Starter
- TESTING
- REMOVAL & INSTALLATION
- SHIMMING
- SOLENOID REPLACEMENT
TESTING
Before removing the starter for repair or replacement, check the condition of all circuit wiring for damage. Inspect all connection to the starter motor, solenoid, ignition switch, and battery, including all ground connections. Clean and tighten all connections as required.
Check all switches to determine their condition. Vehicles equipped with manual transmission have a clutch safety switch attached to the clutch pedal bracket which closes when the clutch is depressed. Vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions have a manual interlock in the steering column which does not allow the ignition switch to turn to the start position unless the transmission is in the Park or Neutral position.
Check the battery to ensure that it is fully charged. For more information on battery service, please refer to General Information & Maintenance of this repair guide.
Check the battery cables for excessive resistance as follows:
CAUTION To prevent possible injury from a moving vehicle or operating engine, engage the parking brake, block the drive wheels, place the manual transmission in Neutral or the automatic transmission in Park, and disconnect the battery feed at the distributor before performing these tests.
Check the voltage drop between the negative battery terminal and the vehicle frame by placing one lead of a voltmeter on the grounded battery post (not the cable clamp) and the other lead on the frame. Turn the ignition key to the START position and note the voltage drop. Check the voltage drop between the positive battery terminal (not the cable clamp) and the starter terminal stud. Turn the ignition key to the START position and note the voltage drop. Check the voltage drop between the starter housing and the frame. Turn the ignition key to the START position and note the voltage drop. If the voltage drop in any of the above is more than 1.0 volts, there is excessive resistance in the circuit. Clean and retest all cables not within specification. Replace as necessary.
No-Load Test
See Figure 1
FIG : Fig. 1: Schematic for a no-load test
Remove the starter from the vehicle and secure on a stationary surface. A soft-jawed vise can be used to secure the starter as long as the jaws of the vise do not clamp the sides of the starter too firmly.
Make the test connections as shown in the illustration. Close the switch and compare the rpm, current and voltage readings with the specification found on the chart located later in this section.
Current draw and no load speed within specifications indicates normal condition of the starter motor. Low free speed and high current draw indicates worn bearings, a bent armature shaft, a shorted armature or grounded armature fields Failure to operate with high current draw indicates a direct ground in the terminal or fields, or frozen bearings. Failure to operate with no current draw indicates an open field circuit, open armature coils, broken brush springs, worn brushes or other causes which would prevent good contact between the commutator and the brushes. A low no load speed and low current draw indicates high internal resistance due to poor connections, defective leads or a dirty commutator. High free speed and high current draw usually indicate shorted fields or a shorted armature.
4-Cylinder Engines
See Figures 2 and 3
FIG : Fig. 2: 4-cylinder engine starter connections CLOSE X 
FIG : Fig. 3: Hombre starter installation
- Disconnect the negative battery cable.
- Raise and safely support the vehicle on jackstands.
- If equipped, it may be necessary to disconnect and remove the EGR pipe to access all the starter bolts.
- Tag and disconnect the starter battery and control wiring at the starter.
- If equipped, remove the starter bracket and/or heat shield.
- Remove the starter-to-engine bolts.
- Move the starter away from the engine and down to remove from the vehicle. Some starter may be installed with shims between the starter and engine. When the starter is removed, these shims may fall out. Do not loose them.
To install:
- Install the starter and shims, if equipped to the engine. Align the mounting bolt holes and insert the bolts. Hand-tighten the bolts.
- Tighten the starter mounting bolts to 30-34 ft. lbs. (39-44 Nm).
- Install the starter bracket and/or heat shield, if equipped.
- Connect the battery and starter control electrical wires to the starter.
- If the EGR pipe was removed, install it.
- Lower the vehicle.
- Connect the negative battery cable.
- Start the vehicle to make sure the starter functions correctly.
