HOW to REBUILD Starter Motors and HOW they Work

How and When you should rebuild a starter.
STARTER REBUILD KITS: amzn.to/34KHgMA
Car Won't start?
WHAT SOUNDS MEAN WHAT:
Rapid clicking when key is turned to start:
-Dead/low battery (charge battery and try again)
-Dirty terminals/connections (clean connections)
Single loud Click/Clunk sound when key is turned to start
-Relay is engaging and kicking bendix out but not sending power to motor
-Motor is getting power but brushes are worn and not contacting(light tapping with hammer may give you 1 more start)
You hear the motor spin but it doesn't engage engine
-Bendix Gear not being pulled and or worn out Bendix Drive
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sixtyfiveford
sixtyfiveford/

[@2LateIWon]

You did such a good job at explaining everything I mainly just commenting to healthy algorithm for you LOL

[@Frank-Xavier]

Best comment award 😆

[@keithcronk7980]

AMEN

[@denisewilson4789]

I came to youtube to find a video on rebuilding a starter for my LeSabre hoping to teach my daughter's like. My daddy taught me back in the 80's when I was like 12 or 13. Sadly he passed when i was 17. I hated having to sit there and watch and listen to him teach me(teenagers right) now I'm blessed he had shown me so much stuff to do with cars & motorcycles. Thanks for making this video. It brought back sad but heart warming memories. Now I can pass this knowledge on to my daughters.

[@Bigcheif360]

Love this video. Brought back many memories of me as a 14 year old trying to get one starter built out 2 or 3 other ones. Learned a lot about starters that way.

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.

[@kss8274]

Thats more or less how i. Learned to fix tvs, stereos, game systems and tvs. Lmao. People shouldn't be afraid to try something even if they aren't sure 😂

[@jonathan1427]

Sometimes brushes can be held back with a loop of wire. Cut them and pull the wire out once the motor is back together.

[@adriaan9011]

i took an alternator appart some time ago, it had little holes in the brushes to hold them back with a piece of wire stuck trough them, guess drilling a 2mm hole in a brush wont hurt it

[@ralphwaters8905]

My '87 Mustang came stock with the old style direct-drive motor that had field windings with full power switched by a fender-mounted solenoid (relay). When it failed, I used one for a later year (such as '93) that had the planetary gear reduction and permanent magnets instead of the field winding. OUTSTANDING upgrade. I had to run battery power direct to the starter, but that was the only required mod. The new (Ford) starter has lasted 20 years and 150K miles, still going strong. SO glad I made the change.

[@ZippoVarga]

The Spacers you reference are actually called Shunts, and they terminate the magnets ability to leech past it. The reason is, each magnets is alternated N/S-S/N-N/S-S/N on the "can" housing. Much like on the older starters with the electro magnets, only the Shunt on those are inside the copper wrap. The GM version of Reduction Gear Starters are called PG260 for Planetary Gear Starter. I worked at Delco Remy for 9 years before the Mexican/Canadian NAFTA treaty was enacted and I was involved in every aspect of manufacturing from the Bendix components and assembly to the Relay Solenoids to manufacturing the Armatures, cans, magnets, shunts....the list goes on and on. In the waning days of Delco in Anderson Indiana, I was the sole Starter Generator re-manufacturer and 9/10ths of repairs were either brush related or bearing/bushing related. Great walk through Moe! Takes me back. Cheers! Zip~

[@servihomestead4324]

Wow, that's cool.

[@RRaucina]

Nafta was the last nail in the coffin for US manufacturing.

[@dangraham779]

Where would be a good place to buy the mats, so that I can start rebuild my own starter(s)

[@Impuritan1]

And still out of over the 100 channels I’m subscribed to this is still my favorite one.

[@glenbarnier]

those vice-grip channel locks on your bench on the right, are my favorite pair ive ever had i love em thanks for all your hard work friend

[@alanprather8399]

just watching this a year later, like the series, but man does he just have an old starter museum out back?

