That whole line in the sand thing...

[Young Ed]

The 64 wagon developed a rough idle and off idle stumble last weekend. So yesterday I decided before I started digging into that I should replace the broken battery cable. Just in case it's some odd voltage issue from the broken cable. Next thing you know my starter is on the bench with a messed up cable stud and brown soggy looking sawdust stuff coming out of it! I think I got the threads on the stud fixed but no idea where that brown gunk came from or how it got in there! 

[Plymouthy Adams]

see...you have helper elves in your shop at night after all....just doing things you don't need done....that stud is serviceable as a small kit...not seen one in awhile but should still be available....grab one to have on hand.    Was this dust within the solenoid end cover?  Vague  memory of having seen this before. 

[Young Ed]

Not sure where it started but I haven't disassembled anything beyond removal from the car. It's coming out of the gear area

[Plymouthy Adams]

here is a complete starter rebuild kit...I could not locate just the stud packaged stand alone....

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1962-69-Plymouth-Dodge-Chrysler-Mopar-Starter-Repair-Kit-NOS-2275554-STK16-Truck/392895228717?hash=item5b7a616b2d:g:aNcAAOSw9otfJv88

[Young Ed]

Is there anything that's supposed to be inside there that would produce this nastiness?

[Los_Control]

No!

 

A little grease on the bushing and gear ... almost looks like something got caught in there and chewed up.

I would be tempted to disassemble and clean it ... and for the price of the kit PA listed might install it if needed.

Thats my opinion, see what the correct answer turns out to be  

[Young Ed]

7 minutes ago, Los_Control said:

No!

 

A little grease on the bushing and gear ... almost looks like something got caught in there and chewed up.

I would be tempted to disassemble and clean it ... and for the price of the kit PA listed might install it if needed.

Thats my opinion, see what the correct answer turns out to be  

This has a rebuild sticker on it from Napa power premium dated Nov of 16 so I can't imagine this stater has many miles on it. So cleaning and reassembling is my thought too. Pulled it apart and that stuff is everywhere! From what I can also tell this is a newer starter as the solenoid is gasketed.

[Los_Control]

Is there some sort of nylon bushing that maybe grenaded and chewed up?

Other then that possibility, looks like foreign material to me, possibly re builder was careless and left something in it.

 

From your first post I pictured too much grease and a little oozing out .... the photo just looks wrong.  A mystery.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I have never seen this in a starter motor...I have seen this in low cost fan motor (house fans) where the bushing is oilite...centered in a housing surrounded by oil impregnated sawdust looking composite that is there for long life oiling capabilities....my next thoughts are if some packing was somehow drawn in and or varmint nesting of a sort....ants come to mind as one such invasion....here is the south and particularly during periods of wet weather...ants come from the ground to nest above in any place that will offer protected dry space....just yesterday I had to eliminate a horde of ants that had a super highway set up transporting their nest to a higher region...

[Young Ed]

For better or worse the starter is going back in. Cleaned regreased and bench tested ok. 

[Los_Control]

Thats what I would do .... still a mystery to what or how the material got in there ... I personally was thinking mice but dismissed that because of the space available ... never thought about ants. Would not surprise me.

[rusty_apache]

An errant mud dauber’s nest took out my generator brushes once.

They could have been hanging in there for decades but one day they “ came a loose”. It also might be some other sort of insect pupa.

 

 

[Young Ed]

Project is done. One last final annoyance- the upper bolt went in easy as can be but then the bottom stud wouldn't tighten- the threads were pulling out of the aluminum bell housing! So had to tap what was left and converted to a bolt that went completely through. Car is back together and running! 

[Plymouthy Adams]

glad you could tap it a bit and get it done......note to self....prepare for helicoil on next visit...!

[JBNeal]

Was there any debris coming out of the flywheel area?

[Young Ed]

2 hours ago, JBNeal said:

Was there any debris coming out of the flywheel area?

I didn't notice any but now that you say that Im wishing I'd looked a little better

[Young Ed]

And now I'll get that chance for a better look at the flywheel.... Yesterday afternoon went to fill it with gas for our planned car club fall tour today. When I went to leave the pump -click click from the starter. We tried jumping it from a nice guy with a brand new hemi ( I think it was a durango) but as I thought battery wasn't the problem. Then I remembered hearing stories about guys knocking their starters with sticks. Well lacking any sticks I used my tire iron. Couple light jabs were all I could do but it started! I tried it a few more times throughout the evening and it continues to be intermittent. So no trip for me and starter will likely be coming back out.

[plymouthcranbrook]

From personal experience I can testify that rapping the starter only works a limited number of times. The question is how limited is the number?

Edited October 3, 2020 by plymouthcranbrook

[Young Ed]

Wagon is now sporting a new mini starter aka a 94 dakota starter. Bolts right in but the wiring connections move and are a little harder to get to. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

these are often much easier to install in the older beasts as they are physically a bit smaller footprint.....great starter when retrofitting bent engines with center dumps...

[plymouthcranbrook]

I put a mini starter in my 80 Volare when the local shop said that they cannot fix it as parts are no longer available.   Works great.