Starter Rap
Mark SimpsonWhen a classic car won’t start and you only hear a click of the solenoid, try lightly tapping (“rapping”) the starter motor with a small hammer or wrench. If on the other hand no click is heard the cause may be a stuck solenoid, then lightly tap on the solenoid housing. This trick is meant as a temporary diagnostic or emergency fix, not a permanent repair.
Inside a starter motor are brushes and an armature that must make good electrical contact to spin the engine. Over time, wear, dirt, or heat can cause the brushes or internal components to stick or lose contact. A light tap can sometimes jolt the brushes back into contact or free a slightly stuck armature so the motor turns one more time.
The tapping should usually be directed at the starter motor housing, but if you suspect the solenoid is stuck you can tap that as well. The motor is the cylindrical body of the starter, while the solenoid is the smaller cylinder attached to it that pushes the starter gear into the flywheel and switches high current to the motor. If the solenoid clicks but the motor doesn’t spin, tapping the motor housing may help.
Only tap lightly to avoid damage. If this works, it usually means the starter motor or solenoid is worn and needs rebuilding or replacement soon.
You've driven any classic car, any car itself for a long time, you know, back in the day in high school, it wasn't uncommon for somebody to have to be beaten on their starter underneath their car, and nine times out of ten they'd be hammering away on the outside of the housing, have somebody else in the driver's seat, flipping the key, hoping to somehow get that thing one more turnover, one more time. Problem is, it's not necessarily the starter. Rarely is it actually the starter itself that's stuck. Most often it's the solenoid that's stuck, and it's a better move, and you don't have to start walloping on them. You're just trying to create enough shock.
It's a better move to actually tap on the solenoid than the starter if you want that car to start.
Share tips, start a discussion or ask other students a question. If you have a question for an expert, please click here.
Already a member?
No Responses to “Starter Rap”