How to check the starter armature at home using a multimeter

As you know, a starter is a device that starts a car engine. In fact, the starter is an electric motor that is powered by the battery. It is quite obvious that the failure of the starter significantly complicates or makes it impossible to start the internal combustion engine.

However, the starter rarely fails unexpectedly. In other words, certain signs indicate the occurrence of malfunctions. Next, we will look at what symptoms can be used to determine that the starter is faulty, as well as how to check the starter from a battery or with a multimeter.

How to check the starter armature with a multimeter

Some men can find problems and malfunctions with their own hands, repair and replace the necessary parts. This article with instructions will be useful for those who are ready to repair their car themselves. And for those who value their time and want to save money, we recommend turning to professionals. Our company works seven days a week, and our prices will please you. We offer starter armature testing services in Minsk efficiently and quickly at any time. We have modern equipment installed, with the help of which our professionals will quickly and accurately identify the problems and malfunctions of your car. We work with almost all brands of cars such as: BMW, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Audi, Volksvagen, Mazda, Nissan, Opel and many others.

Repair of starter retractor relay

First, we suggest watching a video instruction on how to replace the solenoid relay yourself, and then we will tell you how to repair it.

Depending on the manufacturer, starters are equipped with a collapsible or non-demountable solenoid relay. To fix a problem with a non-separable element, you just need to buy a new part. All that remains is to unscrew the two mounting bolts, remove the faulty relay and install a new one in its place (see the video above).

In the case of a detachable solenoid relay, you can try to repair it. The repair is as follows:

Unscrew the screws securing the housing cover.
Sometimes it is necessary to additionally solder the ends of the winding.
Removing the cover opens up access to find a possible problem - these are power contacts that may be worn out or burnt:

in the first case, replacing contacts will help,
in the second case, the problem can be solved with the help of sanding paper.

Now all that remains is to assemble the solenoid relay and check its functionality.
The repaired starter is installed in place, after which its operation can be tested.

And lastly, we recommend watching a video that shows how you can start a motor with a non-working starter solenoid relay.

Starter diagnostics and testing

If you find yourself on a highway far from a service center, you should know how to remove the starter and diagnose problems yourself. Diagnostics can be carried out visually and using a multimeter. A visual inspection will help you identify any chips or cracks – they need to be repaired. Next you need to check the starter armature.

We will tell you how to ring the starter armature with a multimeter in this article. If you do not have the opportunity to ring it yourself, we will help you check the starter armature with a multimeter.

Starter repair begins with disassembling the electric motor armature. The causes of the malfunction may be:

Loss of contacts at the terminals.
Wear and breakage of brushes.
High temperatures for commutator plates.
Poor insulation.
Short circuit between plates.
Interturn closure.
Anchor jamming in the snout.

The first signs of a starter malfunction:

characteristic hum sound;
vibration during starter operation;
the appearance of sparks;
strong heating of the case and the appearance of an unpleasant smell of burnt plastic;
change in armature rotation.

Problems with a warm engine

The cause of problems when starting the starter can be a cold or hot engine. It is advisable to test in both cases. When the system is cold, there may be the following causes of malfunction:

Thick oil.
Old and inefficient battery.

With a cold system, there are few reasons, since temperature only affects the liquid. And when the engine is hot, there are the following reasons:

Bushings jamming.
Malfunction of the crankshaft (Friction of the liners, displacement of the crankshaft axis, etc.).
Bushings are worn.

In case of such problems, it is recommended to contact a service station for inspection. The crankshaft may be faulty, which can lead to high repair costs. If these reasons are not found, then you need to disassemble the starter and check the power system.

If the starter is in very poor condition, parts are destroyed, massive oxidation has occurred, and there are other faults in the complex, then it is recommended to replace the starter completely. After all, repairs will be very expensive, and the reliability of the mechanism can be very low.

