How to clean 03-06 starter motor and replace brushes

[03coloradowrangler]

figured id do a rough walk through on how to replace your starter brushes on the Mitsubishi starter motor used in the 2003-2006 manual trans wrangler.
skip to the end if your just interested in the brushes... otherwise your gonna be looking at the full starter disassembly/reassembly. a whole breakdown isnt necessary for brush replacement but is something goes wrong it may help if need be.

I used maniac electric motors as my parts supplier online as these are not available at the local auto parts shop. maniac motors has a brush set for $13 & brush & solenoid kit for about $33.
Mitsubishi still sells oem brushes and I am uncertain of the part number at the moment but remember they are about $60.

Tools Required
12MM socket *or wrench*
#3 Phillips screwdriver
#2 Phillips screwdriver
Fine Pick *or a few toothpicks*
Scotch brite pad *or very fine grit sandpaper*

Materials highly suggested
CRC QD Electronic Cleaner spray (CRC part number 05103, this is for cleaning everything)
Lithium EP Moly grease (plastic safe required)
Silicone grease (example.. SIL-Glyde which is plastic safe)

Optional Equipment
Q-tips
Small plastic bristled brush *or toothbrush*
Motor oil
Gloves or Hand degreaser

first your gonna start with the starter off of the vehicle

Remove the brushset 12mm nut from the solenoid.

remove the 2x 8mm bolts from the starter being cautious as to not allow the whole starter housing assembly to fall apart as these are what holds the rear, center and front of the starter all together.

you can see what I mean as they are lengthy bolts.

remove the cap containing the brushset

remove the armature (take note of the ball bearing on the bottom of the armature shaft) carefully set this aside and save for reassembly later. it should be accessible once pulling the armature though you may find it in its socket with the gears later during disassembly.

remove the magnet housing (note where the tabs on the bottom came from) the tabs will relocate inline with the solenoid during reassembly.

remove the rubber gear seal

remove the 3 gears

remove the 2 #3 Phillips mounting screws from the solenoid coil

remove the solenoid coil (there is a large spring inside so dont lose it)

unhook the solenoid plunger from the throwout fork and set aside

grab and pull out the rubber seal

pluck out the nickel sized pivot cap, it should just fall out of place.

pivot cap removed

pull out the rest of the gear/clutch assembly. take special note of the orientation of the nylon throw out fork.

again... pay attention to the position the throw out fork is oriented... you dont want to reinstall it upside down!


Now at this point the whole starter should be broken down for the most part other than the brushset and cap. id suggest a heavy dousing with some CRC QD electronic cleaner and get all the grease, dirt and whatever else has caked every component you've disassembled and removed. I attempted using degreaser and also dawn dish soap but both just seemed to smear everything around rather than remove it like the electronic cleaner. ive had good luck with the CRC QD electronic cleaner which is what I would recommend, anything else and your on your own if it damages anything.

 

[03coloradowrangler]

now for reassembly

gonna have to overlook everything as already covered in grease.. I just fully disassembled a clean starter (cleaned 5 days prior) and reassembled for the sake of a how to while just initially getting in there to swap out my brushes.

this is the grease I have chosen to use as the exact match stuff to use is only sold in a 55 gallon drum. I think this moly stuff is good enough & plastic safe.

grease your gears plate

get a cutip and grease what you can in this helical gear in here pretty liberally

add a little grease to this gear then wipe off, your just looking for a little film of grease to be left here. you dont want it smothered and collecting dirt or migrating elsewhere.

add a drop of engine oil here. technically doesn't need it as it is gonna be resting in a bronzoil bushing anyhow but a drop cant hurt.

location of bronzoil bushing as mentioned above

add a pea sized dab of silicone grease here at the throwout fork pivot point.

take note of these notches on the clutch/gearset assembly they have to align with the threaded holes on the aluminum side of the starter nose for your long bolts to pass through.

set your throwout fork in place and begin reinserting the gearset/clutch assembly back into place. again noting the position of the notches and half circle ears.. notches are for the bolt shanks to pass through.

again, I know.. but be sure the notches line up with the threaded holes! you'll kick yourself later if your not paying attention here!

place the metal disc back on top of the pivot point of the throw out fork and slip your rubber seal back into place

grease your gear mounting shafts and gears, teeth on the nylon.. everything. one your gears are all set back in take about a glob of grease half the size of a marble and smear it onto each of the 3 gears. just goober it in there wiping your finger clear of grease in one swipe to the face of the teeth.

reinstall your rubber seal again pay attention here too to the notches for them 2 long bolts to pass through to the threads

seal installed.. moving on.

now at this point you can take that solenoid plunger, lightly scuff it clean of any scale or corrosion buildup with a Brillo pad and hook it back to the fork on the throwout arm and reinstall the coil section of the solenoid back in place (refer the prior photos above if you cant remember the orientation it goes back on like).

also, that little ball bearing you had set aside carefully during disassembly, you can add some grease coating to it and drop it into the hole between the 3 gears dead center then set the whole thing aside as you are now gonna focus your work on the armature and brushes from this point on (take caution not to lose that ball bearing you just set in the hole)

 

[03coloradowrangler]

onto the brushes!

