Starter issue: Your chance to tell me what I did wrong (line up single file.)

[Guest]

I rebuilt the starter about 3 weeks ago. When I first pulled the starter two of the brushes were completely gone, the other two were just nubs.

I installed four new brushes, new seals and new roller bearing. Today, 3 weeks later...bike refused to start. Had to bump start it to get home. Pulled the starter and found...
1) two brushes completely gone
2) the two remaining were about 1/5th the size they were when I put them in 3 weeks ago.

The starter has not acted happy since I did the rebuild. Would sometimes take several attempts to fire it up. I knew I was going to have to open it up again, but in the 3 intervening weeks I had a charging issue and a carb issue. Put a R/R in the bike, rewired the connection to the stator (thanks, oldskool) and figured out that I had a float needle sticking.

Bike was running great, thought I would ride a few days before pulling the starter---and it ate itself.

What did I do wrong with the first rebuild? Any theories?

[Steve]

Did you smooth out the armature?

If you left it rough, it would eat the new brushes, for sure.

.

[razor02097]

Where did you get the brushes?

[oldrookie]

I didn't get the commutator as smooth as I should have.

Ordered the rebuild kit from DBELectrical. Best price, great service.

[Big Rich]

Just signing up Rook. Carry on.

[JayWB]

The copper segments the brushes ride on are possibly worn down from the worn-out brushes. The stuff that separates the copper segments is therefore too high. The fix is to put the armature on a device called a "growler" that shaves the separators to be lower than the copper segments as required.

Find a place that rebuilds electric motors. They'll do it, and it's not particularly expensive. They'll also take care of the segments being worn rough.

[oldrookie]

I'll check into it, JayWB.

[1_v8_merc]

Did you change out the starter fluid?

[GateKeeper]

Did you change out the starter fluid?

starter fluid ???

I don't understand the question

[razor02097]

Did you change out the starter fluid?

Is that the stuff you replace in addition to the carburetor belt and the blinker fluid?