Tejas TJ

I went out tonight to start my truck to run to the store and the "wait to start" light stayed for just a couple seconds and so I turned the key and just heard a click. I turned the key to the off position for a while turned it on and no start. I did that a few times and about the 5th time it started but not without a very slight hesitation. What should I do need to go to work in the morning and need help fast!!!!

Tejas TJ

Lights come on inside the truck including dash and radio... but when I turn the key the radio lights fade out.

AggieJustin

If it just clicked when you turned the key, I'm guessing it's your starter contacts that are going out. Once they start getting burned through, it does exactly what you described. It may start normally sometimes, other times you'll have to try multiple times to get it going.

It's a cheap fix to replace the contacts, just takes a little work to pull the starter and swap them out. You can get heavy duty replacements at Foster Truck

Tejas TJ

Ok well I need to get this truck on the road... I might take off work tomorrow but I've never had any starting problems with this truck, so why now? And then an hour later it would do the exact same thing but this time (I only tried it a couple times)...


Are there any other quick tests I could do to make for sure???

Tejas TJ

Oh by the way I noticed you're from Celina that's cool. That's where my family is from, small world for sure.

AggieJustin

The starter contacts are something that just slowly burn through until one day they cease to make good enough contact to get started. Usually only one of them burns through (which was my case), which results in it starting perfectly sometimes and other times you have to try a few times. I went for a couple weeks after I started having trouble before I replaced my contacts. I just got in the habit of letting it idle when I made short stops so I wouldn't have to deal with trying to get it started. Otherwise, I would just click it a few times if it didn't start right up.

Not sure of any other tests to verify exactly that it's the starter contacts, but what you're describing pretty much points right to that as the problem.

Tejas TJ

Ok thanks for the help... I guess I'll take off tomorrow.

1. Check and clean all cables.

2. Get batteries tested.

3. If batteries test good then I'll have to get a new starter because I don't have time to wait to get those contacts shipped.

Tejas TJ

Ok so I went out there and kept bumping the starter and it finally started about the 7th or 8th attempt.

But about the 5th time it almost started but didn't does that still happen when the points are bad on the starter?

I did get it to start two times in about 15 start attempts.

AggieJustin

Yeah, that sounds about right. Most of the time, mine would start after 2-3 attempts. Occasionally, I would have to try more before it would start. I had one instance where it was hot and I must have tried 25 times before it finally caught. I did have a couple of instances where it started to turn over, then stopped because it lost power. When I pulled the contacts for replacement, one was in pretty good shape, the other was almost completely burned through.

I'm assuming that when it does start, it turns over quickly (which would run out dead batteries or bad connections). And it doesn't have to turn over longer than usual before start.

Tejas TJ

Yes, when I does start it turns over quickly.

Tejas TJ

Do you know of anyone local that rebuilds starters and could get me those contacts rather than buying a $200 starter tomorrow?

johnh

i don't know where they are but they have what you need
http://nationsautoelectric.com/dodgetruck.html

Lary Ellis (Top)

You don't want to trade in your good OEM Starter for a piece of junk rebuild especially when all it is starter contacts. Bite the bullet, overnight the contacts and keep the good starter.

johnh

http://nationsautoelectric.com/dodgetruck.html
they are in south east missouri

Tejas TJ

I'm gonna go check and see if I have a Denso starter before I order these parts.