Starter won't disengage

[Ben]

And I think I know why...



Clearly one of the magnets is a little worse for wear. I pulled the started apart (thanks to Gojeep's site 8-) 8-) and was surprised to see it so clean (I had assumed mud was the problem), but cleaned it up and started to put it together when I found the problem in the photo.

Now a couple of questions...do you think this would this have caused it to not disengage? Or would the taps with the big hammer I needed to do to get me off a track in the middle of nowhere have caused the break, and I've got another problem I haven't found?

Secondly can you get new magnets easily? I'd rather do the work myself if possible (if not I've got a decent auto-sparky that helped me out last time), and I'd really rather not fork out the $$$ for a recondition job, let alone a stealership one.

Thoughts?

Cheers,
Ben

[want33s]

Hitting the housing with a hammer is what has smashed the magnet.
Don't do that again!
You can get away with tapping (gently) a solenoid that is stuck and not engaging but there's no point hitting the motor housing.

An auto electrician should be able to find something to fit(replacement magnet) in his parts or used bin.

Usually when a starter won't disengage the problem is the solenoid, or maybe a broken bendix spring on the throwout but most likely solenoid.

[Ben]

Didn't think I tapped it that hard. But then again I had to do it several times throughout the day, and I was rather keen not to be stuck in the bush!!