Starter solenoid repair
I had a slight mishap while changing the oil filter :o( The starter motor is quite close by and I didn't realise the smallest electrical connection was easy to catch on the back of one's hand or strap wrench. See below:
The motor comes out pretty easily, disconnect the electrics DO NOT short the thick wire on to the metalwork! It is far better to disconnect the battery "+" terminal.
To get the solenoid end off, the two screws have to come out, and the two soldered connections to the internal coil. These need a quite big soldering iron, I would say at least 50 watts, my 100watt gun did the job, lifting the solenoid end when the solder melted off the wires. Here is the end plate removed:
The busted tag is on a small screw. Mine was quite rusty and broke off rather than come undone - no problem.
Note the position of everything. the funny tag thing sticking out is the contact for the solenoid control, it needs to go back in the same position. The green stuff is a paper insulator. Note slight pitting of the 2 big square copper contacts. Not too bad for the current they carry.
I made a spade from a male 1/4 inch connector, and soldered a nut to it. Brass nut if I recall correctly, though the screw looks like plated steel. It is yet to be cut to length here and probably 4BA though not critical on size.
The big terminal screws, nuts and washers were in various states of decay, some bits were brushed clean, others replaced or remade. I did make one new copper washer from a scrap of copper tubing.
Very little else required inside though I did give the contacts a scrape clean. The soldered bits (the 2 silvery holes above) needed a good clean on the outside. You can see how mucky they were in the other photos. No way will they solder properly like that!
Externally the screws and solder joints were all that were required to assemble the end plate back, and Waxoyl was applied to all the exposed metal, starter included.
With the motor refitted, all the wires reconnected, I could at last consider the oil change complete :o)
Reliant