Engine
See Figures 4 and 5
FIG : Fig. 4: 6-cylinder engine starter installation
FIG : Fig. 5: 6-cylinder engine starter components
- Disconnect the negative battery cable.
- Raise and safely support the vehicle on jackstands.
- Label and disconnect the battery and starter control wires from the starter.
- If equipped, remove the starter bracket and/or heat shield.
- Remove the starter-to-engine mounting bolts.
- Lower the starter from the engine. If any shims are present, keep them for reinstallation purposes.
To install:
- Install the starter and shims, if equipped, to the engine. Tighten the mounting bolts to 30-34 ft. lbs. (39-44 Nm).
- Install the starter bracket and/or heat shield, if equipped.
- Reconnect the electrical connectors to the starter.
- Lower the vehicle.
- Connect the negative battery cable.
- Start the vehicle to make sure the starter functions correctly.
Starter noise during cranking and after the engine fires is often a result of too much or tool little distance between the starter pinion gear and the flywheel. A high pitched whine during cranking (before the engine fires) can be caused by the pinion and flywheel being too far apart. Likewise, a whine after the engine starts (as the key is released) is often a result of the pinion-flywheel relationship being too close. In both cases flywheel damage can occur. Shims are available in various sizes to properly adjust the starter on its mount. In order to check and adjust the shims, you will also need a flywheel turning tool, available at most auto parts stores.
If your vehicle's starter emits the type of noise previously described, follow the shimming procedure below:
- Disconnect the negative battery cable.
- Raise and support the vehicle safely using jackstands.
- Remove the torque converter/flywheel cover from the bottom of the bell housing.
- Using the flywheel turning tool, turn the flywheel and examine the flywheel teeth. If damage is evident, the flywheel should be replaced.
Most starters are equipped with an access hole in which a small screwdriver or prybar may be inserted to push the starter pinion outward into contact with the flywheel.
- Move the starter pinion and clutch assembly so the pinion and flywheel teeth mesh. If necessary, rotate the flywheel so that a pinion tooth is directly in the center of the two flywheel teeth and on the centerline of the two gears, as shown in the accompanying illustration.
Normal pinion-to-flywheel clearance is about 0.01-0.06 in. (0.5-1.5mm).
- Check the pinion-to-flywheel clearance by using a 0.020 in. (0.5mm) wire gauge (a spark plug wire gauge may work here, or you can make your own). Make sure you center the pinion tooth between the flywheel teeth and the gauge-NOT in the corners, as you may get a false reading. If the clearance is under this minimum, shim the starter away from the flywheel by adding 0.04 in. (1mm) shims one at a time to the starter mount. Check clearance after adding each shim, but do not use more than 2 shims.
- If the clearance is over 0.060 in. (1.5mm), shim the starter towards the flywheel. Broken or severely mangled flywheel teeth are also a good indicator that the clearance here is too great. Shimming the starter towards the flywheel is done by adding shims to the outboard starter mounting pad only. Check the clearance after each shim is added. Add 0.013 in. (0.33mm) shims at this location, one at a time, but do NOT add a total of more than 4 shims.
See Figures 6 and 7
FIG : Fig. 6: Remove the nut attaching the solenoid cable
FIG : Fig. 7: Starter solenoid components
- Disconnect the negative battery cable.
- Remove the starter motor from the vehicle and place on a clean work surface.
- Disconnect the solenoid-to-starter lead wire.
- Remove the solenoid mounting bolts and slide out the solenoid. Pull out the solenoid torsion spring, if so equipped. On some models, it may be necessary to remove the starter assembly through bolts from the yoke to remove the solenoid.
- If equipped with shims between the solenoid and starter, remove and place aside.
To install:
- Install the solenoid with any adjustment shims.
- Torque the bolts to 15 ft. lbs. (20 Nm).
- Connect the starter-to-solenoid electrical lead.
- Install the starter through-bolts if removed.
- Install the starter motor.
