Are starters serviceable in TL 3G?

Mine is making a lingering whining noise after starting the engine. Was advised it was probably because of slow retraction of the gears, and that the remedy should be removing the starter, clearing all the gunk and re-lubing. Did all of that, but the noise is still there.

Today removed the starter again, opened it up as much as I could. Brushes are not fully worn, there is some graphite around motor magnets, but nothing obvious that would explain the noise.

The only remaining part is the gear block, but I can't figure out how to open it up. Hence the question: are these starters serviceable at all? Anybody knows how to get to the gears inside?

 

That's what I found in the manual, one if for MT, one for AT

 

Wow, that's awesome! Looks like I'm stuck at removing the armature housing, there seems to be nothing holding it, and yet it wouldn't budge.

 

Yeah, that armature housing sat in the aluminum body very-very tight. Even though there were no additional screws or bolts holding it, it still felt like it's one with the rest of the starter. Partly because of rust.

I ended up putting the long bolts back in (they go into the body), then hold starter by the armature housing with hands and hammer on the bolts lightly and alternatingly until the body got slowly pushed off the housing.

The rest of disassembly was easy. And after cleaning and relubing, hooray, no more whining!