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View Full Version : bet you can't diagnose this problem....



Directconnection
01-07-2008, 11:54 PM
My starter in my '96 Intrepid has troubles engaging only when it gets down to freezing temps, and worse the colder it gets.

I replaced the original starter because of this issue last feb. I thought the solenoid was going as it would just "whir" a few key cycles and then one day it took like 30 and that's when I swapped it out. Whenever the car had any sort of temp to it, the starter would engage flawlessly. Stone cold and 30 out...took a few tries.

This oct. it acted up again. Frikkin' rebuilt starters. Pull it out in my driveway in 20 degree temps at night and good to go. Then, 3 weeks later, it's doing it again! WTF! Starter shim of sorts is in and everything is correct. Swapped it out for ANOTHER and this time noticed what the issue was.

I had a freeze plug weeping about 3 years ago. I put in the stop leak crap which i didn't want to do as I heard and seen what it does to heater cores, etc. But, I wasn't going to pull an engine to get to a freeze plug. All was fine and no issues until now. I noticed that the rear freeze plug (I can't see it but know there must be one there) is slowly weeping not coolant, but the stop leak crap that looks just like that permatex aviation sealer or indian head sealer. It is making an ever so small trail in the bellhousing and running all the way down to the opening where the starter gear is at. I am pretty sure that this stuff is getting on the starter gear/shaft and when it's cold out, it acts like glue and prevents the solenoid to kick the gear out.

Weird one, huh?

Now, tomorrow I will have to pull it out and use brake cleaner on the gear/shaft, clean the bellhousing and try my hand at making a levy/dam/deflector made out of silicone.

Any idea on what I should do to the shaft that the gear sins on of the starter? I don't want to brake clean it clean and that's it. I assume it does need a lube of sorts. Light oil? Anyone have any experience rebuilding starters?

turbovanmanČ
01-08-2008, 12:07 AM
I would put some hi temp or ceramic/synthetic lube on the shaft.

Some starters are easy, some are hard. Post up a pic of it.

RoadWarrior222
01-08-2008, 12:11 AM
I'd WD-40 it, let it sit for a while, then use a spray lube, silicone oil or something. Mine was getting general engine weepage goo dribbling into it and messing it up, I was hitting it with WD-40 every few months for the last 6 years or so, it was down to 2 coils by last fall, and tuUUuuuUUuuuUUuuurning real slow, and had a dead spot, got fed up of having to whack it with a hammer every 3rd times I started it, so I swapped it out. Block gloop problem is not so bad since I've been using "high mileage" oil.

BIGBRUDDA
01-08-2008, 09:53 AM
Try the lube on the bendix drive.:D Some grease gets sticky when cold.

88_pacifica
01-08-2008, 10:04 AM
WD-40 freezes... I would use a wheel bearing poly-grease instead. A good thick grease will always leave at least a "thin" coating and will prevent it from "sticking" to the gears long term. Since the flexplate is pretty much encapsulated(trans case and cover), the possibility of other "junk" also sticking to it and "gunking-up" too is low...

WLKivett
01-08-2008, 10:58 AM
I had a similar problem on a 66 Barracuda with a 273 v8. One of the freeze plugs leaked on the starter and would gum it up. And I thought I was the only one to have weird problems like this.

Best Regards,
Landon Kivett

Directconnection
01-10-2008, 09:14 PM
Pulled out the starter tuesday. The bellhousing area was in worse shape than the last time. I could now see a tiny trace off green which meant it's weeping antifreeze now.
I cleaned up the starter, scraped and wiped out what i could inside the bellhousing, then used silicone to build up a 1/2" high wall to divert the goo away and below the starter.

I can see the freeze plug oozing out the crap ever so slightly. Freeze plug is still silver, but.... Can't get to the freeze plug, could barely even see it. i used a tiny telescoping mirror to get way in there with one of those flexi-lights.

Put ina some weird engine sealer we use at work on rebuilds. It's a 1"x 1/2" block that looks like charcoal and you break it up into the coolant. We'll see how that works.