stater take 3!

[87SEdan]

Ok so starter has stopped working again. This is the third starter that I have put on. All rebuilt mind you. I installed it, starts fine for 3 startups then won't start. Sometimes it will start just fine, then other times it will do the click and nothing. Battery if fine, I'm at my wits end. Oh as I type its stranded me at a friends house. Please help, gf is Hella pissed and wants me to sell.....

[krmiller07]

Mine did the same thing! Take it off and back. Then go buy a reman Bosch brand and you'll be done with it : ). The shop I went to was using every cheapo brand they could get a hold of. NAPA, AC Delco (worst) etc..

[nunya]

Also make sure you have good clean connections.

[sewebster]

Could need to do the solenoid relay mod if it is your wiring that is the problem.

[ahardb0dy]

Same thing happened to me in my 87 hardbody first 2 starters were local rebuilds lasted 3 days and a week, 3rd was a Beck Arnley one that lasted till I got rid of the truck. You get real good at removing and replacing the starter after a couple of times !!

[Slartibartfast]

+1 on the solenoid relay mod. From what I've read, it pretty much eliminates click-but-no-start. The click you're hearing is the solenoid firing, and pushing the gear into place, but not pushing hard enough to engage the contacts. (I suspect that on the first few starts, the terminals corrode a little; with full current this isn't a problem, but weak current either doesn't push them together hard enough or can't overcome the resistance.) This may be because it's not getting adequate power through the ignition; the relay mod solves this.

 

But definitely check the connections first.

[87SEdan]

OK so thanks for all the replies. I checked all the connectors and they seem to be clean and corrosion free. TO be honest tho, there are some wiring problems somewhere, there was a green wire that was just hanging by the starter, so i'm not sure what that was about....anyway. Where are the directions for the solenoid mod? Maybe this will help. It turns out this was a new starter, not a rebuilt one so thats one problem eliminated. When the second starter died tho, I took the key out and it was like someone was still starting the car, sounded like a fan running till I saw smoke, then it sounded like it ran itself down, then it wouldn't start again. Maybe that has something to do with it? WHat does the starter motor push into inside the trans? maybe that is messed up??

[ahardb0dy]

My 94 PF was doing the click click thing when I tried starting it, that was over a year ago and than I did the relay mod and it was fine ever since up until last week. I had the battery tested and they said it was ok, than pulled the starter, cleaned it and took it to be tested and they said it was ok too. Since than I have it hooked to the battery in my shed and it has worked every time I tried it. Going to re-install it this Saturday hopefully it will still work when I put it back in.

 

As far as the relay mod it is pretty easy, what you do is pick up a standard aftermarket relay, run a wire from the positive battery terminal to the relay at terminal #30, than run a wire from the relay terminal #87 to the solenoid plug on the starter, than extend the stock wire that you took off the solenoid plug and connect it to the relay at terminal #86 , lastly run a ground wire ( I usually will just use a short piece of wire from the mounting screw for the relay to the ground at terminal #85 , if the relay has a terminal 87A just ignore it for this application, that's it. Now when you go to start the truck the original solenoid wire will trigger the new relay which will than send power down to the solenoid.

 

The green wire hanging possibly could go to the oil pressure sender??

[dmag23]

Check the ignition switch in your steering column. I battled that problem for years. Turned out to be the alignment of the switch in the steering column. There is a single set screw that holds the ignition switch in the steering column. The alignment of the switch in the steering column has to be just right or you'll get the "click" problem. Remove the set screw that holds your switch in place and you will be able to rotate the switch a few degrees in either direction. Insert you key while holding the switch. Turn the key to the start position and rotate the switch in both directions. In my case, it went from "click" "click" every time to start start every time. Now there is no adjustment with the set screw that holds your switch in place. When the set screw was tight, the alignment was right at that "click"/start threshold. I drilled out the set screw hole in the switch, which gave me just enough adjustment in the alignment to get past the "click"/start threshold. That was over a year ago. The problem has never repeated itself since then.