The Deal

I thought I heard something about starters sometimes can be regreased. What are the symptoms assciated with this? I have hard starts every now and again where the starter seems to spin unevenly usually resulting in a hesitation before start up...

JwaxMax99

iTrader: (14)

Read the Stickies.....it's in there.

99Automagic

http://www.motorvate.ca/mvp.php/516

There you go man.

killerVQ30DE

IIRC someone who said they were a bit of a Mr Mechanic tried the starter regrease and couldn't get it back together properly.. the Motorvate instructions are quite vague IMO

99Automagic

Well, it's the only instructions we got. So it has to do for now. And THEY said they were a bit of a Mr. Mechanic.

killerVQ30DE

Well come back and let us know how it goes... mine sticks abit on cold start

the ****'r is if you do it wrong you won't be going no where til you can get a replacement - my main worry.

joesmith

Before I regreased my starter, once a while it would make a grinding noise. After regreas the noise went away.

There is a plastic part in the starter that is connected to a solenoid. The solenoid engages the starter gear to the flywheel when you crank the car. When I was regreasing the gears, the part came loose and it took a few minutes to figure out where it needs to be.

My advise, after you taken out the starter, handle it gently and make good mental note of all the parts.

BigLou93SE

iTrader: (10)

Very true!!! Make sure that you have extrememly good knowledge of how everything goes in the starter. When you loosen the bolts, it may have a tendency to "fall apart" right in front of you. DO NOT let that happen, remove everything so you know where it goes.

That plastic piece connected to the solenoid was my problem too, but it took me two days, and a junkyard starter to solve the problem. I do, however, have my original starter in my car, and it hasn't made that awful noise ever since. That junkyard starter is for sale, look at the siggy.

The Deal

Do my symptoms sound indicative of this problem?

njmodi

iTrader: (4)

Actually it sounds like one of the motor lobes has died (thats what happened to mine), before it eventually gave out. If you have the original starter (from 1995), I would suggest replacing it. The reduction gear was changed in late 1996 or 1997 models (to have more teeth), for faster cranking.

Cheers.

The Deal

Motor Lobes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

U scared the crap outta me I thoght you were talkin engine!!! (Its warrented though) lol


I just might do this... Is our starter easy to get at for a DIY???

Whitemax

If you have an aftermarket intake YES, and dont have the factory snorkel. It took a total of 10 minutes to replace it. Two bolts holding it on, and the battery cable. Pep Boys has a rebuilt unit with a lifetime warranty for $150 or so. I tried regreesing it, but the motor was shot so I did what I had to do.

n2oMike

My starter was making a screeching sound when it was really cold outside. I greased it up with a good synthetic, and it has worked perfect for several years now.

NCSU_MAX

iTrader: (36)

heres my take - motorvate has been helpful in the past for me but the starter fix is pretty vague. im pretty "mechanically savvy" and i ended up buying a new (actually remanufactured) starter from Napa for $120. its easy to get it in and out but when i regreased mine and put it back it totally didnt work. Everything was in place correctly and i made sure i didnt put to little or to much grease on it and it worked once but i ended up having someone push me down the hill of a parking lot and poping the clutch (thnk goodness for a 5-spd) bc it totally stopped working after that initial start-up. my advice is to get someone who has done it before to help. then again maybe i just had some bad luck.

The Deal

Bump for more opinions

JwaxMax99

iTrader: (14)

Just take the starter out, regrease it, reinstall it. Then re-evaluate after that....at least you can eliminate one likely cause....

killerVQ30DE

Not the best advice really if he runs in to the same problems as below (and others)