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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Dec 2012 Posts: 28 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2012 Posts: 28 | I got my starter a part and now I have a few questions. Not familiar with everything inside. I ordered a rebuild kit which should allow me to rebuild everything at the base attached to the brushes. 1) How should I or Can I clean the inside of the housing? Can I soak it and scrub all the surfaces? Inside Housing 1 Inside Housing 2 2) Do I need to do anything to this? Should I sand it or scrub it? I plan on sanding the copper end to clean it up but what about the rest(the blue area)? Pic 1 Pic 2 3) Also the top part of the housing has a hole in it. It does not look like it is a natural part of it. It looks like wear or something ate into it. Should I get this repaired? Can I leave it? or is it supposed to be there? Or do I need to get a new one. Hole in Starter 4) The contact on the top of the housing has a slight step to it. Shoulp I flatten it or just clean it up? Starter Contact 1 Starter Contact 2 All Starter Photos Starter Photos | | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,270 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,270 |
Lone Wolf,
Excellent pictures (an understatement).
1. Someone else will give advice on cleaning the inside (I am not going to post what I do - too embarrassing).
2. The copper-end has mica (I think) as insulation between the copper commutators (I think that is what they are called). The copper is softer than the mica. The mica will wear out the graphite brushes. A good repair/rebuild shop will turn/smooth that copper end and then cut the mica down below the surface of the copper.
3. I am pretty sure that hole is natural - for debris/water/oil drainage/escape (others will correct this).
4. That step is contact-wear. It would be nice to replace this part (but, the much easier shade-tree approach would be to loosen it and turn it 180 degrees (gasp).
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,544 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,544 | | | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,847 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,847 | yes, you should have the rotor checked for proper insulating values, any decent automotive electrical shop should be able to do this for very cheap if not free, (auto zone?) and have the commutator properly turned if it checks out. I have seen large generators cleaned with big orange and a pressure washer, just make sure you rinse it very well and dry it out completely. (The fella didn't dry one of them out thoroughly and it went up in smoke, the others worked fine though) | | | | | Joined: Dec 2012 Posts: 28 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2012 Posts: 28 | Thanks for the info gentlemen | | |
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