i need some info and opinions on my situation. my truck gave me my first problem yesterday. its been running great as usual, but yesterday i pulled it into the lift bay at work just to check my tire pressure and when i was done it would not start. i tried everything, its getting good power just not responding. the only thing that works is hitting the end of the starter with my pliers. i have a starter ready to put in from napa, but i heard that the stock starters are beefier than the usual parts store ones. so now for my question. do i just put this napa starter in, or should i take mine up to a local shop and have it rebuilt for half the price. would there be a difference other than convenience and price? thanks people, i hope you're all having a great labor day weekend

seva

 

I think we need a little more info. Is it clicking? Like the solenoid engages the bendix gear and it just doesn't turn? Does it do NOTHING when you hit the key?

What do you mean by "hitting" the "end" of the starter with your pliers? like physically striking it when someone is turning the key or something?

Take a hammer (or anything that will conduct electricity well, and has an insulated handle such as wood or whatever) and reach down to the starter. Connect the smaller terminal on top with the bigger one coming right off the battery. If she fires up than your issue is further up the starting sequence line. Can't be a NSS as you have a 5spd. Maybe your switch is going, or a chaffed wire. My NSS is new and it still doesn't work (push button for now). Might be the switch in the column, a connection, or a wire.

Hopefully the issue is cheaper than the starter.

 

sorry for the lack of info, im knee deep in a case of beer it makes no sound when the key is turned. ive tried directly connecting the starter to the battery, shorting the starter, and a couple of the mechanics at the shop have tried their tricks to no avail. they all work on gassers and "dont know to much about diesels" so i thought id ask you guys. when i turn the key it does nothing at all. i use me pliers (best available hitting device in my truck) to hit the end of the solenoid facing the front of the truck. it usually takes one or two good hits and then it starts. one of the guys here (a power joker) says they usually dont just stop working like mine did, and maybe the connections are bad. i also forgot to mention that my starter is COVERED in oil. i have a few bad leaks.

 

If you have the time, get the original fixed. Usually the problem is just contacts and you can do that yourself very easily. Check the sticky for details.

 

the sticky is amazing. thanks.

 

You got'er then?

 

not fixed yet, all the parts houses are closed today but the sticky is very informative. did i miss part #'s for the connections and brushes? i might have read through a little to fast and missed them.

 

On these particular trucks, you can pretty much trouble-shoot the starter system right beside the battery with your Sunday clothes on and not even get your hands dirty.

Attached alongside the big cable is a smaller wire; the big cable is starter-power; the smaller wire is the starter switch-wire.

At the battery end of the smaller wire is a two-wire plug/connector that has a pink and a brown wire.

Un-plug this connector and (make sure the truck is not in gear) "jumper" across the two wires that are on the "live" side of the connector.

If the starter engages, then your problem is not the starter.


It is a simple matter to follow the instructions in the "sticky" and re-work the starter contacts and brushes yourself.

Lacking a proper set of contacts, and needing the truck right now, a good internal cleaning and polishing of the solenoid contact-washer will buy you a few weeks.

In a pinch, a working set of contacts can be made by flattening a length of 1/2" copper tubing and bending/cutting to shape, using the old contacts as patterns.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by BearKiller

In a pinch, a working set of contacts can be made by flattening a length of 1/2" copper tubing and bending/cutting to shape, using the old contacts as patterns.

Sounds like you have been down this road also. May not be preaty but will work for a while til the right parts can be delivered. Well to tell you the truth mine is still working and the contacts are sitting in my tool box waiting for my homebrew contacts to go bad, knock knock on wood. You know my truck wont start in the morning now.
Justin

 

Having to hit it to make it work usually means brushes are shot.
If you jumper the small terminal to ground it's the wiring, switches, or relay.
If you jumper the big terminals, it's the contacts.

 

Mine did the same thing. Had the starter rebuilt,starts better than ever...

 

when you have the starter rebuilt, do they just preform the steps mentioned above? if so ill do that my self. but if they do some other magic, i might think of having it professionally done.

 

When mine was rebuilt in April they replaced 2 ground brushes,1 hot brush,1 plunger,2 contacts. It was $128 bucks. It may be pricey,but i wanted to keep my stock starter..

 

that is still cheaper than buying a "new" rebuilt one. and that is essentially what you got for that money. and the stock starter, from what i hear, is way beefier than say a napa starter. my question now is can i get my hands on all of those components to do all that myself? if so where and how much? thanks for all the help guys

 

In the sticky!