[@zx8401ztv]

As i used to work in an auto repair factory, there were a lot of starters around. The carbon brushes and commutator needed to make a very good low resistance contact. Fine sand paper strips were handy for cleaning the commutator, then wrap the sandpaper with the back on the commutator and rock the armature to shape/clean the carbon brushes. I bet you have a similar method. Also always clean the joins in the casings to keep a good earth from the front bracket all the way to the back brush cover. It matters a lot as really high ampage needs super low resistance. Fix them starters :-D

[@sixtyfiveford]

Great info. I do very similar techniques on motors.

[@AtimatikArmy]

Next you got to do one on alternators... I know you know the drill, just replace the ~$6 worth of diodes and 90% of the time you are good to go! I know you of anybody are already way on top of this tip ages ago! ;-) Another great vid from the "DIY MASTER"!!

[@AdmiralDG]

Very helpful explanation of how they work/are built. Assisted me in repairing my snowblower starter! Thanks!

[@sixtyfiveford]

Great to hear!

[@Isaac-47517]

your videos are very simple and very understandable, not confusing. Your channel is not expressly a " i will teach you from start to finish" tutorial channel but you take the time and effort very often to go the extra mile , are fa4 mor thorough than most. So, kudos. Tyvm.

[@jgetchius]

I find the clumping noise of the starters on the table so entertaining. Great video!

[@steadyeddie7453]

That copper tab (copper disc on some models) if often the cause of a no crank problem. If you tap on the starter while someone is trying to crank the engine over and the engine cranks over its usually because of pitting on that copper tab creating a bad connection. You can clean the tab, or flip it over, and clean the mating copper lug it contacts and the starter will go another 100,000. As long as the commutator isn't worn down, as you mentioned. Good recommendation on staying away from the $60.00 starters. Either rebuild it yourself if you have the skills, or buy a quality starter, saving you a potential failure on the road, and giving you peace of mind. Good video.

[@D2O2]

I experimented with a 90s gm non-gear reduction starter and a China gear reduction. The 90s pulls more current, but spins the motor at about 300 rpm. The GR starter pulled less current and only spun the motor over at a little over 200 rpm. That extra rip-ems makes a big difference in how quickly my carbed gm boat motor starts. Need healthy batteries though.

[@samiam247]

Excellent stuff, here in British Columbia I discovered the jobbers no longer carry rebuild kits for starters or alternators so you're left with paying $ 200+ for a new starter or you head over to ebay and pickup a solenoid rebuild kit for $ 20 delivered right to your mailbox. we also have a problem with crap batteries and have to hunt down the Johnson Controls stuff, of which we only have one dealer.

[@RRaucina]

Good video, especially comparing cheapest to most expensive. I doubted you, but no more.... 2 years ago replaced my lucas starter on a ford 655c backhoe. Solenoid bad, didnt have time to fix, so bought the $128 version on Amazonia. So that one died a week ago. Got them both on the bench. Opened the cheap one and lo and behold looks like the brushholder was strapped to a muffler in upstate New York for 5 winters. Damn thing was so rusted, that one of the brush springs rotted away. Opened the lucas, and it was totally sealed with orings and plugs and silicone washers - sparkling new inside. This brusholder had coil type roller springs, heavily galvanized and as new. Copperbrushes with little wear. The rusted one had one brush still moving, one broken spring, and three carbon brushes lodged in position non-op . Ca-Ca. For the sake of $2 they built a piece of crap on purpose. It seems to come from Romaine Electric, big outfit, all over the USA. Though likely Chinese import. And no, we don't use salt here and my 81 ford pickup is rust free. Looks like if you buy a cheap one you need to open it and check the internals. Not for me again.

[@jacknevitt7384]

Very interesting video! Thanks for doing such a good job explaining how a starter works, especially the information about the cheap replacement starters.

