repairing starter motor

[will]

This is a questions for Clemantine really.

I'm trying to follow your tech tip on repairing the starter motor, but as I said a few months ago I can't take apart the solonoid. As the two photos attached show, I've undone the only two nuts I can see on the soloniod and when I try and pull it open I come against the solonoid spring. I can't pull it open any more than that. Is there a trick to unlocking the spring. The starter motor is a ducellier type from a 79TL maybe it's different from the starter motors you've worked with.

Thanks for any help you can give. I definately need to fix this as the starter hardly ever works now.

Will

 

[malcolm]

On mine the solenoid slid out of it's housing rather than putting a strain on the spring:

It might be a different type as I think my spring arrangement is different. Mine could have been a Paris-Rhone, though it's hidden away inside a car 150 miles away at the moment so tricky to check. I'd look for some way to release the solonoid from the housing. Otherwise if you withdraw the two bolts then twisting the solenoid housing might help.

Nothing to loose - the alternative sounds like a new starter motor if it won't release.