Cleaning tecumseh starter.

[38racing]

I'm trying to make 1 good 120v snowblower starter from 2 bad ones. I need to replace the case on a working one that has screwed up mounting holes. The donor starter failed and was tripping the breaker. It has a big crack in what looks like silicone on the armature just above the brush touching area ( name escapes me). Lots of black covering it. That end of stator winding in case also covered in black stuff. I'm first going to try and blow it with compressed air but wondering if either brake cleaner or electrical contact cleaner would be safe on the copper enameled windings. I do have another starter that spins but with grinding noise. Casing mounts on it not as perfect as the burnt one though.

[KE4AVB]

Clean the commutator ring with emery cloth. Just make the mica spacers are below the contact areas. Micro file works on cleaning these up.

I would avoid any cleaner that is harmful to paint. Definite don't use any with Acetone as an ingredient.

[38racing]

I didn't touch commutator ring since it's on the good starter. I just blue black dust from the outer stator of bad one. Back together after making brush retainers from paper clip. Of course I let armature slip out and had to brushes a second time. Back to gether and it spins ok.

[KE4AVB]

The reason for cleaning the commutator is that they do glaze over with glass over time and the starter loses torque. I was taught this back when I was constantly having alternator failures. It would glaze the commutator rings every few months due to my high amperage demand. Using a high wattage RF amp does this.