Starter solenoid removal

[Vintageant]

1972 Fiat 124S. How to remove the starter solenoid from the starter motor housing? Undoing the 3 small bolts, my starter solenoid came out easily enough, but leaving the plunger in place. How is this plunger removed from the starter motor housing? The barb at the tip of the plunger suggests it is somehow locked in place. I have not yet tried brute force. Guidance please!

[Vintageant]

Apologies for triple posting! Error!

[18Fiatsandcounting]

There is a pin on the end of the plunger (the part that sticks into the solenoid), and it's hooked into a plastic lever further inside the starter motor. The plunger should free itself with a bit of wiggling, side to side, up and down, back and forth, in and out, that sort of thing.

-Bryan

[Vintageant]

Thanks, will try again and report back.

[Vintageant]

Thanks again! Tried your suggestion, without success. After much pushing, wiggling and pulling, I gripped the plunger firmly with vice-grips and gave it a good clout outwards with a hammer, and out it came!

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Glad it came apart. Yes, I forgot to mention earlier that the metal bar at the end of the plunger is a tight fit into the plastic clip inside the housing. It's pops in and pops out, and brute force is sometimes necessary. I've never broken one of those plastic pieces, so they must be pretty stout.

-Bryan