starter maintenance/repair

[zero.one.victor]

The starter (pull type) has been turning the engine over a bit slow lately. I thought maybe it was the battery (even thogh it's less than a year old) so I charged it up,made no difference. So I figured it must be the starter itself,even though it's only got about 500 hours since overhaul. Pulled off the inspection band on the starter & couldn't see inside there too well,so I puilled the starter off the engine & got it on the bench where I can at least see inside without throwing my back out.
Brushes look fine. I pulled off the heavy-duty switch on the side of the starter & the contacts inside looked a bit eaten away. I dressed the contact on the outside of the starter case just fine,but the three contact points inside the switch housing are a different story. You can kinda dress one contact,but the two up inside the switch are about impossible to do much with. If you've ever had this switch off you'll know what I mean.
One contact is on the inside end of the starter wire lug which seems to be pressed in place,and the other is on the inside end of the switch button which is all riveted together in place. Probably the thing to do is to replace the whole shooting match.
The starter is the standard pull start model,Delco-Remy p/n 1109656. Does anyone have a part number for this starter switch? I'm hoping that it's common to an old car or a tractor or something,that way it might cost twenty or thirty bucks from NAPA instead of $395 from "We-Gouge-Ya Airmotive" like most airplane stuff!

Eric

[jon s blocker]

It has been about 4 years ago, but I took the switch off my starter to NAPA and they had one exactly like it except one of the mounting holes had to be moved about 1/8 inch, (read wallered). I don't have the number, but they will have it pictured in one of their parts books. It worked perfectly with no troubles. Ibelieve it was like $18. Good luck.
Jon

[t7275tr]

Last year I was convinced that my pull starter was on its last leg. It would barely turn over the freshly overhauled C145 on my 54 B model. I was trying to decide whether to overhaul the original starter or buy a new lightweight. My A&P suggested that I buy a battery first. BINGO, the old starter turned over so fast on the first start that it scared me. Before you invest big bucks in a starter, rule out the battery first.

[zero.one.victor]

After cleaning up the contacts in the starter switch,the starter turns the old 145 over quite a bit faster. I'm probably gonna pull the switch back off & try cleaning up the contacts up inside of it a little better,as well as go down the hot lead back to the solenoid & battery & make sure all the connections are bright & shiney. I was gonna do all that today ut the sky got lookin' better & better so I threw back together & went flying instead!
So the moral is-- beside the battery,don't forget to check the contacts in the switch when the starter's acting puny.

Eric