begin with your armature.
1. take a Brillo pad, wrap the copper area your brushes ride on and spin the armature around a few times. your goal is just to clean the oxidation whathaveyou off of it and not to sand a bunch of low flat spots into the copper.
2. use the Brillo pad to scuff off any corrosion/oxidation on the steel colored section my thumb is atop of, being EXTRA careful while doing so not to scuff off the copper windings wire enamel coating, it is a important electrical insulator.

take a straight pick and GENTLY scrape out the gunk in the insulated slot between each coil termination. your goal is to be gentle here, your not looking to carve your name into it or anything. the slots aren't deep at all and there is gonna be dirt and grit in them. you'll feel/see what your aiming to remove if your gentle with it.

now grab your brush cap with the worn out brushes in it.

remove the 2x #2 Phillips screws from the cap so your brush housing can be removed

brush holder removed

brushes near end of life.

new brush set. warning, be extra sure that none of the copper from the brush touches the steel tab on the side the wire that will go to the solenoid.. otherwise you are looking at a direct 12V short to ground later on! here's your warning! I used the pick to prod the wire around to prevent it from touching. also just below that steel tab there is rubber from the boot that also may need to be finessed a bit to prevent wire shorting to the tab too. you'll see what I mean when you have it apart.

now, install the brush set to the armature (its a bit of a pain in the ass) and spin it by hand for a few minutes in the direction the starter spins to "wear the brushes in" you want them conformed to the cylindrical shape of the copper section of the armature like your old worn brushes were conformed. you dont want the brushes sitting flat so your gonna have to pre break them in by hand.

take that same Brillo pad and clean the rust off of the area around the brush mounting screw holes, just clean around the 2 holes opposite of the notch as it is a electrical ground point for the brushes. add a dab of dielectric grease to your fingertip and smear it around the holes.

add a drop of oil to the bronzoil bushing in the brush cap and slip the cap onto the armature aligning the rubber seal from the brushes with the notch in the cap.

1. take the armature/brush cap assembly and slip it into the magnet housing while placing your finger in through the small hole at the bottom of the magnet housing to guide the shaft of the armature in place slowly.
2. apply a dab of grease to the gear teeth at the armature shaft now coming out the bottom of the magnet housing.

pay attention to the position of the two tabs on the bottom of the magnet housing to the left of my thumb joint for the next step.

those two tabs on the magnet housing in the photo above will line up with the solenoid on that gear housing you had set aside earlier on. reinstall the 2 long bolts through the starter into the threaded holes (this is why it was so important to pay attention to them notches I brought up a few times earlier during the reassembly photos.

install the 2x #2 Phillips screws into the brush holder.

attach the brush terminal to the solenoid with the original 12mm nut

and you have yourself a cleaned up, greased starter with new brushes.

 

[pagrey]

How was the copper on the solenoid? I've seen that wear out.

 

[Zorba]

VERY nicely done.

 

[03coloradowrangler]

How was the copper on the solenoid? I've seen that wear out.

I didnt want to disassemble the solenoid to get to it. I have no way here other than a hammer to put the solenoid together after inspecting it. I do know its a wear item though as I have seen plenty of wear on the contact points on other solenoids after years of use too. I thought about ordering a replacement after placing the brush holder order but figured it do it down the road later on as its a very easy swap.

VERY nicely done.

thanks, I tried the best I could. should make things more comfortable for someone who wants to try to rebuild before pulling the trigger on a reman.

 

[Zorba]

thanks, I tried the best I could. should make things more comfortable for someone who wants to try to rebuild before pulling the trigger on a reman.

I'm REALLY tired of our throw away, planned obsolescence society - this kind of know how is what made America great.

 

[Chris]

Great write-up!

I tell people all the time to rebuild their starters, alternators, etc.

Things can be rebuilt, most people just don't want to hassle with it. Even if you don't do it yourself, there are places out there who rebuild these things. I've had a number of starters and alternators rebuilt.

 

[03coloradowrangler]

I'm REALLY tired of our throw away, planned obsolescence society - this kind of know how is what made America great.

Absolutely, its quite amazing how long the old stuff last & still works perfectly yet new stuff is always wearing out and breaking down. planned obsolesce is a excellent marketing & cost saving campaign.
though on the other hand with the auto part recycling programs its quite intriguing that there are re-manufacturers out there taking in multiple cores and building remans with still useful good parts out of the core returns or reengineering faulty components.

Great write-up!

I tell people all the time to rebuild their starters, alternators, etc.

Things can be rebuilt, most people just don't want to hassle with it. Even if you don't do it yourself, there are places out there who rebuild these things. I've had a number of starters and alternators rebuilt.

Thanks again. agreed, most people dont want to hassle with it.
its a great learning process and overall not very complicated to rebuild either. ive done both starters & alternators in the past and there isnt alot to either one of them.

 

[03coloradowrangler]

starter cranking speed has increased since replacing the brushes today. its something I wasn't expecting.

 

[UglyDuck]

I did mine a week ago.

 

[Ajwatuc]

Just did mine a few weeks ago. I ordered brushes from Amazon New Starter Brush Holder for Jeep Commander 4.7L Grand Cherokee 2005-06 https://a.co/d/8cHrIU2 the seller said they wouldn’t work but they did. Also ordered New Solenoid For Chrysler PT Cruiser L4 2.4L 03-09 06273 7515 E3673 245-48117 https://a.co/d/cc5i07M