Top 5 Starter Motor Maintenance

Tips
The starter motor depends on the integrity of other components within the
electrical system to stay functional. Below are the top 5 tips that you need to
follow to keep your car starter motor as durable as possible.

1. Clean the Connectors

The battery and starter motor are connected through a series of special
connector wires. If there is corrosion on the connectors or any other type of
dirt or grime, it will limit the strength of the electric current that gets sent to
the starter relay.

This will make it nearly impossible for the motor to generate enough power to
fully crank the engine. Furthermore, it will ruin the integrity of the motor and
cause it to become excessively worn out. So, you’ll always want to keep the
connectors clean.

2. Tighten the Mounting Bolts

The starter motor is held in place with mounting bolts. If these mounting bolts ever become
too loose, then the drive of the starter and the flywheel won’t be able to engage each other.
One symptom of this happening is a grinding sound whenever you try to start the engine.
To prevent this from happening, you should periodically check to make sure the mounting
bolts on the starter motor are tightened.

3. Clean the Solenoid

The solenoid is the starter relay of the motor. On the top of the motor, it will appear as a
small cylindrical object. The positive battery cable is what attaches to the solenoid from the
battery.

It is the equivalent of the positive battery terminal. And like the terminal, the solenoid needs
to be cleaned and maintained on a regular basis. All dirt, corrosion, and debris must be swept
away if you see it there.

4. Clean the Terminals

The battery terminals are notorious for getting covered with corrosion. Battery acids produce
hydrogen gas which will eventually find its way out of the battery once it has been used for
too long.
These gases form the corrosive materials that you will typically see on a battery and its
terminals after a couple of years. When the terminals are covered like this, the electric current
which gets sent from the battery to the starter motor is weakened.

5. Inspect the Flywheel

The flywheel is a rotating device which assists the starter in cranking the engine. The front
side of the starter has something called a pinion gear. This is the gear which engages with the
flywheel so that the engine can be cranked.

Both the teeth of the flywheel and teeth of the gear need to be in good condition. If these
teeth are cracked, worn, or missing altogether, then your starter motor will malfunction. You
will need to replace the flywheel or pinion gear if their teeth are causing the problem.