Motor Starter Wick
Felt wick in a starter motor acts as an oil reservoir. It uses capillary
action to steadily feed lubricant to the rotating armature shaft, needle
bearings, or the solenoid plunger, ensuring they stay frictionless and
operate without wearing out prematurely. Felt wick absorbs and retains
lubricant for the starter's bushings and armature shaft. If the felt
wick is clogged or missing, it can cause the bushing to run dry,
resulting in squealing, premature wear, or complete starter failure.
How to deal with Felt Wick during a starter motor rebuild, replacement,
or maintenance :
● Re-securing: If the wick has simply shifted out of place, ensure it is
properly tucked back into its bushing reservoir so it makes continuous
contact with the armature shaft.
● Don't Squeeze It: The wick should fit snugly into its oil port or
housing, but never squeeze or pack it tight like a sponge. It needs to
remain slightly loose so the fibers can draw and transfer oil freely.
● Lubricating: Dry wicks must be saturated with a few drops of
lightweight machine oil or motor oil (e.g., 10W or 20W non-detergent oil
or specialized starter/generator oil) before reassembly. Do not
over-saturate, as excess oil can fling onto the brushes and ruin the
motor. Avoid heavy greases, as they can clog the wick's capillary
action.
● Watch Your Tools: If you are servicing the rear plate or bushing, be
very careful not to push the felt wick out of place or lose it, as
sometimes they are difficult to fish back into original position.
● Replacement: If the felt has degraded / torn, severely glazed or gone
missing, you can easily contact us we will send you a perfect fit
matching the exact dimensions of the housing.
Location of felt wick in Motor starter
The primary advantages of using a felt wick include:
● Consistent Lubrication: The dense wool fibers network acts like
capillaries, wicking and drawing lubricant to the exact friction
points without requiring any moving parts.
● Self-Contained Oil Reservoir: It retains many times its own weight of
oil, ensuring the starter motor bushings remain lubricated for long periods over
thousands of crank cycles.
● Sealing & Contaminant Shielding: The dense felt wick structure acts as
an excellent barrier, preventing abrasive carbon dust, dirt, and
any debris from entering the bearing surface.
● Vibration Absorption: Felt oil wick acts as a vibration absorber, absorbing minor
mechanical vibrations and reducing operational noise from the
starter.
● Low Maintenance: Because it releases out oil lubricant slowly based on
operational needs, it greatly extends the servicing requirement of the
starter motor.
felt wick in Motor starter
