EDIT link 850 starter motor was dragging—bushings?

[JimBee]

Bosch starter motors tend to be very robust. I've got lucky at the upull a few times and haven't had to buy a new one, but recently had to replace the one on my 850 base. I've owned that car since 2011 and it was heavily used when I bought it. Odometer hasn't worked since I've owned it so I have no idea how many actual miles are on it, but the starter I took out looks like it must be the original, really decrepit looking.

But looks can deceive. Why was it dragging? A close look at the bushing in the nose cone suggests one good reason: the end of the main shaft is off-center. The bushing is badly worn, so I suppose the armature was contacting the field. I have to wonder how the bushings (there's one at each end of the main shaft, as you can see in the illustration at the link below) lasted as long as they have. Being a high quality part, those bushings are probably lube impregnated to help them last longer, but it's still a part that's going to fail, possibly before any of the electrical parts of the starter.

Had I known that before I probably would have replaced those bushings. Now, Ive read that this is an acknowledged problem in industries that use bushings, so there might be a better replacement than the bronze variety that's been used since the days beyond the grease cup.

I'm going to look into this new technology and I'll disassemble the decrepit looking starter and have the field and armature tested just to see if maybe new bushings might revive it. Ya never know!

https://www.volvocarsoempartsdirect.com ... 1pUjj28_NI

Link containing info re newer alternative to bronze bushings:
https://www.tstar.com/blog/self-lubrica ... l-bearings