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I just finished installing a cleaned Throttle-Body, IAC & vacuum tubes on my 85 740 Non-Turbo, along with a couple of repairs of some degraded wiring in the engine-wiring harness - when my starter decided to give out. Such a pain ! Especially since I know from past experience how tough it is to get those 2 long bolts off that baby. I could hear the solenoid engage fine - but no turning. Tried jump-starting the car - nothing. Tried applying +ve voltage directly to the solenoid-lug off the main-terminal on the solenoid - only a loud click. So - removed the starter and tried it off the car - worked first shot with a strong spin. That's when I saw the +ve terminal that comes off the starter-field winding and is presumably what the solenoid sends power to when it engages. Wish I'd known about it before taking the starter off so I could have tried to apply voltage directly to that terminal bypassing the solenoid (just to isolate the problem). It could either be the solenoid-contacts or the commutator-brushes.
Anyway - didn't want to put it back without knowing what the problem might have been - in case it recurs, so I opened it up. Couldn't open up the solenoid assembly (those 2 flat-head screws at the front of the solenoid (gear-end of the starter) just wont budge. The commutator was clean, and the brushes had plenty of life left in them. So I decided to just clean the whole thing out and put it back together again. I suspect the solenoid may be the problem, but since I cant open it up...
Am currently soaking the 2 bushings in engine-oil. Plan on greasing the sprial-threads and shaft of the armature, along with the plunger.
I currently have a big can of Valvoine SynPower Synthetic Grease (Part # 986) that is specially for Disk-Brake wheel bearings (it's greyish-silvery stuff), and was wondering if I should just use that - since I'm barely going to be using 1 tsp of the stuff. Anyone have an opinion ?
Thanks !
Noel
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