One more note for completeness:

If your starter motor runs strongly, but the starter gear quickly disengages
from
the flywheel (hence not cranking motor more than a fraction of a turn), the
culprit is often that the starter bushings are worn unevenly, allowing the
starter motor shaft to wobble and the starter gear out of engagement with
the
flywheel.

This symptom is particularly noticeable for Diesel owners here in the north,
since the starter torque needed to crank a Diesel in the cold is very high,
hence even a slight shaft misalignment will push the gear out.

I think it always pays to change at least front and rear bushings  even if
these
look ok. Middle bushing I think plays less of a role. (and even new ones are
quite
loose. I suspect they are there more to center the middle plate on assembly
of the starter, than to have any function when the starter runs.)

Martin

On 8/19/07, John Meeks <vanagon@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Martin,
>
> Very nice write-up on starter motor repair. I added it to the BTDT
> database. Great information.
>
> John Meeks
>
> Vanagon Rescue Squad
> http://www.vanagonauts.com/Vanagon_Rescue_Squad74.htm
>
> '91 Multivan, '85 GL
> Northern Michigan
> KC8ZFN
>
> On 8/18/07, Martin Jagersand <jag@cs.ualberta.ca> wrote:
> > I just rebuilt the starter for my '82 Diesel Westy. Last time I did it
> was
> > in '99, I think, so the previous rebuild lasted about 8 years.
>
> >
> > --
> > Martin Jagersand
> > University of Alberta
> > http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~jag/
> >
>
>

--
Martin Jagersand
University of Alberta
http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~jag/