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Bad Starter?


beastpath
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Just want some more opinions before I buy a new starter.

 

the truck has been starting after about 4-6 clicks for quite a while now. On monday it began starting intermittently. as is, sometimes it would start right up, and other times it wouldnt start at all. this morning it wouldnt start at all, no turing over at all. Banged on it...and it started, although it could have just been coincidence. Drove for a while, it started again. Washed the car and then it wouldnt start again. Again, no turning over at all. checked a bunch of connections, there is definitely power to the starter (i accidently made some sparks, hehe), and can push start the car easily.

 

anything else it could possibly be? or am I pretty much going to have to get one?

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I think it could be moisture getting into the distributor. My girlfriends Subaru has the same problem I put a new starter in and it still has the same issue. So if its moisture I would check your distributor for cracks or unusual wear. Whens the last time you have changed the spark plugs and wires? I would check for spark and examine the distributor. Not certain but doesn't hurt to look. let me know if you remedy the problem.

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lol, moisture, in Arizona? wires are about 1.5 years old, plugs are 2 weeks old, as are the cap and rotor.

Well you did say it wouldn't start after WASHING THE CAR check or don't check just trying to help. Might as well just put new starter in like I did.

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I'd be doing the starter, if it was moisture in the dizzy it would still turn over, just wouldnt fire. If its dead completely, then when you give the starter a couple of love taps & it starts, I believe your problem is a dead spot in the starter.

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I'd be doing the starter, if it was moisture in the dizzy it would still turn over, just wouldnt fire.

 

 

If its dead completely, then when you give the starter a couple of love taps & it starts, I believe your problem is a dead spot in the starter.

 

 

Could it be a dead spot in the flywheel to, or instead of?

Ahh so that's how you can tell if its the dist. wasn't always sure how to tell thanks.

P.S. If you do replace the starter post how you wiggled it in there. I pulled mine when I was doing my timing belt/head gasket and it seemed impossible to get a new one in there,GL.

Edited by olddirtyrake
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I agree with the starter, mine did the same thing... i tried doin the solenoid first, and it didnt help... its not easy to do the solenoid took me about 6 hrs to do, and for the starter i just took it to mt garage and had the pros do it cause it looked like a pain.

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Im betting starter also.Mine was acting just like yours and after a swap all has been well.I still dont get why a lot have problems removing and replacing.The biggest pain for me was loosening the frozen starter bolts.Once they were out i grabbed it through the empty wheel well,made the disconnections and moved it out forward over the centrelink.Took a minute.I have a stock 92 with no skid plates.

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Mine does the same thing,but it never bothered me,it would always start and it hasnt dont

it since I replaced the dizzy cap and rotor but like you said its not turning over,just

clicking,so maybe you just need to clean some termnals and connectings.

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I think about 9 out of 10 Nissan Starters die like this. I think they say it is a flat spot on the armature of the starter motor. The starter will start fine as long as it does not land on that spot. Then the motor will not turn. I have known several people that have kept there starter going for months by tapping the starter. This causes the the brushes to move just enough off the flat spot of the armature. The problem is eventually it will completely die. and no amount of tapping will work.

 

People will even remove the starter and bench test it and through the act of removing the starter or bumping it as they take the starter out will make it start working again (just ask SLICK) LOL. don't be tempted to put it back in. It will only fail.

 

Also A lot of these re manufactured Nissan starters have these problems right out of the box. They test them at the factory, but it is random to hit the flat spot and with new brushes it will have enough surface contact with the armature to work just fine until it either hits that flat spot or the brushes wear enough to not make good contact on the flat spot. so Buyer Beware when Purchasing Remanufactured starters.

 

also Oil on the brushes or the armature will cause this same thing to happen and we all know where the oil goes when we pull the oil filter off.

 

Just A little more of my 2 cents. As if anyone wanted it.

 

Mark

Edited by msavides
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LOL, I vote for an oil filled starter myself. When I replaced the clutch in my first pathy, it took 2 full cans of contact/brake cleaner to flush it out and it worked fine for another 4 years when it exhibited the same symptoms as described above. I'm looking forward to removing and inspecting it again...

 

FYI, If you suspect moisture in your distributor, remove the cap and give both the inside of the cap and the rotor a quick shot of WD-40 (hint, WD=Water Displacement, what it is really meant for), reassemble and if that was the issue, it will be no longer... ;)

 

B

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Put in a new starter this morning, only took 45 mins, and it started right up. I think ill keep the old one and rebuild it instead of taking it in for the core refund. That ways Ill have a spare.

 

Thanks guys

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I think ill keep the old one and rebuild it instead of taking it in for the core refund. That ways Ill have a spare.

 

Thanks guys

Good idea, is it hard to rebuild a starter? The $5 refund or whatever is weak I would rather have a spare to.

Edited by olddirtyrake
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  • 1 month later...

Just want some more opinions before I buy a new starter.

 

the truck has been starting after about 4-6 clicks for quite a while now. On monday it began starting intermittently. as is, sometimes it would start right up, and other times it wouldnt start at all. this morning it wouldnt start at all, no turing over at all. Banged on it...and it started, although it could have just been coincidence. Drove for a while, it started again. Washed the car and then it wouldnt start again. Again, no turning over at all. checked a bunch of connections, there is definitely power to the starter (i accidently made some sparks, hehe), and can push start the car easily.

 

anything else it could possibly be? or am I pretty much going to have to get one?

this is basicly teh porblem mine has but only when it's cold.

i'm wondering if maybe i can just replace the brushes rather than payign for a new starter. seems that when it's cold and everything shrinks they don;t get close enough to get a good current to the inner part that spins and when it's warm they close enough bcz once i get it started and engine warms up it kicks every time w/ no hessitation at all. or if it's cold in the morn and it doesn't start when it warms up abuot 10° to 15° it starts right up w/ no probs.

 

any thoughts?

Edited by tomyc48
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definately not a battery issue. the battery is less then 2 months old. like i sakd it's only when it's really cold. and once the truck warms up it's fine. i deliver pizza and if i use it for work it wont give me any issues all night once it's started the first time. it's definately a starter issue.

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definately not a battery issue. the battery is less then 2 months old. like i sakd it's only when it's really cold. and once the truck warms up it's fine. i deliver pizza and if i use it for work it wont give me any issues all night once it's started the first time. it's definately a starter issue.

 

Then replace the starter?

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just bc your battery is 2 months old doesnt mean you couldnt have found a dud..

 

i changed my starter 3 times before i found a rebuilt that has worked for me but it is still too soon to know if this one wont conk out on me.

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