It started happening to me last few times I've driven my truck. When I turn key , wait for WTS light to go out, go to crank it and nothing, just a click. I have to turn it to off and then restart it, then usually it starts. Today it was in low 30s in the morning and I had to do that like 3 times to get it started. My voltmeter gauge sits at 14+ when Im driving (which is normal?)

 

could be starter contacts in the early stage of failure. Cheap fix just a pain to get the starter off. Buy the oversized contacts for replacements.


TallTom

 

is that pretty common with these trucks?

 

starter contacts are common. Replace contacts, not starter. Also put a volt meter on battery posts & see how much voltage drops when you turn key to start. Should begin at 12.6 & stay at least close to 12 volts if the battery is charged & good.

 

found this site that has "oversize" contacts and plunger kit. Is this pretty good deal. I wonder if local napa would have something like that
http://www.fostertruck.com/dodge/

 

Depending on how much you start it of course contacts rarely make it past 100k.
Foster truck's prices are competitive and a great guy to do business with.

 

I had to move it around my yard today and what a PITA it was, I had to sit there like 10 mins trying to start it. When I bought it I got a service contract, hopefully it covers this repair, I don't feel like spending more money on it right now and it's raining/cold/windy outside.
On another note, my service contract deductible is $100. I think I should just buy kit myself and rebuild starter than spend $100 and have them install stock contacts. What do you guys think?

 

The job is rather easy and the parts cheap.
Not worth $100 in my opinion.
Read the instuctions here and see what you think http://www.fostertruck.com/contacts_install.htm

 

Definitely go for the contacts from Foster. Larger than stock for more contact area. When I was having the same starting issues, I swapped mine out and discovered one of them was burned almost completely through.

 

its a 10min job after you have the starter on the bench

 

Truck is playing games with me. Got parts today and now it starts fine every time.

 

Don't worry...it will stop working at the most inopportune time. Mine started working fine and stayed that way for two weeks, till the day I was trying to haul hay, then she gave me more trouble than ever trying to start. Ended up just running all day and never shutting down. The new contacts went in the following week.

 

10mm 12 pt combination wrench to get bolts out. Use a block of wood on a jack if you can't get enough leverage to loosen bolts.

 

Thanks for help guys. Ive got kit on ebay a while back and today got my *** out and actually did the job. One of the contacts was pretty worn out, bunch of metal shavings inside also from where plunger was wearing out contact and plunger itself. Put new contacts/plunger in and test drove it, runs like new. Should last me another 100K

 

If the contacts you used were oversized it should last 200k