I asked this question over at CB7 tuner. The first 2 replies are telling me I should just go ahead and get a reman starter.

I thought the consensus was that reman starters are a crapshoot and you are way better off just rebuilding what you have?

And it would be $20 vs $120, and I just got this car and would love to let it prove itself before I sank real cash into it.

Would putting a new solenoid on it and lubing the shaft that the bendix sits on give me at least a few months of occasional operation?

Also, does anybody know where to buy a solenoid for a mitsuba SM 402-05 at?

 

Looks like you can open it up and check out the benix unit (#4). Maybe the reason for it binding will become clear so you can clean or grease it.


Then use the end housing (#3) to bolt back up to the trans, that might be easier to cover up. That way you haven't butchered it so you can still turn it in as a core if/when you get a new starter.

 

My dad is leary about taking the starter motor itself apart. He said things have to align properly and he isn't sure about it (and I am a total mechanic n00b). Although his experience is in 70's model and older domestic vehicles. Is there really any concern of things aligning properly when I put it back together (I think he means like the internals in a certain position, not bolts binding type of thing).

Oh and while we are here. What do you guys think of my flywheel's condition?

 

I see no down-side to taking it apart and seeing what the problem actually is.

I have never had a Honda starter apart, but have done a number of others. Sometimes it is awkward to get the shaft-thingy in place while the brushes are in the way ("shaft-thingy" tells you don't have to be a rocket scientist to fix a starter).

Maybe your Bendix just needs to be blasted clean with brake cleaner and then lubed. There was a time when all parts stores would sell you a new Bendix for a lot less than a starter...but, it has been a while since I tried to buy one.

 

I cleaned the bendix assembly with kerosene. MAN was it DIRTY!

I then lubed the shaft the bendix slides on with a bit of white lithium and lubed #4 in the picture with some high temperature bearing grease(its what I had). The bendix/override clutch deal worked SO much smoother after I was done.

Took it to autozone, had it tested 3 times, every time was a go. Slung the bendix out and snapped it back in. Was going to install it back on the car tonight but it got dark. I am going to order a new solenoid anyways for good measure.

I would guess part of the reason it failed was its location relative to falling engine gunk, and a leaky distributor.

When I get the new solenoid in I am going to take the starter motor apart and look it over.