Re: [DML] Digest Number 1671

["David Teitelbaum" <jtrealty@xxxx>]

Pushing the car in gear is only useful if the starter is still stuck
(engaged) in the flywheel. This can happen if you try to start the car
and the battery is really low. When the motor starts it usually helps
spin the starter off the flywheel. If it doesn't start the starter
could stay engaged. Pushing won't help at all on an automatic car. As
for a "dead" spot on the starter, this is not all that common. What
more commonly happens is that the brushes wear to the point that they
aren't being pushed tightly enough by the springs and with all the
dirt from the worn brushes they get hung up and don't make contact
with the commutator. Sometimes a sharp fast smack with a hammer can
get you going again. Same trick works for the blower motor. If it does
work then you should get the starter serviced as quickly as you can.
The other thing that commonly happens is the movable contact in the
solenoid gets burnt up. This happens over time and is made worse by a
chronicaly low battery. Simple to test for, just put a test light on
the starter and trip the solenoid with the key or a starter button. In
any case if you have these symptoms rebuilding or replacing the
starter will fix you up. The starters in the Delorean seem to be very
durable, unless you have a high mileage car the starter is not the
first place to look. You have to begin with a GOOD fully charged
battery and clean, tight connections to the starter.
David Teitelbaum
vin 10757


--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, doctorDHD@xxxx wrote:
> Correct me if I am wrong but in every car I have ever owned or
worked on the starter gear is not engaged into the flywheel until power is applied to the starter.