Starter motor failure

[SeaKayaker]

Symptoms as a flat battery. But battery OK, pos and neg cables OK. So, having seen the techtips article on starter motors. I have eventually managed to extract the starter motor from the engine bay ( being LHD does make for difficult access).
So, with the starter on the bench: pinion worn, carbon brushes within wear tolerance, solenoid actuation seems ok. But, the bronze bush that supports the end of the shaft in the end of the alloy casing, has worn through and crumbled into several bits.
Is it worth the effort of making up a new bush? Or should I splash out on another starter?

 

[mojobaby]

A few years ago I had a troublesome starter motor and tried to fix it myself. I took it out a few times (also LHD) and dismantled it a few times but never really found the problem.
Every time I went to town I had to find a hill to park on just in case I had to push start.
After stalling a few times in traffic and trying to find someone to push me, my wife was so pissed off she threatened me with a fate worse than death and forced me to buy a new starter motor.
So for your own sanity, buy a new one and sleep easy!

 

[SeaKayaker]

Hi Mojo,
You are of course absolutely right.
I am collecting a new starter tomorrow morning!

 

[SeaKayaker]

So, to remove the old starter motor, took me something like 6 hours ( never having removed one on an R4L before).
Ok, new starter motor fitted, and all the ancillaries re-connected, took me about 2 hours.
It started "on the nail".
The engine has always been an eager starter, and now it starts even more readily.
Maybe, removing the inlet and exhaust manifold would made the whole job easier.

 

[mojobaby]

That must have been a very satisfying moment!!
Removing the manifold would definitely have made it a lot easier and the steering column as well.
I think you made a wise decision to buy a new one....well worth the money spent!

 

[AntonioConceicao]

My starter just die. This will also be my first time getting it replace. That means best way to get to it is from the top