Floor Start Solenoid

[cheleker]

A January 1960 built U.S. import Austin 850 has been dumped on me with instructions to get it running. It's a shame, but about the only things left of the original car are the body shell, the deteriorating wiring harness and the push button floor starter solenoid.

The solenoid needs to be replaced and I'm puzzled how to remove the old one. It appears that the (plastic?) push button needs to be removed, but it just spins on the shaft to which it is attached.

I'm sure there is an easy answer...

Ideas?

[rich@minispares.com]

the button just unscrews, then there is a nut that holds the whole thing in

you can see the two threads in this picture.

http://www.minispares.com/product/Class ... .aspx|Back to search

the problem is that the plastic thread in the button is weak and it might just be turning on the shaft, ive had to pull them off with pliers in the past

[cheleker]

It appears that the button is not turning on the shaft, but is turning with the shaft. I was hoping to be able to remove the early style button without damaging it so it could be reused in place of the later style, metal button that came with the solenoid I have, but with the "cup" in the way there is no access to the button's shaft to hold it while the button is unscrewed.

[rich@minispares.com]

if the solenoid is scrap, why don't you unpick if from the underneath, you would then be able to grip the 'pusher bar' with a set of grips or something and undo the valuable button.

[cheleker]

Rich. Sounds like a possible solution. I'll see how I get on when I get back to the solenoid replacement. Thanks.

[cheleker]

Received another vote that the cap was just press fitted, and it looked like trying to dismantle from underneath would be a chore. So, I took a chance at prying the cap off and did just what one would think with old plastic: cracked it in several places. But none of the cracks are on the top surface. Once glued back together it would take very close scrutiny for any one to notice. It was interesting to note that the shaft onto which the cap fitted was threaded, just like the later one I installed; however, the plastic cap had no evidence of having been threaded.

Once the cap was removed, taking the rest of the solenoid out was not difficult.