Why stop wear doesn’t wear out your starter motor

Your start stop starter doesn’t wear out faster because it isn’t a traditional starter

Start stop saves gas by shutting down the engine when you’re at a stop. The engine starts again as soon as you release your foot form the brake pedal. Most drivers think this wears out the starter and causes extra engine wear. It doesn’t because a start stop starter is completely different that a starter in a non-start stop engine. It’s built to handle the extra starting cycles.

Here’s why a start stop starter motor doesn’t wear out from all the extra starts

The starter motors in these engines are designed to handle over 500,000 start cycles, as opposed to a traditional starter that’s designed to operate for 50,000 cycles. In addition, “hot” restarts are much easier on engine and the starter, so even though it counts as a cycle, it’s really not a full load cycle.

Start stop starter motors have a different gear ratio

Start starters employ a larger starter drive gear and a lower gear reduction system. That allows the starter to turn slower, reducing wear on the brushes and bearings. Also, the armature and bushes are upgraded to improve the longevity of the starter. A higher torque motor and a different gear ration is used to reduce starter RPM during cranking. This is important since 90% of starter motor brush wear occurs as the starter motor has stopped cranking and is coasting down to a full stop. By slowing the rotation speed during cranking, the manufacturers also reduce the coast down time.

Start stop starter motor brushes are different as well

A start stop starter motor uses a different combination of carbon and copper brushes to increase longevity and reduce commutator wear.

And so are the starter motor bearings

gear reduction start stop starter

Traditional starter motors rely on oil-impregnated bushings and those would wear out quickly in this application. So the motors used for start stop are equipped with high quality needle bearings.

Start stop starters are faster acting

Some starters are equipped with a ‘tandem solenoid’ designed to engage more smoothly in scenarios where the engine is about to stop and then the driver accelerates again. That would occur if the driver has decided to stop, but for whatever reason has a change of mind, such as when the traffic moves off unexpectedly. The tandem solenoids are there to synchronize the starter’s speed with the engine before the second smoothly engages the gear.

Does start stop wear out the starter motor?

No. The starter motors in these engines are not at all like traditional

starters. These are specifically designed to handle over 500,000 start cycles, as opposed to a traditional starter that’s designed to operate for 50,000 cycles. In addition, “hot” restarts are much easier on the starter, so even though it counts as a cycle, it’s really not a full load cycle.

Start stop starter motor gear ratio

Start starters employ a larger starter drive gear and a lower gear reduction system. That allows the starter to turn slower, reducing wear on the brushes and bearings. Also, the armature and bushes are upgraded to improve the longevity of the starter. A higher torque motor and a different gear ration is used to reduce starter RPM during cranking. This is important since 90% of starter motor brush wear occurs as the starter motor has stopped cranking and is coasting down to a full stop. By slowing the rotation speed during cranking, the manufacturers also reduce the coast down time.

Start stop starter motor brushes are different as well

A start stop starter motor uses a different combination of carbon and copper brushes to increase longevity and reduce commutator wear.

And so are the starter motor bearings

Traditional starter motors rely on oil-impregnated bushings and those would wear out quickly in this application. So the motors used for start stop are equipped with high quality needle bearings.

Start stop starters are faster acting

Some starters are equipped with a ‘tandem solenoid’ designed to cope more smoothly with scenarios where the engine is about to stop and then the driver accelerates again. That would occur if the driver has decided to stop, but for whatever reason has a change of mind, such as when the traffic moves off unexpectedly. The tandem solenoids are there to synchronise the starter’s speed with the engine before the second smoothly engages the gear.

How does start stop work?

The vehicle computer detects when the car is stationary or out of gear. Before it shuts off the engine, it checks the battery charge level to make sure it has enough power to restart the engine. If the battery is low, it will not shut down the engine. Then it stops fuel delivery and spark. The process happens automatically, but drivers can choose whether the system is active or disabled by pushing their car’s stop-start button; a capital A with an arrow circling clockwise.

Start Stop effects on engine life

Car makers have gone to great lengths to avoid accelerated engine wear in start stop engines.

The biggest issue car makers face is how to maintain start up lubrication during the many start stop operations. In a traditional engine, the crankshaft and camshafts are separated from their bearings by hydrodynamic lubrication (pressurized oil centering the shaft between the smooth bearings) and boundary lubrication (the oil film that remains when oil pressure is gone).

In a start stop engine, the crankshaft and camshafts would normally fall onto the bottom bearing surface when the engine shuts off. If boundary lubrication isn’t adequate, the shafts will wear out the bearings.

To prevent that, start stop engines use a different bearing material that is self lubricating to resist start up wear. In fact, Federal Mogul has developed a new bearing coating material called Irox for start stop applications. The bearing has a polymer coating that contains iron oxide (rust) particles which are actually surprisingly slippery. The new coating is so slippery that the coefficient of friction of an Irox bearing is 50% lower than a conventional aluminum bearing, ensuring it will last the life of an engine equipped with stop-start.

Low friction oils help prolong engine life

The newer synthetic oils have boosted additive packages that reduce oxidation and friction and have increase anti-wear properties.

Start/stop facts

• Corroded battery terminals or poor battery termination installation can deactivate the start/stop system
• The HVAC system is connected to the start/stop system. The start/stop system will not work until the engine is warmed up and the passenger cabin is warmed up. That’s to avoid passenger discomfort.
• The start/stop system will not shut off the engine if the vehicle’s AC is set to the HIGH setting.
• If the engine is stopped, the system compares the cabin and air duct temperatures. If it concludes that the cabin temperature will rise too much with the engine off, it will keep the engine running.
•The AC evaporator coils in start/stop vehicles is different than conventional vehicles. the fin and tube designs are different and the evaporator core is insulated more fully to stay cold longer. Unfortunately, the insulation makes them more difficult to replace.

©, 2020 Rick Muscoplat