How to diagnose the problem and repair the starter

If you were unable to visually determine the place where the wiring was broken, you can short it with a wire at the junction of all the lamellas and apply voltage. In the place where it burns out there is a breakdown. You also need to pay attention to the condition of the lamellas. If they are damaged and repair is possible, then the lamellas must be restored.

The starter rotor winding is also checked with a light bulb. We apply the lamp starter to the collector plate and see whether the lamp lights up or not. If it lights up, it is necessary to replace the winding or completely replace the rotor. If it does not light up, check the resistance with an ohmmeter. The resistance should be small, approximately 10 kOhm.

If there is an interturn short circuit, a device for checking the starter armature will help determine it. The solution to the problem is to correct and align all the wires and clear them of debris.

If the above methods do not help, rewinding the anchor will help you.

To repair the anchor yourself, start by removing the short circuit; be sure to clean the location of the short circuit and check whether it appears again.

When unsoldering the collector terminals, we remove the rotor and thoroughly clean the surfaces using a drill, solder them and check for interturn short circuits.

To determine a burnt anchor, you need to use a battery.

Third stage

Screw the nut onto the upper power bolt
We connect the plus from the battery to it
At the same time, we close the control contact for turning on the solenoid relay with the positive wire

At this moment, the relay should operate, the bendix should jump out and the power bolts should close, and the electric motor should start. If all this happened and the armature spins with high frequency, everything is fine, the starter is working.

Malfunctions

The circuit of the retractor windings is broken - the bendix will move frantically in both directions, the relay will “buzz”.

The armature of the electric motor does not rotate - there is no contact on the “nickels” of the power bolts or the power plate of the moving contact of the retractor is damaged. Possible causes of malfunctions in the electrical part of the engine, discussed in the second stage.

Video tutorial on how to diagnose a starter removed from a car:

Starter diagnostic frequency

Depending on the load on the starter, its wear will depend; accordingly, the greater the load, the more often the starter needs to be diagnosed. Do not forget to diagnose and repair vehicle problems in a timely manner.

Now you know step by step how to check the starter at home. You can order diagnostics and repair of your car starter from our company Modnikov. Good luck on the roads!

Diagnostics and repair of the starter armature in a garage

Starter

is a unit that no vehicle can do without, since this element is one of the main ones in the ignition system.
As is clear, there are no endless parts and at times the starter unit tends to fail. How to check and repair the battery in the key in a Toyota Corolla Verso. If you decide to replace the battery in the key of a Toyota Corolla Verso with your own hands, then it is better to do everything in one of these. more about what malfunctions are typical for this element and how to check the
car starter armature on your own at home from this material.

Engine starting system

Any car has two energy sources - a generator and a battery. The first is used to recharge the battery and power all the car’s electrics when the engine is running. The battery is used to power the vehicle systems when the engine is stopped. But most importantly, it supplies the current necessary to crank the crankshaft to the starter. At the same time, the fuel supply and ignition systems operate. All these mechanisms and devices function as synchronously as possible, due to which the engine starts very quickly.

For injection engines, the normal starting time is 0.8 seconds. And if this time is longer, then you will need to fully diagnose the systems. You need to know how to check the starter for performance.

The VAZ-2110, like most other cars, needs timely replacement of starter components. Brushes and bushings wear out under the influence of friction and high current and become covered with a layer of soot. Because of this, the current consumed by the windings increases several times.

Possible armature malfunctions

Malfunctions associated with the starter unit, in one way or another, affect the entire ignition system. How to remove the headlight on a Volkswagen Touareg 1 at home, how to remove the tail light of a Lada Kalina station wagon?. You will immediately know about the failure of the unit, since it is impossible to start the engine without it.

The main faults corresponding to this device:

See:

collector wear, which may be uneven;
short circuit between the turns of the windings of the unit;
an insulation breakdown to ground has occurred;
collector contacts are unsoldered;
The studded elements under the bushings are worn out.

So that you can solve problems of this kind on your own, it will be useful for you to know how to check the armature

starter. We will tell you more about diagnostics and repair below.

Checking the starter unit with a tester

Faulty brushes and bushings

Using brushes, current is transmitted to the rotor winding of the starter. All four stator windings are connected in series-parallel, as shown in the diagram below.

If one stator winding is damaged, the rotor will not be fully powered. And if the brushes are faulty, then power will not flow to the excitation winding. Since it is not possible to check the starter for functionality using the battery, remove the back cover and brush assembly.

If there is severe wear, install new brushes - they are sold separately and can be purchased at any store. It is advisable to replace the bushings, since as they wear out they take on the shape of an ellipse. Because of this, friction increases significantly. The current consumption also increases due to deteriorated contact. The old bushing is knocked out of the back cover with a hammer and a mandrel of a suitable size.

Anchor repair

One of the most common problems in the operation of the starter armature is a short circuit.

, namely, we are talking about windings located on the housing. In order to solve this problem, it will be necessary to carry out a visual diagnosis of the outputs of the unit, as well as the wiring of the element. By doing this, you can find the place where the breakdown occurred. After it is found, you need to clean the contacts and diagnose the resistance; for this, a multimeter is used. The video will talk about how to replace the silent block of a crab on front-wheel drive VAZ cars at home using improvised means. After that, you should insulate the broken area, why you can use super glue with asbestos.

If a visual inspection does not allow you to find the location of the breakdown, another method can be used for diagnosis. To test the generator at home, you will need a multimeter. You can independently check the belt tension, charging relay, diode bridge, stator, bearings and brushes. It consists of connecting all the lamellas of the device together, but for this you need to use a special stripped wire. When the lamellas are closed, it will be necessary to apply voltage to the device (to the commutator and ground), and since it must be very high, this may require a welding machine. How to charge a gel scooter battery at home. In fact, this is precisely where the complexity of the method lies. The place where there is a breakdown will burn out (video author - Konstantin Petrakov).

Ringing of relays and connecting wires

For subsequent diagnostics of the generator, you need an electrical circuit of the car and a mnemonic diagram of the relay position. The engine is started in two ways. The first is that the control current to the solenoid relay comes from the ignition switch contacts.

The second option, more modern, uses a special starter relay, which supplies the appropriate current. You can check the functionality of the relay with a multimeter in voltmeter mode. The measured voltage on the winding should be +12 V.

Then they begin to examine the generator itself. It can be located between the radiator and the engine or near the flywheel. It is necessary to ring all the conductors coming from the starter. These are two wires: one with a cross-section of 25 mm2 on the generator brush and the second that controls the solenoid relay.

Checking the starter armature.

Anchor check

for interturn short circuit. The video shows how to repair a headlight hydraulic booster in the field. Let’s make a reservation right away: our device is homemade, since in Russia it’s similar.

In the event that an interturn short circuit occurs in the operation of the unit, such a problem can be determined using a special device. That’s what it’s called - PPYA - a device for checking the anchor. As practice shows, short circuits are often caused by the use of bent or crumpled wires or the presence of conductive particles between them. Don't know how to check the starter armature at home? Nothing could be simpler. Use a tester or other testing equipment. If this is the case, then it is necessary to correct all the problems (align the wires and clean them of debris), and then apply a layer of varnish on top, this will protect the device. If this method does not help you find the problem, you can rewind the armature yourself.

As for a short circuit, it usually affects the functioning of the collector. How to charge a gel battery for a scooter and at home, both inside. Subsequently, this can lead to burnout of the plates, as a result of which this element can completely collapse. If you have to solder, remember that before soldering the working surfaces must be thoroughly cleaned; you can use a drill for this. Using this device, you can perform a good cleaning of contacts, as well as lead wires. I’ll show you how to replace a car CV joint yourself at home. Starter conditions and how to check the armature at home" how. I'm not a master, but I hope my video will help someone. checked using an armature diagnostic device

Recommendations for use

It is not recommended to run the starter for more than 15 seconds. If extraneous noise appears and periodic failure of the mechanism, you must immediately find the cause of the malfunction and eliminate it. In this case, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the contacting parts of the retractor and prevent sparking and overheating of the contact pads. If you take good care of your device, your trip will be comfortable.

A starter is necessary for any car - it is with its help that the engine starts. But since this is a power machine, and when the rotor jams, the current can increase up to 700 A, it often fails. And every driver needs to know how to check the starter for performance independently. And the most important thing in this matter is to follow safety precautions, since excessive heating of the elements can lead to ignition.

Why do you need a starter and its design features?

A starter (from the English word start - to begin) is a mandatory unit for starting the engine, which forcibly rotates the crankshaft flywheel to the speed necessary for independent operation.

It is a 4-pole DC electric motor that takes energy from a battery. The starter is necessary to start the engine of any vehicle and receives power from the battery when the key is turned in the ignition.

Main components of the starter:

housing - a cylinder-shaped steel part in which the winding and cores are located;
anchor - has the shape of an axis and is made of high-strength steel, collector plates and windings are fixed in it;
a solenoid relay that supplies power to the starter when the key is turned in the ignition and pushes out the bendix;
brushes and brush holders - supply the necessary voltage to the armature commutator unit, increasing the motor power when the engine spins up;
drive gear and bendix (overrunning clutch).

Despite the huge range of electric motors, there are only two types, distinguished by the presence of a gearbox.

The most modern version of an electromagnetic motor is a gear motor , the main advantages of which include the ability to operate even with a low battery charge and the presence of permanent magnets that reduce problems with the winding.

The main disadvantages of such a unit are the low strength of the gear and the impossibility of repair, which leads to an expensive purchase in the event of a breakdown.

Starters that do not contain a gearbox in their design directly act on the rotating gear.

The main advantages of this type of starter are:

simultaneous engagement of the flywheel with the gear, allowing you to start the internal combustion engine as quickly as possible;
durability and long-term operation;
the ability to independently repair breakdowns and the availability of necessary spare parts in almost any auto shop;
practically independent of the influence of electric current, which reduces the possibility of breakdowns.

The disadvantages of gearless starters include:

difficulty starting in extreme cold;
significant mass of the unit;
high energy consumption, leading in some cases (if there are faults in the starting system or other components) to a strong discharge of the battery and the impossibility of starting the internal combustion engine without recharging;
quite high prices for spare parts.

If the starter does not spin the crankshaft?

This is one of the most common starter failures. A malfunction may be indicated by a clearly audible idle sound when the ignition is turned on. This means that the crown of the engine crankshaft flywheel is not engaged with the starter bendix (overrunning clutch gear). The relay simply cannot push the gear forward, which is why, rotating on its own, the starter does not spin the engine. In this case, you need to check both the solenoid relay and the bendix, since both mechanisms can cause a breakdown .

Bendix check

There is no need to remove the starter at this stage. You can check the device like this:

turn on the gear,
depress the brake pedal,
start the starter.

The Bendix will need repair or replacement if the metallic sound of the rotating armature is heard during the test described. This indicates the Bendix is slipping. If you don’t hear anything like that, you’ll have to move on to checking the solenoid relay.

Checking the solenoid relay

To carry out the check, the starter will first need to be dismantled. To do this, first the wires suitable for it are disconnected from the device, then two or three mounting bolts are unscrewed. Usually the work is carried out in an inspection pit.

After removing the part in question from the engine compartment, you need to clean it of dirt, and clean the contacts with sandpaper to remove oxidized deposits. Further:

Prepare in advance a pair of wires for “lighting” with crocodile clips, and place the device to be diagnosed next to the battery.
Connect the first wire with one end to the positive terminal of the battery, and the other to the positive terminal of the solenoid relay (where the large nut is).
Connect the second wire to the negative terminal of the battery.
Touch the body of the part with the free end of the negative wire.

If at the same time a click is clearly heard in the area of the solenoid relay, then it can be stated that the car’s starter or at least the component of the device being tested is in good working order. If nothing happens, then the solenoid relay must be replaced or repaired.

Main signs of starter malfunction

Despite the fact that the starter is a fairly reliable device, it can also break. Some breakdowns may have symptoms identical to other faults, but there is still something in common when the electric motor malfunctions.

The main symptoms of starter malfunctions:

The solenoid relay does not click (does not operate) and the armature does not rotate.

Battery discharge (complete or partial) or failure;
Oxidation of battery terminals and tips connected to it;
The terminals or tips connected to both the starter itself and the battery have come loose;
Lack of contact on the terminal bolts, caused by a break in the wires connecting the ignition switch and starter;
Short circuit, break or breakdown of the solenoid relay windings to ground.

When the electric motor starts and the solenoid relay is operational, the armature rotates slowly or does not rotate at all.

The contact on the terminal bolts of the solenoid relay is broken;
High wear of brushes or their jamming;
Burning or overheating of the collector plates;
Breakdown of the stator winding caused by insulation failure or interturn short circuit;
Damage to the insulating layer of the positive brush holder;
Short circuit of collector plates caused by insulation failure;

The armature of a running starter rotates, but the crankshaft does not spin.

Overrunning clutch slipping;
Mechanical damage to the freewheel (buffer spring, underwater ring);
The starter drive fork is flying out or damaged;
Difficulty in moving the drive along the thread on the anchor shaft.

After starting the engine, the starter continues to operate.

Drive fork jamming;
Damage to the ignition switch spring;
Jamming of the solenoid relay or starter drive contacts on the anchor shaft;
Damage or stretching of the springs that return the solenoid relay or overrunning clutch;
Solenoid relay jammed;
Warping of the electromagnetic motor caused by unscrewing its fastenings to the internal combustion engine.

What's the result?

As you can see, the information above allows you to figure out how to check the starter yourself in a garage. There is no need to have special equipment. Often, a test lamp, a multimeter and a charged battery are enough.

This means that it is better to give the starter to trusted specialists, who will separately conduct in-depth diagnostics, after which they will eliminate the existing faults and return the starter to full functionality.

The starter clicks and/or buzzes, but the engine does not turn over. The main causes of starter failures, diagnosing and troubleshooting them yourself.

Why the starter may not work after turning the key in the ignition. The main causes of starter malfunctions: bendix, traction relay, brushes, winding.

The device of a car engine starter, the principle of operation. Common malfunctions: the starter does not turn, does not turn off after starting the engine, etc.

Why does the starter turn normally, but the engine does not catch and does not start? Main causes of malfunction, checking fuel supply and ignition systems. Adviсe.

What to do if the starter turns, but the engine does not crank. Checking the power supply system, ignition, electronic control of the internal combustion engine, etc. Recommendations.

Attachments for an automobile internal combustion engine: what is included in the list of this equipment, and also what it means to have an “engine without attachments.”

Checking the starter using the battery

Before contacting a car service center, buying a new unit or spare parts for it, you should try to check its performance yourself. With the right approach, it is possible to independently identify problems.

First of all, if you suspect a malfunction of the starting device, you need to check the contacts on the battery and starter terminals, their tightness and the presence of oxidation, the battery charge, since in many cases the problem in starting the internal combustion engine is the above factors.

A simple way to check that the electrical network is working is to close the terminal bolts of the electric motor with a screwdriver; before this procedure, you need to put the car in neutral speed (or move the selector lever to park or neutral mode).

If the starter starts the engine, you should look for a fault in the electrical circuit. Otherwise, remove the unit by disconnecting all fasteners from the engine and removing terminals and other wires.

How to check Bendix

After removing the electric motor, it is necessary to inspect the bendix (the gear at the very end); if there is increased wear of the teeth or cracks in it, it should be replaced.

The Bendix should only turn in one direction, otherwise it will have to be replaced. By connecting the unit to the battery, it is unlikely to be able to diagnose the serviceability of the Bendix, since it can spin, but with insufficient force to start the internal combustion engine.

