Background: This starter has been in the truck for at least 25 years -- since I've owned it. I've pulled it before for only brushes replacement, never needing to check anything else out.
A few weeks back it just wouldn't start -- zippo. So it was dismantled and cleaned up. What I found were brushes worn out (one, down to its holder). I cleaned up the whole unit including the commutator. And reused some near-new brushes I had in storage. Put it all back together again like it was, and this time it spun right up. But now it refused to properly engage with the flywheel -- just grinding!
Out it came again right away. And that's when I decided to delve deeper into its hardware. First I checked the ring gear through the starter opening and it appeared still ok -- whew!
What I later found was that the clutch drive did not extend all the way out (only about 3/16" into the flywheel). This was especially true with the stomp switch installed. But without the switch in, the switch leaver was able to travel further and thus extend the clutch drive a tad further -- right up to it's stop washer. Again, with the switch reinstalled the clutch drive would only travel within say, 1/8" of the stop washer.
There appears to be a 10 mm difference in the length of the armature shaft to the total length of the case (measured at the nose cone opening). Hence, all those washers you see in the pic that someone had previously added. Even they don't add up to enough to prevent longitudinal travel.
I now wonder if this armature is the wrong one for this starter shell ..too short??
Anyway, looking at the pics you may also be able to see how I have populated the end of the armature. At its very end, is the first empty 'notch' (which is more of an indent), the second 'notch' contains the special clutch drive stop washer with its contained lock washer. I assume the rest of the flat washers are to fill in for longitudinal movement (which are still not enough to prevent it from floating).
This motor seemed to work well before the brushes went bye bye. But maybe it was just barely accessing the flywheel too. The clutch drive bench tests ok. Albeit,1/2" shorter than the one specified for this starter edition -- another clue??
Delco Remy armature number is: #1867897 Starter motor field shell with brush end is stamped: #1814231 Clutch drive: no id
Appreciating your help here in trying to salvage this motor.
