The Opel Astra J starter is a four-pole four-brush DC electric motor with permanent magnet excitation, combined with a planetary gear and an electromagnetic two-winding traction relay.
Pic. 1. Starter details: 1 - cover on the drive side; 2 - screws for fastening the traction relay to the cover on the drive side; 3 – a lock ring of the coupling of a drive; 4 - thrust ring of the drive coupling; 5 - drive clutch; 6 – drive lever; 7 - ring gear; 8 – drive lever support; 9 - drive shaft; 10 - traction relay; 11 - satellites; 12 – a sealing ring of a planetary reducer; 13 – bolts of fastening of a cover from a collector; 14 - coupling bolts; 15 - cover from the side of the collector; 16 - brush assembly; 17 - stator; 18 - rotor; 19 - planetary gear cover
Caps 1 and 15 (pic. 1), as well as the stator housing 17 are tightened with two bolts 14. Permanent magnets are fixed in the stator housing. The rotation from the rotor 18 of the electric motor is transmitted to the drive shaft 9 through a planetary gearbox, consisting of a ring gear 7, a carrier made in one piece with the drive shaft 9, and three satellites 11. A freewheel roller clutch 5 is installed on the drive shaft.
The drive shafts and the rotor rotate in two ceramic-metal bearing bushings pressed into covers 1 and 15.
A traction relay 10 is fixed on the cover 1, the armature of which moves the drive clutch 5 through the lever 6. When you turn the key in the switch (castle) ignition to position «III» voltage from the battery is supplied to the retracting and holding windings of the traction relay 10, the armature of which moves the drive lever 6, and the starter drive clutch gear 5 engages with the engine flywheel ring gear. At the same time, the armature of the traction relay closes the power contacts (at this moment, the retracting winding is turned off) and the starter motor is powered by the battery. Rotor 18 of the starter rotates the crankshaft of the engine through a planetary gearbox. After starting the engine, when the gear speed exceeds the speed of the starter shaft, the freewheel is released and slips, thereby protecting the starter from high speed and damage.
Starter operating mode short-term (its duration is up to 10 s). At negative temperatures, operation time up to 15 s is allowed. The starter is powered by a battery and is a remanufactured serviceable product.
Helpful Hints
To avoid many starter malfunctions, follow a number of simple rules when operating it.
When starting the engine, turn on the starter for no more than 10–15 s and again after 20–30 s. Continuous operation of the starter for a long time may cause overheating. If, after three attempts, the engine does not start, then the faults in the engine power supply system or in the ignition system should be checked and eliminated.
After starting the engine, turn off the starter immediately, as prolonged rotation of the drive gear by the flywheel can lead to jamming of the drive freewheel.
It is not allowed to move the car using the starter. This causes significant overload and damage to it.
Table 1. Possible starter malfunctions, their causes and remedies
Cause of malfunction | Remedy |
Starter does not turn on | |
Battery faulty | Check battery |
Oxidation of battery terminals and wire ends | Strip, fasten and lubricate with petroleum jelly wire lugs and terminals |
Violation of contacts in the connections, breakage of wires in the power supply and starter control circuits | Check, clean, tighten or replace the contact connections in the power supply and starter control circuits |
Switch malfunction (castle) ignition | Replace switch contact (castle) ignition |
Faulty traction relay | Replace traction relay |
Faulty starter | Repair starter |
The traction relay turns on, but the starter armature does not rotate or rotates too slowly | |
The battery is heavily discharged | Charge or replace the battery |
Oxidation of battery terminals and wire ends | Strip, fasten and lubricate with petroleum jelly wire lugs and terminals |
Weak tightening of the nuts for fastening the wire lugs on the terminals of the traction relay | Tighten nuts |
Faulty starter | Repair starter |
Traction relay turns on and off immediately (repetitive knocking) | |
The battery is heavily discharged | Charge or replace the battery |
Increased resistance in the starter power supply circuit | Strip and secure wire ends. Replace defective wires |
Faulty switch (lock) ignition | Replace switch contact (castle) ignition |
Faulty traction relay | Replace traction relay |
Starter engages but crankshaft does not turn | |
Faulty starter | Repair starter |
Starter engages but gear does not engage | |
Nicks on the teeth of the drive gear or flywheel rim | Repair nicks or replace flywheel or starter motor |
Starter does not turn off after engine start | |
Key stuck in switch (castle) ignition in position "D" | Repair or replace the mechanical part of the switch (castle) ignition |
Switch contact closure (castle) ignition | Replace switch (lock) ignition |
Faulty starter | Repair starter |
Increased noise level when rotating the starter armature | |
Loose starter mount | Tighten the starter mounting bolts |
Damaged starter drive gear teeth or engine flywheel gear rim | Replace or repair starter, replace engine flywheel |
Faulty starter | Repair starter |
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