Bill Ball

Just shy of 275K miles the starter motor decided it's time to go. Jeez. A couple of weeks ago it began to crank just slightly more slowly. I knew something was up. Battery should be OK. Oh, well, it still started and it was only slightly slower. Maybe cold weather was to blame, but in California cold is not very. Then at an inopportune moment a few days later, all of the sudden, it failed to move at all. I could hear the starter relay after I removed the carpet and plywood cover, but nothing else. Fortunately I had the bellypans off at the time. So, I got under the car with a length of pipe and gave the end of the starter a couple of sharp smacks. VROOOOM!! Good as new or so it seemed. I bought a new starter but had not installed it as I no longer have a comfy garage and lift, so I was waiting for some warmer weather. Anyway, the good ole starter seemed just fine anyway. I figured I must have knocked some carbon off the solenoid, although I really don't know what this shadetree treatment does to revive balky starters at least temporarily. Then yesterday it went into slow turnover mode again and then failed at another inopportune moment, leaving my new girlfriend wondering if this was some scheme to isolate her with me all alone out in the wilderness that is eastern Contra Costa County. But I saved the day and her honor again with the pipe trick. The car started, although less briskly than before. So, the time has finally come to git 'er dun. I have a few other delinquent repairs to undertake on my ever trustworthy ride, but this one probably cannot wait any longer. New starter goes in tomorrow morning.

Anyway, I thought I'd let everybody know that unfortunately you should pay close attention to your starter motor as you approach 275K miles....and keep a length of pipe or facsimile thereof in the hatch just in case the darn thing gives up like mine did.

Randy V

275K miles is a long life for a starter motor, Bill.

Bill Ball

Really? OK, I won't send in my complaint letter to Porsche after all.

:-)

Yeah, my bold warning was tongue in cheek. The durability of my car has been remarkable. Still on original TT bearings and you wouldn't believe how many miles I have on the water pump. Also, I replaced the original fuel pump at ~225K miles just because it seemed like a good idea. The new replacement failed after 3 months. :-(

Captain_Slow

I've fixed a few starter motors by replacing the contacts inside. After opening up the housing they are easily removed with screw driver or small socket, depending on how they are held in place. The solenoid has a copper ring that slams into the contacts when turning the key sends relatively low current through a coil (the physics of how these work is pretty cool). The ring bridges the contacts and lets the big current start the motor. The contacts essentially erode after all the repetitive and forceful contacts. One time I found a contact that was almost as thin as paper on one side. It's worth a try to make it at least a good working spare. All of the starters I fixed this way worked for years until I sold the cars. I was told by a mechanic that most starters that stop starting frequently have worn contacts (two small pieces of copper screwed down).

Jetdriver69

At my current rate of driving, I will be 100 years old by the time my 82 has 274,000+ miles.

ammonman

Just had my starter rebuilt by a local shop. After 210k miles it finally gave up in the same manner as Dr. Bobs unit. Slow turning followed by complete failure.

WallyP

Usual problem is worn and sticky brushes that make poor contact and then no contact with the armature. Whacking the starter jars the brushes loose enough to make contact - for a little while.

dr bob

^^^^^ This!

The solenoid draws a plunger with a heavy copper disk to meet the blunt ends of those two electrical bolts passing into the housing. The return spring for the solenoid causes the disk to turn in the pluger each time it's energized, so the contact area on the disk is used more evenly. You can revitalize a solenoid by disassembling and cleaning the ends of the two bolts with a little abrasive something (file or sandpaper), and sanding the copper disk smooth and bright again.

That said, after all that life, the bushings and brushes and armature are similarly worn. Banging with the pipe might be relocating a worn brush a little, or moving the copper disk on the solenoid plunger. Any partial fix will be, um, partial. Good News is that teh parts are common to many MB models, so your local rebuilder can usually do a while-you-eat-a-late-lunch fix to it. Or get one from Mark, borrow a jack and stands from the new GF, and show her how it's done.

dr bob

Man, now you threw a baad car ma jinks on my car!

My starter is OK so far, at well under half of the service life that Bill has received from his. For those playing at home, at this point Bill's 928 is his DD, and it sounds like there's no backup. Gotta love it! I hope mine lasts as long and as well!

soontobered84

ROTFLMAO!!! I guess as age becomes a factor with our cars, it also becomes a factor with the driver's memories as well. Hopefully Mike's memory returns soon, since a mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Has Mike ever met the two of you? Maybe he thinks you are the same person since he's never seen you at the same place and at the same time.

dr bob

That's easy -- I'm the fat white-haired guy with the pink cap on where most of the hair used to be. My car is black, Bill's is the (polar) opposite, white. Bill will probably drive his today. Lot's of obvious differences...

ammonman

I have a great memory, it's just extraordinarily short. My apologies for putting the hex on your starter Dr. Bob. My apologies also to Bill for mixing him up with Dr. Bob.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming......

Mike

Rob Edwards

I'm not so worried about the starter- do you have cardiac clearance for a new GF?

Bill Ball

Oh, yeah, pyrolitic carbon aortic valve...better than the original.

I appreciate the rebuild tips, but I'm deficient in mechanical workspace at the moment...the 3-car garage and lift is a fading memory. Rebuilt starter took me no more than 20 minutes to install on a buddy's lift even with the wrong tools. All better.

FredR

Bill,

It must have been all that extra effort turning both the engine and the superchargerwhen it was fitted that did for the startermotor, 27 years, 275k miles plus supercharger- what a junker!

Rgds

Fred