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1st Gen. Ram - All TopicsDiscussion for all Dodge Rams prior to 1994. This includes engine, drivetrain and non-drivetrain discussions. Anything prior to 1994 should go in here.
Excellent post! Thank you very much as I'm just about to do this job. I couldn't find over sized contacts so I'll put in the stock size. Great idea to do the brushes while you're in there. I'll try and find some.
Excellent post! Thank you very much as I'm just about to do this job. I couldn't find over sized contacts so I'll put in the stock size. Great idea to do the brushes while you're in there. I'll try and find some.
Thanks again!
David
Here's a link for the uber-contacts. They're about 1/3 of the way down on the page. I just ordered mine a couple days ago. I can't wait to knock the starter off of my truck's to-do list....
I had the HD solenoid plunger and contact kit for a while and it finally needed it. This post was Amazing and just what I needed. I still wonder how the people who design this stuff figure we have magic tools and infinite strength to get at some of the fasteners. But - thanks to this post - the starter is back in and works great - just in time to pick up food donations for America's largest nonprofit Parrot Rescue - FeatheredFriendsForever.Org
The wife hollered at me this morning saying "my truck won't start".
No warning, no CLICK, CLICK, CLICK, ENGAGE, just CLICK and CLICK and CLICK again.
The last time for her starter, three and 1/3 years ago, it gave plenty of warning; this time, it gave none.
I just happened to have a few LARRY-B complete kits on hand, just for such occasions.
He now sells a complete kit; wide contacts, solenoid plunger, brushes, a 10MM wrench, and a pair of purple gloves, all neatly bagged together, so one can do all their shopping at one click of the mouse.
I thought I would relay a few minor bits of wisdom I have gathered from doing these starters.
Number 1. Read and read and re-read BC847's fine pictorial, and then be sure to thank him for providing it for our enjoyment.
As for the three 12-point mounting bolts, if one has a set of those Harbor Freight "wobble" extensions, every bolt can be accessed from up top with a 3/8 ratchet, even that hidden bolt.
The two bolts that can be seen can be accessed with plain old extensions.
In a perfect world, one can be up top, working the wrench, while his wife patiently lies underneath the engine, supporting and catching the starter, once that last bolt is out.
As I don't yet live in a perfect world, I had to finish removing one last bolt from underneath; likewise when it came time to re-install.
Especially on an automatic truck, what with the fluid lines, cables, and such all in the way, there is barely space to start a bolt while trying to keep the starter from falling on one's head.
I recommend one place all three bolts easy at hand, because you will manage to drop at least two of them out of reach, if not all three; in which case, all one can do is ease the starter back down, find the bolts, and start over.
If one can convince his wife, or anybody's wife, to hold the starter from below, it is a simple matter to start the bolts from above.
Use lots and lots of anti-sieze; you or the next man will appreciate it, especially on the contact bolts.
As for the brush-holders, I have found the easiest method, and probably what NipponDenso had in mind, is to poke an ice-pick down in where the spring-thingie folds over the brush, thus the ice-pick keeps the spring-thingie out of the way while the old brush is removed and the new put in place.
Likewise for when it comes time to slide the guts back inside the brushes.
All four new brushes are spring-loaded right in the path of the arbor, bearing, shaft and what-have-you.
It takes seven hands and an ax-handle to keep the brushes out of the way.
Instead, I inserted an ice-pick in each brushes spring-thingie, thus allowing the brushes to back up out of the way, and was able to easily slide things together.
Other than those few details, I followed BC's instructions to the letter.
For what it is worth, here is a list of the various wrenches/tools I used:
Starter wire = 8-MM socket
Battery-cable = 15-MM socket
Starter bolts = 10-MM 12-point socket and extension
My OEM starter failed 120 miles from home so I had to utilize a remanufactured unit; I've kept the core however and now have the kit from "Larry B's" to complete a rebuild. A few quick observations from my installation of the reman unit:
* The above-listed wrench sizes were perfect for removal of the old starter. The new starter had a solenoid wire connection consisting of a spade connector rather than the 8-mm nut and stud (for a ring connector). However, the spade connector came with a hole tapped and threaded with a Phillips-head screw -- which enabled me to use the OEM ring connector.
* The new starter had a battery cable connector nut that was 17-mm rather than 15-mm.
