I broke the bloody thing! Please help guru's :(

**AE092** · 09-05-2011, 11:34 PM

About 2 weeks back I asked about my starter issues and had input about replacing and cleaning it. So today, I figured I would tackle the job and got the starter motor off. I took it apart and WD40'd the armature, commutator, brushes, springs and motor can/endbell. I let it sit dry for abit while I went and did a few other things.

Later on, I re-assembled and re-attached it and wired it up. And here's where the problem is, as soon as I connect the power lead to the positive terminal, there is arc'ing on the battery terminal and kind of like 'shorts' it? When the lead is on the battery, there starter motor runs?? Or something does 'cause I can hear it buzzing just like an electric motor. Have I connected it wrong?

Any help would be very much appreciated

**RA35GT** · 09-05-2011, 11:37 PM

I assume you disconnected all the wiring and stuff when you disassembled it?

If so, there are a number of insulaters etc. required on the terminals did you make sure to fit them in the right order??

**thechuckster** · 09-05-2011, 11:39 PM

check the insulation on the high-current connections - particularly going from solenoid to starter motor.

Also, if the starter is running as soon as you power it up, the solenoid is engaging thus energising the electric motor.

**AE092** · 09-05-2011, 11:44 PM

Wow! You guys reply fast!
I pretty much took the solenoid off first then got to the starter. Would anyone have any photo's of the proper order of attaching the insulator?

Another question, since the starter motor has turned as soon as there was power, would it be possible to have thrown out the timing of the engine of the engine or the likes? Also why did the battery arc up like it was shorting out?

**allencr** · 10-05-2011, 02:20 AM

would it be possible to have thrown out the timing of the engine of the engine or the likes? Also why did the battery arc up like it was shorting out?

No.
Because it most likely was, unless the starter is OK & you're just surprised about the high amount of current that it draws. Those big wires are only there to handle it.

You could try Youtube for a primer on starters, almost any with a solenoid should do.
To beginners those large nuts always look like they should get a lot of tightening. They shouldn't! They can be easily over tightened & twist up what's inside or what they are insulated from.
There is nothing in or on a starter that wd40 is useful or good for, it needs to be clean, its bearings & gears lubed, that's it!

**AE092** · 10-05-2011, 10:37 AM

lesson learnt, man this blows

**oldcorollas** · 10-05-2011, 10:44 AM

there is a pwer wire coming fromt he motor, that goes to the solenoid.
the wire from the battery goes to the OTHER post of the solenoid.
the solenoid is a switch, that connects power to the motor.
B goes to battery. M goes to motor.

battery cable goes to RHS post of solenoid in this pic

i think you may have just connected the battery cable to the wrogn post.. one post to starter motor, one post to battery, but not the same post

**lexsmaz** · 10-05-2011, 11:29 AM

I'm sure OC's on the money, but if the wiring looks ok, dont fiddle with it in the car remove it & bench test it using jumper leads ..

**Jerry2** · 10-05-2011, 01:00 PM

Are these a reduction gear type starter motor like on the RA65? If so what looks like the solenoid (ie smaller cylinder) is the motor. Depending on how far you stripped the whole thing back, inside the solenoid (larger cylinder) are two right angled contacts, if they went back in 180 degrees out they will connect the circuit without the plunger moving ( the moving part that kicks the gear on to the flywheel, it will also hold the plunger from moving at all, hence the starter motor sounding like it is going but the engine isn't turning over.

**oldcorollas** · 10-05-2011, 01:04 PM

another option is that the lever from the solenoid to starter gear was nto put through the solenoids "yoke", so the contacts are pushed closed.

pictures will help

**AE092** · 10-05-2011, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by oldcorollas

another option is that the lever from the solenoid to starter gear was nto put through the solenoids "yoke", so the contacts are pushed closed.

pictures will help

On the money! I decided to pull it out again and you were right, the fork that engages the gear from the solenoid to the motor was not put in properly. So I lubed it all up and place the lever into the fork (if that makes any sense) and put it back in. Started up fine! However, another unrelated problem emerged, my oil relocator kit started to leak oil from the block. This thing is starting to irritate the crap out of me now haha. The only good news is that I managed to do go 1.46.1170 at Winton Raceway 2 days prior.

Thanks alot for the input guys, very helpful!