[T3] Starter stuff...

[Dave Hall]

I think the brushes are sticking a bit, and tapping it makes them make
better contact with the commutator.  The initial solenoid current flows
through the brushes and the armature as well to inch it round and pre-engage
the gear before the main starter current connections in the solenoid close
and shove 100 amps or more through the starter.  If you don't have a good
enough circuit through the brushes and armature, that pre-engage doesn't
happen and the main contacts never close.  That's when you get a click, not
a whirr!

Since it often happens when an engine has cooled down after a long run, I
suspect a small amount of thermal expansion may leave the brushes hanging
when things have cooled down and shrunk again.  It did seem that if I
re-used the starter briefly after stopping, that I could restart when cold
again without the problem.

Because a starter relay addedto the solenoid circuit does help, it probably
really comes down to voltage drop due to resistances in connections making
things just a bit too marginal.

Dave.
UK VW Type 3&4 Club
===================

-----Original Message-----
From: type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org
[mailto:type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org] On Behalf Of J. Jonik
Sent: 23 March 2011 05:59
To: type3 at vwtype3.org
Subject: [T3] Starter stuff...

What, exactly, is being tapped loose to work when one taps a non-functioning
starter into working again?  (It doesn't take much tapping.)

Is that problem in the solenoid, or starter itself?

Is this problem one that WILL get worse to the point of starter not working
no matter what?

And the cure.....?   



      
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