larrymoencurly

Ford Escort 1.9L automatic, year-old replacement starter bought brand
new

My starter briefly grinds slightly when the key is released and the
engine is cold, especially when the weather is below 80-90F. It's
done this since new, and the grinding isn't getting worse. I've tried
moving the starter around, including the addition of washers approx.
..025" thick to shim it (since removed), but nothing changed.

Could this starter have been inadequately lubed? Should I just grease
the throw-out fork (if there is one) and the drive pinion (the one
that goes intot he overrun clutch, not the pinion that goes against
the flywheel gear)?

I know that I should have exchanged it soon after purchase, but now
all they'll give me is a rebuilt, and I don't want to risk that
because it's from Pep Boys, and the original was brand new, not a
rebuilt.

daniel j. stern

*really* brand new? That's quite rare...or "Remanufactured" new?

Dry oilite bushing.

There is, but you'll have to disassemble the starter entirely to get to it
and it's not causing your noise.

This also is not causing your noise.

Pep Boys does not sell brand new starters. You got what everyone else gets
who buys rotating electrics at Pep Boys: a "remanufactured" piece of junk.

DS

scott

Hello,

I have the same problem on a different vehicle.
Where would I find the oilite bushing?

larrymoencurly

While I haven't taken the starter apart yet (I did take dissassemble
the factory original partially -- shorted), I'm confused how this
could cause a gear grinding sound because I don't think any bushings
slide in this starter.


They wanted $20 less for a lifetime rebuilt, and the starter I got
didn't have the usual scratches or dents I've seen on rebuilt
alternators and brake parts, even sandblasted and painted parts, and I
wouldn't have bought a rebuilt from them but would have waited the
next day to get one from NAPA or a Ford dealer. The Pep Boys receipt
said "NEW PGMR STARTER", #7-69035-51002, $159.99.

daniel j. stern

It sounds like a gear grinding sound, but it's actually the shaft
vibrating in a dry and/or overspec bushing. It's common in this starter
design when they get some years/miles on them and when they're
indifferently rebuilt. You don't hear it when the starter is engaged
because cranking puts considerable sideloads on every shaft/bushing
junction in the starter -- it's only when it's free-spinning down that you
hear it, because there are no sideloads.

Every piece of that starter is availble new, including housings, from
"offshore" (Chinese) foundries. If you don't care about machining quality
or tolerance, well, hey!

DS

daniel j. stern

Oilite is a tradename used to identify bushings made from sintered
(powdered and then formed) bronze. The spaces between the bronze particles
hold oil. When a shaft turns in such a bushing, capillary action draws the
oil to the shaft/bushing junction surface, providing lubrication. All of
this is contingent upon the bushing having been properly oiled during or
after manufacture. The correct procedure involves soaking the bushings in
hot oil for a period of time, then letting them cool, draining/wiping off
the excess oil, and *then* using them. This, however, is messy and few
manufacturers do it any more, so it's down to the end user. In the real
world, a liberal application of appropriate oil (I like to use Mobil-1
10W30) during unit assembly is usually plenty good enough without all the
heating up and such. But a lot of the reman shops just put a dab of grease
in the bushing. This works OK as long as the grease lives, but it
effectively converts the clever Oilite bushing into a plain ordinary
bushing that requires periodic relubrication.

If you're up for it, take apart your starter and apply oil to the
bushings. If not, just leave it be-- the noise is annoying, but it'll keep
making it for a long time.

DS

reece talley

Just for the record, remanufactured is not necessarily junk. Years ago,
when I was just a young motorhead, we rebuilt everything. Starters,
alternators, pumps, every thing. Now, we just replace them with either new
or rebuilt parts. No body rebuilds stuff on his own bench any more. Modular
swaps are the norm and they usually work out better for the consumer by
saving both time and money. Nine times out of ten remanufactured is just
fine provided it comes from an established rebuild. The blanket "it's crap"
assessment is emotional but not very accurate. You are correct in that when
it began making noise you should have returned it. Don't beat yourself up
thinking if you had only installed a new part....The truth is, new parts
fail at almost the same rate as reconditioned parts. Otherwise, we would buy
new cars and never have to use the warranty.

--
R. J. Talley
Teacher/James Madison Fellow
NAR #69594
NRA #133073736

willy.2.boxwagon

I've been supremely lucky in buying rebuilts from my local parts
stores. the basic Chevy starter has been lasting me 10 years. Two
years ago I bought one for $38, which was the lowest price in a long
time. And I do lots of starting. Usually it's just the solenoid that
goes on me.

zex0s

On 21 Sep 2003 14:05:18 -0700, WasteNotWantNot

Most times reman'd parts have same or better warranties than new, at half
the price. I *always* buy reman'd over new. I used to drive a little mazda
mx-6.. alternator went out. only place to get ANY parts for it was the
mazda dealership. New one was over $300.00 with a 1yr warranty, reman'd
one was about 90.00 with a lifetime warranty. Same with CV joints..
Autozone had both new and reman'd.. again, for a pair (inside and outside,
NOT left and right.)of cv joints, new over $189ea., reman'd just under
$70.00, both had a 3yr warranty. (They also had a lifetime reman'd around
$150.00)

Chuck

mudpuppy1976 <\moc.rr.pacyn\

paint it blue and call it new. sadly this is typical to find. but as the
original qquestion, no, you cannot lubricate a starter motor. i'd say
exchange the one you got and pray you get the 1:3 that works right. or
go buy an OE if you've got money out the wazoo pray it's not as
difficult as putting a starter in an LX470 (you have to take off the intake)
--
Ben Jerew
ASE Master Technician
New Country Lexus of Latham, NY
Amateur Off-Roader