Can the starter motor be tired?

[fluido]

Hello all. I have very recently become the happy owner of a '88 Accord Aerodeck. I have a couple of problems that I want to submit to your attention. I will open a separate thread for each.

This first one: I have been assured that the battery of my car was fully charged, but when the motor is cold, the starter motor seems to be quite slow in rotating. The engine has always started, but I feel a little bit of anguish as I hear the starter motor slowly chugging.

According to your experience, what should my attitude be towards my starter motor? I had had a similar problem with my 1977 Goldwing, and it had been solved by renewing the carbon contacts inside the motor. But in that case, the engine would eventually not start anymore.

[Oldblueaccord]

Yes its the same. Its a DC motor. The brushes could be worn just like your Goldwing. If the brushes are bad the starting voltage will not drop much if at all while cranking.

It is possible the battery voltage is good but the amps output is not especially under a starting load.

[fluido]

Uh, thanks for the very quick reply! I wonder if the motor is easy to access. When I experienced the problem with the Goldwing, I was in a small Croatian island, and I found an old car mechanic who agreed to do the work on the motor only if I had dismounted and remounted it from the bike myself. Nice memories...

Here in Switzerland there seem not to be old-school car mechanics anymore... I hope I will be proved wrong.

[Dr_Snooz]

It might also be worthwhile to check the condition of the battery cables. If they are corroded, it can cause all kinds of hard starting problems.

[Demon1024]

And ground connections. You can use jumper cables from negative on battery to the block to check this quickly

[Oldblueaccord]

Uh, thanks for the very quick reply! I wonder if the motor is easy to access. When I experienced the problem with the Goldwing, I was in a small Croatian island, and I found an old car mechanic who agreed to do the work on the motor only if I had dismounted and remounted it from the bike myself. Nice memories...

Here in Switzerland there seem not to be old-school car mechanics anymore... I hope I will be proved wrong.


It sits on top of the transmission in the 12 o clock position.

Follow the positive wire from the battery to the starter.

The small wire is what triggers the starter when you turn the key.