Starter Issues

[Derek Pulvino]

Well gang, this is my final installment on this saga.  If you'll recall, at 
last report I'd had starter problems, so wound up replacing about 6-inches 
of solenoid wiring with decayed insulation and some corrosion.  This changed 
nothing.  After going out of town for a couple of days, I returned to find 
my starting issues had become intermitent, with the car not starting about 
20% of the time.  I was then informed of the "hammer test;" aka, get a 
hammer and hit it with a starter...preferably the one in your car that's not 
working. If it starts after the beating, you've got a problem in the 
starter.

Well, after successfully doing the "hammer test" several times, I bit the 
bullet and got a new starter from sjm.  Installed it last Tuesday and to 
date I've not had a problem with the starter.  Also noticed just how loud my 
old starter was when the new one was cranked for the first time.

So there it is; if the starter goes intermitent remember the "hammer test."  
Maybe the person who needs a new fender can try the hammer test on the old 
fender, although I'm not sure what such a test may prove.

derek p