How do I determine if the armature has a dead spot? I have to turn the starter once in awhile to get starter to engage flywheel.

 

How old is the starter/motor?

 

Looks like an 1988, it's on a craftsman 38" mower model 917-254620 Tecumseh #143.386012 starter #33605. I have replaced new brushes. It worked fine I may have overheated the starter at one point, saw some sparks come out of starter at one point. It will work sometimes but seems to land in a dead spot. I'll give the starter a manual spin till it finds a live spot. New battery also.

 

If you had to replace the brushes already then there is a good chance the armature is arced.
Unfortunately you would have to pull the starter apart to see it.

 

Had a broken wire on brushes so I replaced the whole brush assembly last year. Engine starter and work fine. I ran into the engine not starting and in the process may have overheated the starter. Is there a way to determine if I ruined the armature. No burnt smell whining look ok.Communicator is clean and no chips.

 

Sounds like rebuild or replacement time. How long ago did you replace the bushes? Did you check the armature at that time?

 

Replaced brushes last year. Armature was fine. Is there a way to determine if the wiring in the armature has shorted out? Or melted? No burn't smell communicator looks ok no chips etc.

 

Take an ohmmeter and check for continuity from each commutator segment to the shaft of the armature. There should not be continuity on any of them. If there is, it is bad. That is pretty much the only test you can do without a growler.

 

Thank you I will give that a try, thanks again