paper into an electric drill chuck. We wash the starter anchor with water and detergent to remove dirt, coal dust and abrasive residues and carefully wipe it dry with a clean rag, blow it with compressed air from the tire pump.
26. Replace worn brushes (the height from the working edge to the output is equal to or less than 3.5 mm) and brushes with mechanical damage.
27. We wash the parts of the gearbox and drive with white spirit or kerosene.
Assembly
You can install the brush assembly on the starter armature collector using a special mandrel or tool head of a suitable size and shape. In case of their absence, brushes can be installed without these devices. For this:
1. Fasten the brush assembly to the back cover of the starter with two screws.
2. Lubricate the end of the starter armature shaft with two drops of engine oil.
3. We insert four brushes into the corresponding brush holders. Without inserting the brush springs into the brush holders, we put the brush assembly on the armature collector.
4. Using pliers with thin sponges, we bend the outer stops of the springs of all four brushes.
5. Insert the spring into the brush holder.
6. Holding the spring with a screwdriver, bend the four stops of the spring with pliers. Install the other three springs in the same way.
7. We insert the starter anchor into the stator with the brush assembly and rear cover put on it (at the same time, it is necessary to hold the anchor so that its collector does not disengage from the brush assembly).
Further assembly of the starter is carried out in the reverse order of disassembly. At the same time, grease is applied to the parts of the gearbox. Before installing the drive, dip it in engine oil and let the oil drain. The bushings in which the armature and starter drive shafts rotate, as well as the screw splines of the drive, are lubricated with engine oil.
8. To make sure that the starter is assembled correctly, before installation, we check its performance, as shown at the beginning of the section.