My starter has been gettin sluggish for a week or so now and today finally crapped out completely. Already replaced the contacts with a super sized set from Larry B's a few months back so I knew they were good but anyway, pulled the starter apart and it's full of what looks like oily mud and gunk. Can't figure out where it came from.

Only one brush is chewed up some the rest are in good shape. Gonna order new brushes for it in the mornin but would still like to know where this gunk came from. No metal in it to speak of and nothing that is magnetized.

 

I know I have some pretty good fluid leaks goin cause the underside of my motor is covered, is there any way this fluid could be getting inside the starter.

 

does this oily mud gunk look like tan/brown mayonase?

 

Nope pure black. Looks just like the gunk you would pull off a grease fitting on the undercarriage.

 

 

grease+durt+oil=black greasy crap