new starter solenoid?

[8Mud]

If it´s working, why take it off? There really isn´t much to mess up in there, a big electro magnet, a steel plunger, spring. The back end of the solenoid, has some contacts in there, but if the dust seals arn´t broken, there is little chance of water getting in there. More of a chance of messing up the seal while taking it apart.
Concentrate on the shaft going in the front of the starter, with the gear on it, pry the gear as far forward as you can and look behind there, and see if it´s full of crud. Take the back cover off of the starter motor and look at the brushes, blow them out if they are cruddy, take the windings off, black part of the starter, carefully holding the inside rotating part (armature winding) forward, nose down. Look at the gears inside for crude, slide the armature (the rotating part) rearword, while holding the nose down, look in there (around the shaft) for mud.

 

[imma honky]

i was gonna take it off so i could clean it a little better, but i guess i wont. I m gonan try what you just said about the looking for crud.
Thanks.

 

[8Mud]

I just went out and took the solenoid off of a starter. Takes a phillips tip that is flat at the tip (not pointed). Used an impact driver and an extension a 1/4" drive socket a phillips tip and a couple of reducers, so I´d have enough clearance to keep it straight. I´ll probably replace the screws with allen heads. Last time I had that solenoid off, was ten or more years ago, I used Vasoline for grease, still looks like new in there.

 

[8Mud]

If you take the field windings off (black part of the case) and the armature, there is a ball bearing at the FRONT end of the shaft, that might stay in the bushing, might come out with the armature and shaft or might fall on the floor.
By the time we finish this thread, we will have written a step by step book for starter R&R. :laugh3: