No-Load Test

REMOVE OR DISCONNECT
1. Disconnect negative (-) battery cable from battery.
2. Remove retaining nut and disconnect positive (+) battery cable from solenoid.
3. Disconnect solenoid electrical connector.

Removing Starter Motor Assembly:

4. Remove two mounting bolts and starter motor assembly from vehicle.

No-Load Test Connections:

5. Connect a battery and ammeter to starter motor assembly.
Inspect
^ For proper starter motor operation; starter rotating smoothly and pinion is fully extended.
Measure
^ Starter motor current draw. Standard starter motor current draw at 11 volts is:
- Manual Transaxle Equipped Vehicle 60 amps.
- Automatic Transaxle Equipped Vehicles 50 to 75 amps.

Evaluation
A. Low free speed and high current draw indicates:
^ Too much friction-tight, dirty or worn bushings, bent armature shaft allowing armature to drag.
^ Shorted armature. This can be further checked on a growler after disassembly.
^ Grounded armature or fields. Check further after disassembly.
B. Failure to operate and high current draw indicates:
^ A direct ground in the terminal or fields.
^ "Frozen" bearings.
C. Failure to operate and low or no current draw indicates:
^ Open solenoid windings.
^ Open field circuit. This can be checked after disassembly by inspecting internal connections and testing circuit with a test lamp.
^ Open armature coils. Inspect the commutator for badly burned bars after disassembly.
^ Broken brush springs, worn brushes, high insulation between the commutator bars or other causes which would prevent good contact between the brushes and commutator.
D. Low no-load speed and low current draw indicates:
^ High internal resistance due to poor connections, defective leads, dirty commutator and causes listed under fault number 3.
E. High free speed and high current draw usually indicate shorted fields. If shorted fields are suspected, replace the field coil assembly. Also check for shorted armature using a growler.
F. Rated current draw and no-load speed indicate normal condition of starter motor assembly; reinstall starter motor assembly onto vehicle.

INSTALL OR CONNECT
1. Install starter motor assembly to vehicle; secure with two mounting bolts.
Tighten
^ Starter motor assembly mounting bolts to 23 N.m (17 lb. ft.).
2. Connect solenoid electrical connector.
3. Connect positive (+) battery cable to solenoid; secure with retaining nut.
Tighten
^ Positive (+) battery cable-to-solenoid retaining nut to 10 N.m (89 lb. in.).
4. Connect negative (-) battery cable to battery.
Tighten
^ Negative (-) battery cable-to-negative (-) battery terminal retainer to 15 N.m (11 lb. ft.).