I noticed my starter was making a grinding noise today like it was staying engaged too long. When I went to look at it I noticed that the starter was leaking this green stuff. Its not antifreeze. The starter is brand new and the first time it was used is today. Has anyone seen this before or know what this stuff is?

 

That looks weird... it may be the lube they used rebuilding it reacted in a bad way with the copper wires inside or something... either that or it got contaminated inside somehow... really strange in any case... I'd go back to the shop and get them to look at it if I were you...

 

I think it's just some sort of water resistant grease but I'd ask the shop just to be sure. Many moons ago I used a green grease on the bearings and crank on my "take 5 bikes and make 1" BMX style bike. But it was not quite that green.

 

Did you try the taste test? J/kJ/k
It looks like some waterproof bearing lube, but it also looks like your starter isnt sealed well..

 

Check your starter fluid to be sure. So many people neglect to top up the starter fluid. Its usually sold in a can like this:


We use grease like that on fishing reels- its waterproof grease most likely.

 

iv never seen anything like that before



and matt LOL, although might wanna be carefully someone might actually be stupid enough to spray starting fluid in there starter (starting fluid electrical contacts would be an bad mix)

 

Thanks for the help everyone, I'm taking the starter back and I'm going to switch it out for one that doesnt leak this green stuff. I checked the starter fluid and its full I even checked the turn signal fluid and the muffler bearing even the kanuter valve all are in working order, HaHa

 

If you still have your old starter you can fix it and keep the good denso electronics and not the POS rebuilt ones from autozone.

But alas we forget about core charges

 

Ya the original starter is long gone. The guy at the parts store exchanged the starter for me and I just got done putting it in. Starts no problems or grinding and its not leaking.

 

The noise is probably caused by bendix drive mechanism, though that's a pretty uncommon fault on Denso (OEM) starters. I'd take it apart and see if anything looks broken. Or buy a new one, if you don't have time. They're not too tough to take apart. I'd replace the contacts while you're at it.

The green stuff is just grease, why its oozing out, I'm not sure. Again, I'd take it apart.

Bendix


http://www.indiacar.com/infobank/battery1_od.htm