These are so simple to work on.....two long screws hold the whole thing together. If you decide to take it apart just take a permanent marker and draw a line down the case from one end to the other on just one side.... makes reassembly easier. It's not rocket science....bet you can do this, but it's always up to you. The black case holds the permanent magnet, the two end caps are just the bearings that support the shaft and the end cap with the electrical connections house the brushes (carbon blocks, actually) as well. If you decide to do this let us know....I looked online and found a starter shop in Birmingham. I have not yet taken it to them; partly because it still starts the engine and partly because I would imagine them fixing the issue would probably cost as much as just buying one off Amazon......that is, the Chinese made ones....ughh.