[@pistonpunchgaming978]

The explanations were fantastic bro! Thank you for that, especially the warnings about cheap starters, they are so damn tempting

[@macswanton9622]

Brilliant. Also, your lawn is looking great

[@manwiththestar2305]

Awesome you went throught the whole innner workings! I shut off the start-stop-function trying to save my starter because I don't drive that much in the city.

[@sixtyfiveford]

I can only imagine how fast the newer starters wear out with that function.

[@jwayne777]

OMG! You are the true starter JEDI!🙏👍Thank you!! You just hooked a subscriber!! Keep up the good work!!!

[@ebutuoyebutouy]

Yup. Thanks for sharing. Stay safe.

[@lawrencedavidson6195]

I rebuilt my Honda Civic starter with new brushes last year. Just this week the solenoid started acting up. It was a sealed one so i had to carefully pry it open, and found one of the two contacts worn down. I put a washer behind the bolt/contact as a shim and it works very well now. It wont last long however, so i will have to order new contacts or a whole new solenoid. Great video. Thanks and greetings from sunny Jamaica.

[@sixtyfiveford]

That's great

[@richcombs4805]

Hi there....can you share the solenoid part number? I realize I might not have the same starter but I'm trying to learn more about this scenario of a failed solenoid before I order the kit. I've got a manual 12 civic lx sedan 1.8L. I basically want to do the solenoid at the same time and not have to come back to it. I've got 180,000mi on this.

[@lawrencedavidson6195]

@@richcombs4805 I sold the Civic nearly a year ago. Sadly i don't have a part number. I suggest getting a used starter from a junk yard if you can't get the correct part.

[@servihomestead4324]

Great history and explanation. I've never seen one like the Ford style. Seems pretty neat. Thanks so much for sharing this.

[@treasurynotes8936]

Thank you for this video Sir! Very informative taking my Kubota g6200 mower tractor starter apart now

[@TrojanHorse1959]

Great video and subject, thanks, Moe!

[@Idontknowmaybejohnsmith]

This is an awesome video. Super easy to follow

[@mkatalin09]

Thanks for the tutorial and also for the heads up on the cheap ones on amazon or ebay

[@sphinxattrasic4608]

Bro thank you. Nice workshop setup btw

[@YouTubeCertified]

Thanks for the vid. Great info, per usual

[@TheShadeTreeFixitMan]

Interesting tutorial, Moe. Thanks for sharing

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.

[@gain4allnews451]

My 1st car was a 65 ford falcon futura 2 door hardtop. And I still have her 26 years later

[@johnpossum556]

I used to play on/in a 65 Ford Galaxy 500 with the full chrome trim package. As I grew up it was my fort in the garage. Always wish I could have restored it. Dad kept it because they had their honeymoon to the national parks and it still had the driver's side scratches from where Yogi Bear tried to get in at Jellystone National Park.

[@tao1993lee]

i think you done a wonderful quick crash course of what it is, and how to do it video!!

[@ZippoVarga]

I should also add, it's important to clean the Lands and Grooves on the Commutator, because often the Copper/carbon/corn starch comprised brushes will breech the gaps of the Commutator and make the starter function weak or have a flat spot where two lands or more cancel themselves out due to having conductive material in the grooves. Cheers again! Zip~

[@mikem5475]

Awesome tip

[@PiROELoc]

Thank you so much your video was extremely helpful and informative

[@tanksoldier9770]

Another good video , I have always gotten the ones with the life time free warranty for starters , alternators ,shocks ,ext. and it sure pays off in the long run . I found a place called Just Parts it has a lot of good stuff for this kind of repairs thanks and stay safe TANK

[@sixtyfiveford]

Absolutely. I have many in my old Fords that are Lifetime parts store starters. I just swap those when they die but those were around $50-60 when I bought them. These days a starter in a new car that is under $150 is a good deal it seams. Thanks for the info, I look them up.

