Silicone spray fixes everything!
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:08 pm
I spent today doing some "mundane" jobs that I've been putting off for a long time: starter motor squeal first thing in the morning, a squeaking clutch when pedal is depressed and the "4WD" light on my dash had died. 
The starter motor was a case of ripping it out and disassembling (I'd done the same about three years ago.) It was relatively clean inside thanks to using silicone spray last time, however the one way gear that engages the flywheel was all grauchy again. This is what appears to cause the squealing noise- a thorough soaking with silicone spray and rotating it by hand to work it through and it was a lot better. Ideally it probably should have been replaced last time, but it's working beautifully again.
Next was the annoying clutch squeak/ creak whenever the pedal is pushed in. I'd been thinking it was inside the bellhousing because it appeared after having my clutch replaced, however it turned out to be the cable! I pulled the clutch arm end rubber cover on the cable back to reveal the wire and sprayed the silicone onto the wire cable where it comes out the outer sheath (it slowly wicks in by itself.) It has completely cured the noise.
Finally the 4WD switch which is hidden high on the transfer case was open circuit in 4WD. It took a lot of swearing but I finally got it out and pushing the plunger in did nothing, it was permanently open circuit. So I soaked some silicone spray into the plunger hole while quickly pushing it- after around two minutes the multimeter was starting to register continuity
. A couple more minutes and more soaking has got it working perfectly. Reinstalling it I was delighted to see the 4WD symbol once again alive on the dash.
A lot of fiddly work, but well worth the effort. I know the clutch squeaking is a common complaint, so get to it.
The starter motor was a case of ripping it out and disassembling (I'd done the same about three years ago.) It was relatively clean inside thanks to using silicone spray last time, however the one way gear that engages the flywheel was all grauchy again. This is what appears to cause the squealing noise- a thorough soaking with silicone spray and rotating it by hand to work it through and it was a lot better. Ideally it probably should have been replaced last time, but it's working beautifully again.
Next was the annoying clutch squeak/ creak whenever the pedal is pushed in. I'd been thinking it was inside the bellhousing because it appeared after having my clutch replaced, however it turned out to be the cable! I pulled the clutch arm end rubber cover on the cable back to reveal the wire and sprayed the silicone onto the wire cable where it comes out the outer sheath (it slowly wicks in by itself.) It has completely cured the noise.
Finally the 4WD switch which is hidden high on the transfer case was open circuit in 4WD. It took a lot of swearing but I finally got it out and pushing the plunger in did nothing, it was permanently open circuit. So I soaked some silicone spray into the plunger hole while quickly pushing it- after around two minutes the multimeter was starting to register continuity
. A couple more minutes and more soaking has got it working perfectly. Reinstalling it I was delighted to see the 4WD symbol once again alive on the dash. A lot of fiddly work, but well worth the effort. I know the clutch squeaking is a common complaint, so get to it.
- more investigation needed. I think I need to remove the clutch cable from the top firewall end and get some lubricant in that way. Has anyone played around with that end- I've tried to get it off with no success so far?
)