anyone know about how much a starter is goin to cost me, or how to test if it is even the starter, or maybe just a solenoid?? truck just makes a click.click.clicking nosie when the key is turned, i have a brand new battery so thats not it. also how difficult is replacing a starter in my truck, can me and my other buddy do it in my driveway?

 

Just give her a couple hits with a hammer .

 

Rebuild it as found in The Sticky.

 

Click, click, clicking... Sounds like your solenoid is trying to work at least. Could be a bad cable. Don't know the cost of a starter, but replacement is pretty easy I think. Everything's easy to get to.

A voltage drop test will tell you where the culprit lies. You'll need a volt meter. You perform the test under load, so while it's click click clicking.

First, check the voltage drop between the battery terminals. Attach the leads to the terminals on the battery, turn the key, and see what the meter reads. Record this.

Now check the voltage drop on the positive cable. Attach on lead to the positive battery terminal and the other lead to the positive cable at the starter. Turn the key and see what the meter reads. Records this. It should be a low number.

Now check the drop across the starter. Attach one lead to the positive post on the starter. Attach the other lead to a good ground, not the negative terminal of the battery. Turn the key and see what the meter reads. Record this number. It should be a high number.

Now check the drop on the negative (ground) cable. Attach a lead to a good ground and the other lead to the negative post of the battery. Turn the key and see what the meter reads. Record this. It should be a low number.

The totals of the various voltage drops should equal the total voltage drop you recorded across the battery in the first test.

I'm not sure how to isolate the solenoid to the check the voltage drop across it, but this method works well for isolating where your problem lies. It can rule at bad cable or grounds. And remember to perform this test under load (while you're trying to crank the engine).

 

Real easy to pull. Ive done it 3 times. Rebuild it.

 

I just had my starter fail in July, it was working fine and then I went through a drive through and when I went to restart it started to chatter a bit and then started to crank slowly so I hit the assist button and it finally did start but did not sound healthy so I went home and checked all of the connections.

I checked the lead to the solenoid and it was drawing about 25 amperes so I waited for it to cool down a bit and went it to call the rebuilder I use.

I looked through my paperwork and found it was 3 years old so I will have to pay this one out of my pocket.

I don’t really have the time to mess around with the starter so it is easier for me to pay and have it repaired.

Also to me a starter is like the brakes and it a part I expect to work every time since I use it probably 10–15 times a day.

I frequently work at night and I need the truck to start at 4:00 A.M., that is why I have all of the redundant systems onboard.

Anyway I talked to the guys at Pro Auto Truck Electric a shop that rebuilds starters and alternators for heavy trucks and ask him how much and how long? He said to bring it in and go and have a long lunch.

He had it repaired for me in about 2 hours and he charged me $110.00 with a 1-year warranty.



I asked him to save me all of the parts, Looks like I toasted the solenoid, which would explain the high amp, draw but I am still trying to figure out why it happened.

He said it is common on the Cummins starters when they are used a lot.

Even if I only started it 6 times a day in 1 year I would have called on it 2190 times to create a massive amount of instant torque so I guess a starter could be a consumable part.

Although my engine starts on the 1st revolution I still must use it a lot.



Even if the solenoid had not failed, the brushes would have caused a no-start problem in the near future so it is a good thing it happened when it did.



The contacts are also worn from the high current attacks.



All ready to go for the next couple of years. With the price of fuel it is going to get a lot more use now that I do not let it idle as much as I did before.

Quote:
Just give her a couple hits with a hammer

This is SOP, please don’t see the little smack marks on the top of the solenoid housing.



I would like to find an adapter to install 2 starters on the engine so I will always have a backup.

Or make my neighbors happy and install an Ingersol Rand Air Starter.
Jim

 

I think they'd like a Coffman starter better.

A more practical solution would be to toss a spare one in the bed - or convert the truck to a stick shift and always park on a hill.

 

Is there a Cummins part number for the complete starter in our 1st gen truck? or Is the starter in our 1st gens strictly a Chrysler thing? The Dodge shop wants $759 +$160 core. My starter is acting up too. I am having to pop it with a hammer to persuade it to work. Also what size are the starter mounting bolts? 11 mm?... 7/16"?...12 point or splined heads? Mine look like 12 points. Mr. Snapon stops at the shop Monday, he should have what I need remove the starter.

Nick.

 

A Cofman starter would really wake up the neighbors, they would think they were back in South Central L.A.

As it is now I have the girls at the drive up windows holding their ears when I go for the switch.

I have worked on some Gensets that have 2 starters on the bell housing; they were on a 6 cylinder White engine.

I also have seen generators with a hydraulic starter like a heilocopter with an emergency hand pump to charge the accumulator.

 

I just got a new starter for my 93, on ebay and it works like a champ, and with shiping, was right at 100.00 dollars. I kind of wonder how they sell them that cheap, it's the same starter we sold at the shop I worked for, and that is what our cost was.

 

Starter part number cross reference information for Dodge Cummins engines:

1988-1993
Cummins 3912084
Denso 128000-4910
Lester 17215

1994-2002
Cummins 3921682
Denso 228000-2290
Lester 17548

2003-2006
Cummins 4090084
Denso 428000-1190
Lester 17892

These part numbers are from a supplier of alternator & starter parts.

Lester is generally the standard interchange reference number between various manufacturers. Cummins part numbers are generally the most expensive and are subject to frequent change. Denso is the OEM in most cases.

 

10 mm 12 point. No need to resort to Snap-On, any Sears will have 12 point sockets.

 

Yeah, but Mr. Snapon has "easy weekly payments". Lol!

Nick

 

Just a common 10mm combination wrench works great, and many people already have one in their toolbox.