[@johnpossum556]

Great video, more people should do this! I find even more often the alternator needs rebuilding & I always bought my kits through fleet farm since they stock all the common ones right there in the store. Over the years I've probably saved thousands of dollars just re building alternators.

[@FredLarracuente]

Great video idea! Hope Moe is listening!

[@CATownsend777]

I assume your a mechanic. Thousands of dollars. My current one is 25 years old. I have only changed 2 others back in the 70's and again in the 80's.

[@Thr33.Sid3z]

Apparently the *Starter Solenoid* is sometimes called the starter relay, but in Modern time, we reserve that name for a separate relay which supplies power to the starter solenoid. Battery sends 12v straight to the Starter and the Starter Switch sends a positive signal (not always 12v)through the Relay to the Starter Solenoid. *A conventional Electromechanical Relay is part of a Solenoid that opens or closes one or more set of contacts, but a solenoid is an electromagnetic actuator that can do many different things*

[@perspicator5779]

Fantastic sixtyfiveford! U da man!

[@USNVA-yn6cp]

awesome video,, great info, much appreciated!!

[@themoelman]

interesting as always - often wondered why a universal starter isn't a thing but there's brand specific-ness to it I suppose. Can't just throw a crank on it :)

[@D4x4Bronc]

just bought a newer reman gm starter from salvage yard for $10+ core. I keep one starter per vehicle as a emergency spare. $10-20 vs $70-180 store retail works for me. I get the reman made in Mexico units in the salvage yard. Essentially Autozone or Oreilly's Reman Lifetime units.

[@wurzle48]

Another great video “ keep um coming bud” 👍👍👍👍

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks 👍

[@JackdeDuCoeur]

That was a great tutorial! Thanks

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.

[@tfiv7794]

Great explanation 👍👍

[@waltschannel7465]

Once again, fantastic educational video! I had no idea that rebuild kits were available for starters. I remember there used to be local rebuilders here in Seattle that would sell parts.

[@sixtyfiveford]

There were years were you couldn't find them, but it seams like more are becoming available.

[@TheSkeen04]

Awsome video. Appreciate it a lot.

[@juanleon213]

Thank you very much for the information

[@mikemohlmann6300]

Great video! Really helpfull.

[@bowez9]

That old "60s" starter you kept showing is the same one on my 90 150, with a 300.

[@scherritknoesen5957]

Thanks. Great explanation.

[@gravybags7965]

Nice video thanks for the information.

[@CDP135Z]

Awesome. So I’ll just get a new starter. Great video!

[@sixtyfiveford]

Hey, I do all the time.

[@SteveStoltz]

A small aluminum flashlight tube can work well as a brush retainer, works great when rebuilding my ford gear reduction starters.

[@sixtyfiveford]

Seams like I need 10 hands on some of these to get the brushes in.

[@GF_Burke]

Nice man. Good coffee time watching at work. For my 79, i just use O'really's reman. The 98 XJ I just bought, replaced it even though it worked. The PO let the oil filter gasket leak over it for years. Couldn't even see it. Nope, not trusting it.

[@sixtyfiveford]

Yeah, my old Fords all have Lifetime parts store Starters. But those were all around $50 when I bought them. These days a $200+ starter is pretty common place.

[@Koda18]

Awesome video.

[@explorationuk6737]

Love it Steve

[@hesedken]

Nice job teaching and explaining

[@sixtyfiveford]

Glad you liked it

[@chrisknight9413]

Uhhh, probably better referred to as solenoid with a contactor, since it performs a mechanical action. Thanks for posting video.

[@patrickscahillii9365]

Great video FORD MAN, you remind me of me, if it can be fixed I'll find a way.

[@212ofhataphobiccreations]

Great comprehension sir

[@martygassett54]

Thanks. Good info.

[@phi9635]

thank you for this video

[@lewiemcneely9143]

Ginger herding water drops and it looks like with the cheap ones you'd get what you paid for. If I couldn't do it myself I'd get it local so if it goofed, they'd have to eat it. Good starter class Moe and GBWYall!

