[aggie]

Howdy guys. I've searched through most all of the starter threads and worked with the info from them to no avail. Frustrated yet determined.
Starter solenoid appeared to not engage. Had it shop tested and confirmed solenoid not engaging. Installed new starter. Same response. Spinning but no engagement. Figured perhaps battery voltage to low so checked battery and was week. Recharged battery now acting like it wants to engage but not fully engaging just slight grinding noise. Pulled starter and checked flywheel. Turned it by hand and inspected. Teeth are good with only two very minor chips but no missing teeth or anything out of the ordinary. Starter back on. Checked the relay and its clicking at key turn and start. Pulled relay and jumped it with same starter response. Inspected grounds, battery cables etc. no message on the dash concerning lock out etc. Not sure where to turn next? Would weak remote key have any impact?

 

[Richard_G]

Does the pinion move along the full travel if you power the starter off the car?

 

[aggie]

Richard, i had the new re-manufactured starter tested as i suspected it was a dud. i was able to witness the pinion slide all the way to the outer edge in the testing contraption. i suspect its not doing the same in the car but cannot determine why.

 

[Richard_G]

If it works off the car it should still work when on the car. It's likely to be a mechanical problem so won't be affected by the fob and there won't be any fault messages either. When you say it isn't engaging do you mean it goes click and the starter then spins freely, or it just goes click?

 

[aggie]

Turn key to start and everything appears to work correctly. No hesitation at ignition. Starter spins and solenoid sounds like it slides to engage but only a brief grind at each try. After about three tries it only spins and no grind sound.

 

[mad as]

it may have a broken spring
with the starter out use your jumper leads to activate the solenoid and see what it dose , try and push it back to see if it is weak
when you say its not engaging do you mean it hits the ring gear and doesn't engage ( make a lot of noise) or it just doesn't turn
PS it sounds like something internal is broken or damaged

 

[aggie]

Sounds like it hits the flywheel and does not lock teeth. Original starter solenoid was not engaging i.e. no slide when tested.

 

[Richard_G]

The way the starter and solenoid interact means it should always engage. The solenoid coil is in series with the starter, so when the key is first turned and the solenoid starts to pull in, the starter also starts to spin slowly to make sure the teeth mesh. As soon as the solenoid reaches the end of the travel, the contacts on the back are made giving full power to the starter so it turns the engine. It sounds as though it isn't getting full power, in which case, you've got a duff re-manufactured one.

 

[aggie]

You made some good points. I’m going to return for replacement and see where we go from there. Thank you for your help!

 

[Gordo51]

Regarding the wiring, you need to slightly loosen each connection, wiggle it back and forth and then tighten. If you have a faulty connection the starter may not get enough amps to let it spin fast enough to engage the flywheel.

 

[mad as]

count the teeth on the starter and compare with other it just might be the wrong gear (starter).

 

[aggie]

I’ll work on the wires and check the teeth today. Thanks guys

 

[autotec40]

I’ll work on the wires and check the teeth today. Thanks guys

Howdy guys. I've searched through most all of the starter threads and worked with the info from them to no avail. Frustrated yet determined.
Starter solenoid appeared to not engage. Had it shop tested and confirmed solenoid not engaging. Installed new starter. Same response. Spinning but no engagement. Figured perhaps battery voltage to low so checked battery and was week. Recharged battery now acting like it wants to engage but not fully engaging just slight grinding noise. Pulled starter and checked flywheel. Turned it by hand and inspected. Teeth are good with only two very minor chips but no missing teeth or anything out of the ordinary. Starter back on. Checked the relay and its clicking at key turn and start. Pulled relay and jumped it with same starter response. Inspected grounds, battery cables etc. no message on the dash concerning lock out etc. Not sure where to turn next? Would weak remote key have any impact?

I would say after all you have done that the one way clutch on the starter drive is not holding, or it locks the opposite direction( left handed clutch V right handed clutch. Had it happen to many times on remaned starters.

 

[aggie]

Thanks autotec. Got caught up in work stuff so back at it today. I’ll make a pass at every potential issue one last time and off she comes for another swap.

 

[aggie]

Ok update: Cleaned and re-seated 4 easily accessible grounds. Installed new reman. starter an hour ago and cranked right away. Let it run briefly, shut her down and tried to restart and got the exact same behavior i did with the last one. What about the solenoid wire? Where can i chase it back too? Frustrated but determined!

 

[aggie]

confused. what else have i not considered?

 

[mad as]

can you operate the starter from under the car with a screw driver, basically bypassing all wire ring
turn the ignition to on and short out the soliniod and starter wire and see whot happens.
give the soliniod wire a good tug and make shore its not broken above the crimp?

 

[aggie]

bypass with screw driver works and is clearly more powerful. however i found that i had to turn the flywheel by hand for it to mesh. So checked battery and alt. 12.32 at battery and 13.67 while running. weak alternator?! Confused. i have hand cranked the entire circumference of the flywheel to inspect it and i looks fine to me. no missing teeth or broken teeth. truck is on a hill and jacked up surely that cant play a role. the teeth on the solenoid are about an inch deep whats the tolerance on them meshing with the flywheel. maybe my flywheel is part of the problem but seems unlikely on inspection. I have a voltage drop on the solenoid wire it seems?

 

[aggie]

but the lack of adequate voltage doesn't explain the difficulty meshing the solenoid teeth with the flywheel.

 

[Richard_G]

If the main power cable from battery to starter has a high resistance, you may measure what seems to be an acceptable voltage when no current is being drawn but that resistance will have a far greater affect when trying to draw lots of current. The fact that it is stronger when you bypass the solenoid suggests a resistance in the solenoid contacts themselves. You will have to turn the flywheel so it meshes as without power via the solenoid coil, the starter isn't turning slowly as it tries to mesh. Is this the same remanufactured starter or another one?