My starter was going south, just engaging the solenoid, so I went a head and took it apart. Just a few tips that I learned...

 

My first attempt was to use my dremel to clean the motor contacts, as the arc pitting was pretty bad. Worked fine as far as cleaning, but hard to keep the bevel angle they have on the contacts and the disc. I took just a hair more off of one contact, and the starter didn't work. I ended up shimmimg up one of contacts.

 

Tip one: For the contacts, take them completely out to clean them up. Just make sure you get the insulators back in properly.

 

Tip two: For the disc, I put the shaft into my drill press, then cleaned it up with sandpaper as it was spinning. This makes for a nice even job.

 

Once the contacts are back in, I checked the contacts out to make sure they'd work before putting the rest of the starter back together. I used an old headlamp bulb and some jumper cables.

Good info,

 

I'll sticky and archive when activity on the thread stops.

Good work! But you might as well know that you can get new contacts for almost nothing at a starter repair shop. A disk + plunger costs 20$ Can.

I bought all of that before realizing that it was the clutch pedal switch that was faulty.

So it's there waiting for later on...

Too bad I can't get to a starter repair place over here... That's why I had no choice. Hopefully others can benefit from my initial errors, if they are in the same boat.

So are you saying that it is easier to rebuild a Subaru starter yourself than to buy one that's been professionally rebuilt? The thing is, when your starter is down you usually need to get it rectified ASAP if it is your primary vehicle..:x

From what I've read here and elswhere, the first thing that usually go on a Subaru starter is the solenoid contacts. That's what TinyClark and I are talking about.

You know it's that when you turn the key and it only goes "click". When it does nothing, it is usually the clutch pedal switch or, more rarely, the starter relay.

According to the guy who sold me the contacts and the plunger, the brushes almost never have to be replaced : this motor is not spinning very often...

The only other thing, I think, that can go bad, is the pinion (the part engaging the flywheel). I would presume that this is also an easy replace. When this part goes, either the starter spins freely and the engine does'nt turn or it makes an horrendous grinding sound.

Maybe someone with more experience will correct and/or complete.