How to check Solenoid relay

When you turn the ignition key, you should hear a click, indicating that the armature is retracted and the bendix is engaged.

Before checking the serviceability of the starter, it is necessary to firmly secure it (either in a vice, having previously wrapped it with a thick layer of fabric, or with the help of a strong assistant who will hold the unit), since a very strong jerk may occur when starting it.

It is necessary to connect the positive from the battery to the positive on the starter, and the negative from the battery to the body of the unit. If the unit is working properly, then there should be a quick and sharp click and the bendix will extend and begin to spin.

If there is no click or movement of the overrunning clutch, it is necessary to replace the solenoid relay. When the power from the battery is disconnected, the bendix should retract.

How to check the Anchor and Brushes

To check the brushes and armature, you will need a multimeter or a 12-volt light bulb. Checking with a light bulb involves connecting its contacts to ground and the brush holder with the starter connected to the battery. When the light comes on, it indicates high brush wear.

When checking with a multimeter, the contacts are connected identically, only the results of measuring the resistance should tend to infinity, otherwise there is a short to ground.

The armature can only be checked by disassembling the electric motor. In addition to carrying out a visual inspection for the presence of oxidation, traces of short circuits, and increased wear, to check the armature you will need a special device PPYA (armature testing device) to check the interturn closure.

The difficulty of diagnosing armature malfunctions, as well as its repair, will require contacting specialized specialists, but in order to avoid unnecessary costs, it is necessary to check all other parts of the unit.

Signals of imminent starter failure

If the starter fails to crank the engine or rotate it at a speed inappropriate for starting, then the electrical part is faulty. Therefore, you need to start checking all the starter circuits, starting from the battery.

If the failure is mechanical, the working starter does not rotate the engine, grinding and buzzing sounds are heard. In such cases you should check:

fork and freewheel;
overrunning clutch lever;
coupling ring;
buffer spring;
gearing.

When the starter can be turned on only with 2-3 turns of the ignition key, the gear slowly disengages from the flywheel crown, and there is a lot of strain in operation, even if the battery is 100% charged!, then these are sure signs that the unit will soon fail.

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The increasing role of the starter

On modern passenger cars, the starter is perhaps the only means of starting the engine. After all, on many of them it is impossible to use alternative methods - “from a pusher” or “lighting” from another car.

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In the first case, this may be prevented by an automatic gearbox (automatic transmission), since when towing some of them may become inoperable; in the second case, by an electronic system that may malfunction or require a reboot.

The total operating time of a starter on a passenger car hardly reaches 8-10 hours per year. But in those short seconds when it works to start the engine, this unit develops more power. Judge for yourself: W = I × U = 500 A × 0.012 kV = 6 kW.

It is especially difficult for the starter when starting a faulty engine (low compression, faulty ignition, problems in the fuel system, etc.), as well as in winter, when the oil becomes incredibly thick and the channels through which fuel and air flow are covered with frost.

Bendix and overrunning clutch

An overrunning clutch is a device that allows the drive gear to rotate in only one direction. The malfunction of this unit is characterized by the fact that the starter rotates very quickly, the sound with which the gear engages with the ring is heard, but the crankshaft does not rotate.

Bendix is used to move the clutch and gear along the rotor axis. The rotor has spiral splines. The Bendix is driven by a solenoid relay.

How to prevent complete starter failure

The starter is a very reliable unit, but as it is used, problems accumulate and settings get lost. This process occurs gradually, the defects multiply over time, until at some point the unit completely fails.

To prevent this from happening at the most inopportune moment, for example, in the morning, when you are rushing to work or on the street during rush hour, you need to constantly pay attention to its operation and guess from its behavior that there is an imminent malfunction.

If this cannot be done, then you should check the unit from time to time without removing it from the car or disconnecting it from the battery. To do this, it is enough to have two power wires and a simple multimeter on hand.