The starter in my 72 220D went bad last year around this time. It would sporadically not spin the engine resulting in a no crank no start. I pulled it and had it rebuilt by a local starter / generator shop.

Now a year later, I pulled the gorilla knob out and the starter did not spin. I did hear an audible click and I could feel it - leading me to believe the stater gear was being pushed out into the flywheel.

I took my lug wrench and banged on the starter and solenoid a few times. Hopped in the car and it started right up!

could this newly rebuilt starter have a bad spot? should I pull it and install another unit?

First, anything can happen.

First next, I would check all the big grounds, battery connections, and those wires on the starter relay.

IF they look funky clean them up and tighten. Tighten the rest.

I agree with INSIDIOUS. Even a brand new Starter can have issues and a 1 year old Starter does not equal recently rebuilt. Check and eliminate the basic stuff as a source of the problem.

Do you have a warranty from the rebuilder?

When they rebuilt the Starter what new parts did they replace.

If they did not replace the Starter Solenoid or did not use a genuine Bosch Solenoid that could be the issue because the Solenoid has to go back fare enough to make contact and or the motor won't spin.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Rebuilt alternator from the 'know how' place died on me after 2 months this summer on my son's 2008 E320.

The replacement had a bad LIN bus chip (modern day voltage regulator) so it too was bad, right out of the box.

Went to Mercedes and got a genuine remanufactured, not a rebuilt, part. About double the price but well worth it.

Especially considering how much of a pain it is to change an alternator on an OM642 engine and how much stuff has to come off to get to it. Although I got pretty good at it after the third time.

Some of these rebuilders literally clean it up, throw it on a test bench, and if it spins it's good to go out again.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

The solenoid was the reason my starter wouldn't work, nothing but click. Took it apart and cleaned the magnetic plunger, lightly lubed, and it's good to go.

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1985 300TD 1981 Scirocco 1.6D conv 1986 Golf 1.6D 2003 Golf TDI

There are contacts in the gorilla actuated switch which can corrode just like in a solinoid. I'd suggest pulling that apart and checking them. They probably can be cleaned or flilpped over.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Since you can hear the solenoid closing, the switch is fine. It could be the solenoid, it could be a bad commutator, or a bad brush. So yes, a starter can go bad after a year. When a core is 30 or 40 years old, it may have multiple problems, some of which can escape attention in a rebuild.