* My 21-year old clear plastic crankcase vent tube was so hardened and inflexible that I had to get under the truck with a hammer and block of wood and drive the thing skyward to get it past the tight space between the oil pan lip and the starter motor. When it came time to reinstall the tube, I cleaned it as much as possible with ScotchBrite and mineral spirits and then immersed the bottom 8 inches in near-boiling water for a couple of minutes. This made the tube nice and pliable and, while it was still warm, I was able to sneak it back between the oil pan lip and the starter with relative ease. Note that Mopar still offers the crankcase vent tube; new part number is 4762 018 and list price is $12.20.
As said by numerous others, thanks so much to BC847 for composing this thread.
* My 21-year old clear plastic crankcase vent tube was so hardened and inflexible that I had to get under the truck with a hammer and block of wood and drive the thing skyward to get it past the tight space between the oil pan lip and the starter motor. When it came time to reinstall the tube, I cleaned it as much as possible with ScotchBrite and mineral spirits and then immersed the bottom 8 inches in near-boiling water for a couple of minutes. This made the tube nice and pliable and, while it was still warm, I was able to sneak it back between the oil pan lip and the starter with relative ease.
I'm sorta in this situation. I ran out of daylight today so I didn't give this job a big try but I tried removing my CCV tube and could not get it off. I'm afraid to pry on it too much for fear of breaking that elbow. Any tips for removing the old CCV tube?
I'm sorta in this situation. I ran out of daylight today so I didn't give this job a big try but I tried removing my CCV tube and could not get it off. I'm afraid to pry on it too much for fear of breaking that elbow. Any tips for removing the old CCV tube?
I would telephone the parts desk at my local Dodge dealer to see if the tube is still available. If so, you can pry without worry. The Mopar part number is 4762 018.
I would telephone the parts desk at my local Dodge dealer to see if the tube is still available. If so, you can pry without worry. The Mopar part number is 4762 018.
Tube is discontinued. I'm going to use a silicone hose rated for 350*F, and with any luck, It won't catch fire or melt.
Pictures of what you might find inside your old, stinky, never before taken apart starter with 209,000 miles on it, and the troubles you might experience as I did, disassembling mine.
The vent tube on mine crudded up broke off, and allowed moisture to get inside the starter. When I tried disassembling the black housing for the starter motor, it wouldn't come apart without some major rubber mallet action. Why ? The dust, which normally would have remained dust with that rubber vent tube still intact, became solidified around the vent hole. It got stuck on the brush assembly, and wouldn't come apart without a major beatdown. You can see in the following photos the vent tube diagram what it was supposed to look like, and what mine actually looked like.
I have to order all the parts, and clean up the mess inside this unit before I go ahead and reassemble. Larry B's sells the solenoid kit on Amazon, or direct with him, but I'll need the seals, grommets, and new rubber vent tube for mine, so I don't have to think about this for another 209,000 miles. Funny part is that Larry B's doesn't sell the replacement gasket with their upgraded brush / solenoid contact kit. For the $1.60 its worth, you would think he would, and charge for it. Well worth the upgraded copper IMO.
Still in pretty good shape You can see where the brush holder was caught by the re-solidified dust, preventing disassembly. Vent tube remnants The inside of the housing was being contaminated by moisture as seen here. The congregation and accumulation of re-solidified dust which prevented easy disassembly
Make sure your vent tube doesn't get broken off as mine did.
I'm planning to go through my starter the first week of the year because the wife is off all week and will be here to call 911 if the truck falls on me or something like a did last time. I'm only planning to replace the contacts in the solenoid and the brushes and clean things up a bit. Sometimes when I try to start it all I get is a click. I hit is again and again until it hits so I think the solenoid contacts are worn out. I have the upgraded set from LarryB and brushes are on the way.
Glad this thread is here so I can get step by step instructions. NJTman can maybe expect a call from me.
Most difficult, and time consuming step was removal of that clear vent tube they have shoved between the starter and block. It has hardened up over 26 years, and did not want to be removed. I pulled the spring clamp down, used a long prybar at the tube top edge, and hammered the prybar until it popped off the tube. I still couldn't remove the tube as it was locked between the starter and block
. I went underneath again and hammered the tube up into the engine bay to finally release the grip held on it and pulled it out from the top. Must have spent nearly an hour, up and down, up and down up and down from step ladder to lying under the truck.truck to get it out. Sucked monkeyballs.
I have cut those hardened, brittle breather hoses off before as they are hard to deal with. A quick slit at the top where it slides over the metal nipple and it is gone.
I then just replace them with [heater hose IIRC?] from Napa. Did that on Poncho last winter when doing the tappet cover re-gasket job, HVLP install and the VE pump re-seal.
11-23-2010, 07:08 PM
