In modern times, cars have become an integral part of our lives and having at least one car in the house makes many things simpler.
However, in order for a car to truly last and help, it requires attention. Constant monitoring and repair of parts is something without which the operation of car mechanisms is impossible.
Some people prefer to have their car repaired by specialists at a car service center. But there are also car enthusiasts who prefer doing their own repairs.
Each such jack-of-all-trades encounters a large number of the most common difficulties in setting up a machine.
One of the mechanisms that most often suffers is the starter part. In order to repair a recoil starter with your own hands, you need to know a lot. For example, the design features and structure of the device are important.
In this material we will try to understand all the issues that are important when repairing the starter yourself.
Damage and incorrect operation of the retractor relay. The problem is that after turning the key to the starting position, no voltage is supplied. In this case, the fault may be either in the starter or in the solenoid relay.
If you have problems with the contact plate, the starter will simply stop turning after the engine starts running.
Differences from a conventional starter
As already noted, the main difference is the presence of a gearbox and the location of the bendix.
There are modernized gear starters. They do not have an interacting section with splines. Many parts in the new modernized starter with gearbox are plastic. Due to this, the weight is not large and the price is lower. These starters are not repairable, that is, they cannot be repaired. A gear starter requires much less current to activate and operate. This helps when the car battery discharges quickly, for example, in severe frosts.
Defective starter parts
Now we need to rebuild the starter.
Each node is checked individually to find the required defect. When it is disassembled, you can proceed to diagnostics.
Relay
First you need to check the start relay. This is quite simple to do - apply 12 volts to it.
A characteristic click should occur, which indicates its functionality.
At the same moment the gear will move.
To be on the safe side, connect a multimeter or ohmmeter. If a short circuit appears at the moment of switching on, then the problem is not in the relay. If it is not there, repairing the gear starter involves replacing it.
Brushes
Before you repair the starter, check the brushes.
This is a consumable and is the first to fail.
They are made of graphite, so they gradually wear out. Please note that often the brushes fail individually.
In this case, it is better to replace them completely so that the wear is even.
Stator
Checking the stator is simple - you need to measure the resistance on the windings. It must be at least 10 kOhm.
In many cases, it is necessary to rewind the starter. For this purpose, a winding for a specific stator is purchased. You can see more details about the repair in the video.
Repairing the armature of a gear starter is, as a rule, impossible and requires replacement of the assembly.
Rotor
After removing the rotor assembly, inspect the winding.
It can burn out from overload, which is indicated by soot.
Repairing the starter rotor winding is impossible, so it needs to be completely replaced.
It is also worth inspecting the manifold.
Often a plaque forms there, which can be removed with sandpaper. After cleaning, try starting the car.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like any other device, a starter with a gearbox has not only advantages, but also disadvantages.
Pros:
- Long service life.
- Low energy consumption.
- Small dimensions and less weight.
- Low price.
Minuses:
- Repair is more difficult, if possible.
- Weakness of the design. It has a certain power limit, so it is better not to install gear starters on trucks.
Such starters with gearboxes are especially effective in areas with cold climates.
Gear starter repair
A gearbox failure will cost approximately the same as a new gearbox. Other starter parts can be changed one by one.
And in this photo you can see how the gears of the gearbox wear out, and how many chips accumulate and how the lubricant becomes coked over time.
Reducer gears.
Frequent breakdowns of a starter with gearbox:
- When turning the ignition key, the starter does not operate. The reason for the starter itself not responding is in the pin contacts of the solenoid relay. Also, it often happens that the battery terminals are loose and fire every other time.
- Sometimes there are problems starting the internal combustion engine when the starter is working properly. In this case, the starter works, but there may be a breakdown in the bendix or gearbox.
- Sometimes there are problems with starting a car engine when the solenoid relay is working properly. The reason is most likely in the starter and armature windings.
If you don’t have experience at least monitoring the repair of the starter, you can only disassemble and check the parts for integrity. Let an auto electrician check the winding.
Removing the starter
Before you remove the starter and how to repair it, you need to take into account that this task is quite labor-intensive. However, removing the starter and disassembling it is a prerequisite for troubleshooting.
How to remove the starter yourself:
Checking and repairing the starter
Before disassembling, we recommend studying the structure and operating principle of a car starter. Also, when making repairs, it is important to understand the operating principle and diagnostic methods of the solenoid relay and starter bendex.
As stated above, a mechanism can break down for various reasons. Therefore, repairs to the car starter must be carried out in accordance with the diagnostic results. Before you repair the starter, you need to stock up on all the necessary tools and a repair kit. A starter repair kit can be purchased at any automotive store. If you don’t know how to disassemble the starter, try using the car’s service manual, but usually there’s nothing complicated about it.
Starter relay
First of all, car starter repair includes relay diagnostics. When voltage is applied to the positive terminal of the winding, a click should be heard - that sound will indicate that the relay is working, and the bendix of the assembly should move. The connected ohmmeter screen will show the contact closure. If this does not happen, then repairing the car starter comes down to unscrewing the bolts and replacing the relay.
New solenoid relay for cars
Starter brushes
Repair of truck starters or for passenger cars can come down to replacing the brushes. Replacing the starter brushes is carried out by dismantling the back cover, and even if the brush assembly is not worn out, experts still advise changing it. Disassembling the starter will show that the brushes are located at the rear of the motor, and if one of them breaks, this will lead to the inoperability of the unit as a whole. To dismantle it is necessary to unscrew the terminals and remove the springs.
Video
How to replace a gear starter with your own hands.
How to start a car at -30 degrees with a gear starter.
Tips: which gear starter is better to choose for the OKA, OKA 2 machine.
How to check the performance of the starter using the battery.
This video shows the process of repairing the starter.
For those who want to tinker, there is an opportunity to improve the gear starter.
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What problems may arise
The parts that most often suffer are those that account for most of the work of a particular mechanism. Since this part in the starter is the bendix, problems in most cases are associated with this part.
All operating problems usually add up to a crankshaft rotation error. Either the device works too slowly, or there is a complete refusal to scroll. Remember that repairing a UAZ starter with your own hands is often different from other cars.
In order to determine this problem, a visual inspection of the parts will be required. If a knocking noise appears, you will need to immediately check all components of the car.
A knocking sound most often indicates that the teeth of the Bendix gear are worn out or damaged. And the starter starts knocking when the flywheel gets into the gap of this very broken gear.
In this case, when you turn the key, the starter will spin completely at idle.
In addition to this problem, several more may arise. First of all, the motor shaft may jam. Problems also arise in the winding and with the stator and rotor.
You may also often need to repair the starter solenoid relay yourself.
