Starter Rebuild

[mercurymang]

Does anyone service/rebuild there own starters? I watched some videos about it and it seems fairly straightforward assuming you windings are good. It looks as though the brushes are replaceable but the only place I found them were on ebay. Is there a good source for these? Also, what are the standard things that should be generally done when doing this job?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Starter Rebuild

If the windings are good, clean up the bushings with a gentle solvent and clean the commutator with fine sandpaper. Scrape out the grooves between the contacts. Acetone and carb cleaner will eat the insulation on the wires and ruin the winding.

 

[mercurymang]

Re: Starter Rebuild

Scrape out the grooves between the contacts.

Are you referring to these?


Do these need to be cleaned or is it ok?


Is there a trick to getting these to stay in while re-assembling the unit?

 

[carholme]

Re: Starter Rebuild

Take a piece of thin aluminum or plastic and cut it circular just enough to fit inside the end cap. Then cut a slot halfway through the centre, the width of the shaft in your first photo. Place the circular tool over the brushes to hold them in their slots and push the cap onto the shaft, pulling the tool out just before it is firmly engaged. If you have a problem, PM me and I will send you a picture.

Gerry

 

[wired247]

Re: Starter Rebuild

Thanks for reminding me. I had a old starter in the garage and a rebuild kit. I just went out and changed the brushes. Took a few minutes to finagle the brushes in but it wasnt that bad. Clean everything with contact cleaner and clean the cummutator ends with steel wool then a good flush with contact cleaner. The sides of the commutator don't really matter but the contact cleaner will clean them right up. Took me 22 minutes to rebuild.

Your brushes look a LOT better than mine did.


FWIW the sierra part number is 18-5697. Pretty much every Mercury starter uses the same kit. They are available on iboats and most other retailers.

 

[mercurymang]

Re: Starter Rebuild

Ok, thanks fellas. I got it put back together and it's spinning pretty well but the bendix is only working part-time. Some times it throw out and spins and other times, it seems to hang. I did pull it off and clean it up. Those aren't suppposed to be greased right?

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Starter Rebuild

a dry type lube is ok, I use a spray on graphite