Chapter 30, Engine Starting Systems

The ________ uses battery power and an electric motor to turn the engine crankshaft.

12-volt starting system

The magnetic field developed between the pole shoes can be ________ times larger than that of a permanent magnet.

5-10

Technician A says a movable pole shoe starter uses a drive yoke to move the pinion gear. Technician B says a movable pole shoe starter has a plunger that moves a shift lever to engage the pinion gear. Who is right?

A only.

Describe a commutator.

A sliding electrical connection between the armature winding and the brushes. It is divided into segments, which are insulated from each other.

The starter pinion gear is the small gear on the _________ that engages the large gear on the ____________.

Armature Shaft, Engine Flywheel

A starter armature consists of four components. Name them.

Armature shaft, Armature core, Commutator, and Armature windings.

Describe an ECM-controlled starting circuit.

Automatically energizes and de-energizes the 12-volt starting motor as soon as engine sensors detect fuel combustion and the resulting rapid increase in crankshaft rpms (speed sensor signal).

Technician A says some late-model starting systems are programmed to open the circuit between the ignition switch and the starter solenoid when the engine is running. Technician B says this prevents the driver from accidentally engaging the starting motor and grinding its pinion gear into the flywheel gear when the flywheel gear is spinning at high-speeds. Who is right?

Both A and B

In most late-model cars, the __________ is wired into the same control circuit as the neutral safety switch.

Brake Light Switch

What are the three main sections of the starting motor?

Center Frame, Drive end frame, and Brush end frame.

An engine starting system must crank or spin the engine until fuel _______ forces the pistons down and the engine begins to operate on its own power.

Combustion

The motor-generator armature can be attached directly to the engine ________ or through the _________.

Crankshaft, Transmission or Transaxle.

Briefly describe what occurs in the starting system when the ignition is turned to the start position.

Current flows through the ECM and starter relay. This closes the relay and solenoid contacts, connecting the positive battery cable directly to the starting motor windings. The starter pinion gear is pushed into and mashes with the flywheel ring gear. The motor-driven pinion gear turns the flywheel and crankshaft until the engine starts, or fires, and runs on its own power.

A(n) ________ is a stationary insulated wire wrapped in a circular shape around iron pole shoes located inside the starter motor housing.

Field Winding

The 12-volt starter pinion gear drives a(n) _________ gear.

Idler

Why is an overrunning clutch needed?

It locks the pinion gear in one direction and releases it in the other. This allows the pinion gear to turn the flywheel ring gear for starting. It also lets the pinion gear freewheel when the engine begins to run.

Summarize the operation of the movable pole shoe starter.

It uses a drive yoke to move the pinion gear into contact with the flywheel gear. When the starter is activated, the magnetic field of the motor pulls the movable pole shoe downward. Then, lever action of the drive yoke pushes the pinion gear outward on its shaft. It causes the pinion gear engagement as the armature begins to spin. When the motor is turned off, a spring moves the pinion gear and pole shoe into the released position.

Summarize starter solenoid operation.

It's a high-current relay. It has an electrical connection between the battery and the starting motor. It can handle much higher current levels. The starter solenoid can be located on the starting motor or away from it. The solenoid simply makes and breaks electrical connections. When the key is in the on position, a small amount of current flows through the solenoid windings.

What is the drive end frame?

It's the housing around the starting motor pinion gear.

A(n) ___________ is made up of invisible magnetic lines of force.

Magnetic Field

Name two components of a late-model hybrid starting system.

Motor-generator and HV power cables

What prevents the engine from cranking unless the shift selector is in neutral or park?

Neutral Safety Switch

Where is the neutral safety switch mounted on cars with automatic transmissions?

On the shift lever or On the transmission.

The starter solenoid is located ___________.

On the starter motor and On a body panel away from the starter.

Starting motors that use field magnets are referred to as _____________.

Permanent-magnet starters

What components are included in the pinion drive assembly?

Pinion gear, Overrunning clutch, and housing.

List the seven parts of a starter solenoid.

Plunger, Ignition Switch Terminal, Battery Terminal, Plunger Contact Disc, Starter Terminal, Ignition Bypass, and Solenoid Windings.

What is another name for the pole pieces?

Pole Shoes

A(n) _________ is sometimes used to further increase the rotating force applied to the engine flywheel.

Reduction Starter

All of the following are used to increase starter motor power and smoothness, except:

Removing the pole shoes.

Like charges __________ each other and unlike charges ____________ each other.

Repel, Attract

A starter-actuated solenoid is mounted on the ________ of the starter field frame.

Side

A __________ uses a small current flow from the start switch or ECM to control a slightly higher current flow to the starter solenoid.

Starter Relay

The neutral safety switch is wired into the circuit going into the ____________.

Starter solenoid

Name two reasons for starting the combustion engine in a hybrid.

To recharge the HV battery and High-speed operation.

True or False? The internal combustion engine in a hybrid runs only when it is needed.

True

Explain how engine starting systems in today's hybrids save gasoline.

Uses ECM-controlled starting circuits that can shut the engine off when it is not needed.

Summarize starter relay operation.

When the ignition is on, current flows into the relay. The relay contact closes. The contacts complete the circuit to the solenoid windings and the starting system operates. When the key is off, the relay opens. It stops the solenoid current to disengage the starting motor.