[@jordanwalker9309]

Awesome man. Where's best place you or anyone on here can tell me to buy a rebuild kit for my sbc starters???

[@MrLdvo]

Thanks man! Cheers!

[@davidshipulski4532]

Very helpful! Thanks!

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.

[@dennisvogel]

Holy crap. I had a '65 mustang that I used to have to start by using a screwdriver to jump the terminals on the solenoid just like 2:30.

[@RealOmarWahdan]

Thanks for the info. I have a Honda CRV and I have a starter issue don’t want to spend almost 200+ and I don’t trust Amazon’s cheap starters. Looking to see about a rebuild.

[@FECRWY]

Do you have a video explaining the bendix operation on the older Ford starters? The one in my '78 seems to engage (I hear it click and spin) but won't turn the engine over every time

[@choppergirl]

The electric switch is called a solenoid switch. The solenoid part is the spring loaded rod and electromagnetic coils around it that moves back and forth when power and thusly and electromagnetic field is applied to it.

[@craigmahan5185]

That would make you "The Spin Doctor".. What's up Doc!

[@Isaac-47517]

just put out $148 w/core . would not start, had to replace in a parkinglot. and niw yfruck starts but sounds lume it did just before starter went out. got new 5/24 battery with even higher cca than needed, still same sound, it struggles to start. flex plate does not make bad sound. ring looks fine

[@not2fast4u2c]

In the early 80's there was a small company in my area that rebuild starters and the cost was reasonable ..I use to make extra money swapping the head of the GM starters so a chevy one would work on a buick olds or pontiac

[@sixtyfiveford]

That's neat. I used to take them to a shop to get rebuilt for around $40-50 in the 90's but those places are long gone.

[@dvanolpen]

I have a starter with the separate solenoid that has only an electrical connections / no mechanical interface (like one of those you showed). Mine is sticking in the engaged position with the bend out against the flywheel with no powder to it at all. What makes it retract? It's also turning slowly. Great video!

[@flyingled3176]

I had the same problem with a brand new Perkins starter. It was the batteries that were not fully charged.

[@demonrathunter]

great video !

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks!

[@FredLarracuente]

Great video Sixtyfiveford! Sadly rebuild kits are not made for all starters, or kits are becoming harder and harder to find, specially for newer cars and specially European cars. In any case, a great skill to have. How about a video on how to make your own brushes when replacements can't be found? That skill can apply to any brushed motor or generator. I had to do just that not on a starter but on a Coleman 5K generator. A block of graphite, sandpaper, a caliper and lots of patience, lol. Either that or an alternator repair video. ;)

[@sixtyfiveford]

You're right. Parts are not easy to find. I have made my own brushes for motors a few times. I generally just buy bigger brushes and sand them down to fit in the holders. You're right about the patience part.

[@DAS-Videos]

Very interesting. The starter went out on my old car and I got a $47 starter from ebay. It worked good for the year and a half I had my car before I sold it. I hope the new owner didn't have it die on him. It was very easy to remove and install the stater on that car.

[@sixtyfiveford]

The cheap starters do work, which I can't fault them there. They're just so cheaply made I would suspect a heavy road salt state they would rust completely apart in a season.

[@DAS-Videos]

@@sixtyfiveford I think you're right about that.

[@mikeystokes9403]

Yeah Amazon may be cheaper but I got one in my car but I am thinking about rebuilding the old one that's why I watched this video it is cheap probably won't last long but it's getting me to work and back can't complain right now

[@insaneasylum7898]

Good Info. Thanks man

[@sixtyfiveford]

Hey Thanks.

[@Kyle-ev4fk]

Another Rad video!

