Solenoid fell out of my starter, after cap/plate screws came undone & no gasket?

[Craigar]

Of course it's a "rebuild" by Duralast done in Mexico. It's the "newer" type Nippon Denso (I guess?) compared to my original one, which I would guess is totally original to the car. It has a rubber/neoprene gasket under it's cap/plate..

 

so I got lucky and found my solenoid piston & spring, cap plate and one screw - and this "newer" design uses smaller screws (with star heads) compared to the Phillips headed ones on the old one -

 

 

I wonder if this new one needs a rubber gasket (or any gasket) and if it's real important, or if I can make one out of cork? I don't have any sheet neoprene or fiber composition on hand right now, but if necessary I'll do it. I'm not in driving in severe weather or mud, etc. Live in L.A.

 

Here's an identical rebuild I went to look at (to see if the single screw I found was the right one cause it didn't go in the hole smooth, probably cause it's half stripped

 

 

 

Thank You

Craig

[DaveT]

Cork will work until it dries out, so use it while you located something rubbery.

 

Match up the screw with metric screws at a parts store .

 

Kind if weird that it fell off.

[GeneralDisorder]

Your best bet is a used OEM starter and a new set of contacts. You can order contact on ebay for quite cheap. These mexico reman units are more miss than hit.

 

GD

[Craigar]

Well got it back together & did it all with the starter STILL INSTALLED IN THE CAR (at was pretty rough getting it in & out when I installed this rebuild, a lot is I don't have a shop/lift,etc.),, ( I finished it back on the 16th, but almost forgot to do a post, thanks)

 

but I think they left the gasket out that's between the plate and the starter's case - and our local re-builder here wanted $15 FOR JUST THIS GASKET from a pretty common Japanese Nippon Denso starter (it was used but looked OK - but I thought he was asking way too much),

 

so I went the local ACE hardware store - and they lent me a leather punch & sold me a neoprene gasket ($2) that I could cut out into what I needed to do the job, and it fit good and is working fine (for now

 

 

Edited March 30, 2017 by Craigar

[DaveT]

Looks good!