Technical Got sand in my starter motor - Help

[Aussieoutback]

Hi Guys,
Just got half way back from a trip out west of Brisbane in the outback and my starter motor stopped working at a petrol station, The RACQ guys had to tow start me and when I got home to pull it out I found this sand in the pinion gear end of the starter motor???

How the hell did it get in there I wonder??

 

[Aussieoutback]

Help

 

[varesecrazy]

Help

Glad you got back ok.

Not sure how much they have changed over the years.

Does it look like an upper surface can trap..or funnel the sand.

No sign of an 'oil hole'?

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi Guys,
Just got half way back from a trip out west of Brisbane in the outback and my starter motor stopped working at a petrol station, The RACQ guys had to tow start me and when I got home to pull it out I found this sand in the pinion gear end of the starter motor???

How the hell did it get in there I wonder??

So..

Has it just packed..and jammed.

Or is it physically worn : broken.

A pic or 2 would make diagnosis that bit easier..

 

[portland_bill]

When you've made a couple more posts, you'll be able to post pics.

Is the sand what you might expect to find in the environment you've been driving in? I can't think of anything inside a starter that might deteriorate into sand, so hopefully just ingress, not internal failure.

Can you just empty it out and away it goes?

Whilst the starter will not have large holes for stuff to get in, it will not be sealed, just resistant to normal airborne stuff. To fill with sand suggests it has been somewhere with a lot of sand blowing about, beach, quarry, etc. If operating in such environments it might be an idea to seal this or any replacement unit, but it will need a small breather hole somewhere.