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks Kyle

[@djwhiz03]

Thank you

[@billycolwell4263]

I used one of hhe old solinoids as push buttonstart on lawnmower

[@bruceaskin9645]

Hi just saying hello and thanks again for watching mine

[@RRaucina]

Do you have any places for getting brush holders and solenoid parts you could name?

[@ironreign9412]

Im watching this vid cuz i bought the cheepo and would really like to rebuild my OE that just hit 240k. Thanks!

[@jr5389]

Great 👍 thanks 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿😎

[@chrissscottt]

Interesting thanks.

[@dumpsterfire6351]

Oh boy Ill just pull mine apart clean everything Sand contact points Scuff sand seal Paint re-install 🤞

[@waynesmith8827]

If you put a 1/4 20 nut in between those springs to hold them in place you can get it to squeeze in then shake the nuts or

[@DM-wb4jv]

Question why would starter gear not full return and pings off flywheel constantly? 2009 silverado 5.3

[@ramonclemons8196]

I have a k series Motor and got a starter from the junk yard.. from a j series Motor but doesn't have the housing and gear reduction ( learned from you) can I swap them output teeth? I was going to get the $60 starter till I seen the video.

[@ramonclemons8196]

My starter has been making a crazy sound for the last 3 weeks with occasional grinding while I started and finally it stopped. Is this due to me driving in higher than expected puddles haha.. do I just have a buildup causing my brushes to stick because it sounds like it's just stuck

[@corey6393]

Acronyms are a real time saver.

[@57WillysCJ]

I think the main problem I have had with starters is the drive going out. I know many do not like the old Ford solenoid design, but I do. Easy to replace when it goes and if you work on the starter, there is that much less weight and bulk. Not to mention if you have to jump the solenoid it is a whole lot easier. That said, I don't think I have ever replaced a starter on a Honda except once. and I have had a lot of them.

[@sixtyfiveford]

It may be a regional thing(wetter, salted roads etc) or even a vehicle make to have the Bendix go out. I don't think I've ever had the gear drive bendix fail on a starter.

[@57WillysCJ]

@@sixtyfiveford You are probably right. Now that I think about it, I never replaced one when I lived in Arizona. Batteries and exhaust lasted longer to.

[@RK-kn1ud]

I wish my 1990 had a PMGR starter. Cost me a pretty penny to convert! Factory starter was weak trying to turn an 11.5:1 compression motor!

[@sixtyfiveford]

Now that's some compression!

[@RK-kn1ud]

@@sixtyfiveford It's no wonder why they had to move from direct drive starters... nearly everything these days is > 10:1. That said, 11.5:1 is the pump gas motor...the race gas motor is 13.5:1 with the timing locked to 35*. Starts right up with a PMGR starter.

[@johnpossum556]

@@RK-kn1ud The triple reduction starters make a HUGE difference in cold weather climates when the oil gets thicker than molasses.

[@richardbates2367]

And the older gm starters are really decent but if they wear the holders or brush fingers in a odd pattern it can be a big pain to fix, but I have bought a Amazon $65 new starter but ac Delco factory service replacement professional line works great my older starter dragged to the point of almost killing the battery before it started the truck so not only did it need a solenoid but I am sure the brushes were smoked, and it should have had the mini high torque starter on the truck to begin with anyway it was a early 94 Chevy extended cab short bed Z71 tbi truck

[@tblbaby]

I look back through your channel looking for something to refer to a guy with a broke ass truck cause he rear ended and might want to pull it's face out, and how did I miss several vids? Catching up. Great info!

[@MrEricdgreat]

I have a lawnmower starter. I can’t find anywhere and I’m thinking about rebuilding it but I’m not sure if it’s good or not it turns but it turns really slow and the housing is magnetized don’t know if that’s normal or not.. I don’t see a solenoid on it anywhere but I do see two coiled one for the spark plug and one to the starter . Can you give me any ideas. I have 13.5 volts to battery. Thank you

[@sixtyfiveford]

Belt drive starter or does it have a toothed engagement?