VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Electrical - 6 volt Delco Remy 714-L starter repair

I`ve started to restore my 714-L starter, and have found most parts.

In the end cover I have a lot of play, see video.
It looks like there is a bushing, but if I look in parts list it`s not listed.
Is there supposed to be a bushing, or should I find a new end cover?

Video Depending of your browser, you might have to download video to watch it.

All of the starter motors I have seen have a bush in both end plates, this centers the armature in relation to the pole shoes. If lubricated correctly they dont wear much but that often doesnt happen. You may have to remove what is left of your bush and obtain or manufacture a replacement.
Tony

Most of the original starters with the cast iron brush end plate with the expansion plug in the end did not come from the factory with a bushing in them that I have rebuilt. They ran metal to metal and required lubrication to prevent wear which didn't happen often as noted by tonyw. I take the expansion plug out, center the end cover in a lathe to match the machined flange ledge on the cover were is locates to the field housing, bore it out for a bushing (an oil lite bushing works the best) then ream the bushing to fit the armature shaft as there my be slight wear on the shaft.

I will clean parts better, but I now think mine ran metal to metal, so will try to find someone who can help inserting an oil lite bushing.

I think the most important thing to note is that lubrication is required. Consider that the camshafts in the early engines ran without bushings in the block and are in motion a lot more than the occasional use of the starter. If the fit of the armature is OK then I see no need for a bushing other than to help eliminate the chance of inadequate maintenance. This thread is a good reminder for me to go and put a drop of oil in my starter.

The best way to ensure a good fit between the bore of the oil lite bush and the shaft,would be to bore the endplate out to suit the bush O.D.,press the bush in(a 0.0005" press fit is enough),and bore the bush out with an extremely sharp high speed steel boring bar.If you ream oil lite bushes with an expanding reamer,the reamer blades burr the porous bronze over and stops the oil from the end plate oiler wick seeping through the bush and lubricating the bush & shaft.