Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Bench testing a second hand starter motor tonight just off a battery in the daily driver.

I hooked up the -ve jumper lead to the body of the starter and touched the positive to the switch terminal on the solenoid and it throws the starter gear forward really hard but doesn't turn the gear. Is this because I haven't got the power to the armature connected?

If I bridge the switch and +ve input to armature and complete the circuit this should in theory throw the gear forward and turn it giving me a good indication of whether the starter motor is healthy enough to use in my engine right?....or am i missing something?

That all sounds correct to me. Putting power on the solenoid brings the gear forward and closes a set of contacts from the big positive terminal to give power to armature and turn the starter motor over.
Testing it as you say should tell you whether its good or not.

cheers Krusty, I wired up the switch terminal (small blade terminal) to the armature positve (big bolt) and hit it with the +ve jumper lead with the -ve connected to the body of the starter and it fired up beautifully. She's a keeper

All you are cheking when you do this is the solenoid acuation. You should also load test the motor while it is running.

The crudest way I have seen thes is levering a lump of 4x2 onto the gear while it is turning, you shouldnt be able to stop it this way.

THanks for the tip Mk i'll look into it. CHeers