starter question

[rblcori7]

My wife went out today to try and start the truck and it only clicked once. I asked her if it was the battery, but she said no bc all the lights work great and the radio works fine. She said it only clicked once.... I told her to pop the starter with a mallet and after she popped it twice it fired right up. She turned the truck off to try and restart it and clicked again no start. She popped it with the mallet and it fired right up. After that a buddy of mine took the starter out and whent to autozone to buy a new starter. The guy at auto zone tested it and said the starter was fine and strong... What to check?

[85Bowtie]

Your wife crawled under the truck and beat the starter with a mallet? What else does she do around the house?

The starter may be fine, your solenoid may be whats wrong. It may be weak or have a bad connection and not allowing the starter to fully engage, which may bind it. So when you hit the starter with a mallet it usually frees up the binding. Try swapping a new one in and see if that fixes the problem, it will be cheaper too.

[rblcori7]

Ok but if they took the starter up to the auto zone wouldnt they of tested that as well

[85Bowtie]

Originally Posted by rblcori7

Ok but if they took the starter up to the auto zone wouldnt they of tested that as well

Not necessarily....this is some average schmoe selling you parts over the counter.

They probably tested the starter motor, teeth etc. But they very well could have tested the solenoid as well. Either way you have a problem with the starter engaging the flexplate/flywheel and it sounds like it's getting jammed through either a bad connection or solenoid. Since the only thing she did was bang on the starter with a hammer, the problem is somewhere in that vicinity. And since Autozone was honest enough to tell you your starter was good instead of lying so they could sell you one, it's highly likely it isn't the starter either.

[rblcori7]

i hate not being home to work on it myself, so im just trying to ask questions from her and on here lol

[rblcori7]

Ok well they just put the starter back in the truck and now when she tries to start it it makes a munch of clicking sounds... they tried to pop the starter and now it wont start at all?

[wyattglock]

Sounds like a bad wire or connection. Have her check the grounds from the battery to the chassis. Then check/replace the wires from the battery to the starter.

[BlackTopMotors]

I agree, check the wiring, no breaks, clean ( a bit of sand paper on contacts if needed...), tight...battery fully charged. If still clicking, probably the solenoid...(I prefer external solenoid/relay) Sometimes it's just better to swap out the starter as well, time is money and if your like me you need to get it done.

Hope it works out!

[tucsonjwt]

When this happened to me, there was some sort of fusible link in one of the wires coming off the starter. I replaced that and everything was fine. Maybe banging on the starter wiggles that link and makes a connection, and now it is completely fried. Just tell your wife she broke it by banging on the starter too much.
I went with a remote starter also, but I also got a GM high torque mini starter - have to wait for it to wind down if it doesn't start the first time, but lots of cranking power for my 454.

[rblcori7]

Originally Posted by BlackTopMotors

I agree, check the wiring, no breaks, clean ( a bit of sand paper on contacts if needed...), tight...battery fully charged. If still clicking, probably the solenoid...(I prefer external solenoid/relay) Sometimes it's just better to swap out the starter as well, time is money and if your like me you need to get it done.

Hope it works out!

yea idk man im almost tempted to tell her to go spend the 40 bucks and have them try a new starter... since the solenoid is 20 bucks

[rblcori7]

hey guys thanks a lot for the help i am going to pass this info on to my buddy and my wife... he is going back tomorrow to help her out... im so frustrated i will be home in less then two weeks and it decided to break on me...

[wyattglock]

Originally Posted by rblcori7

hey guys thanks a lot for the help i am going to pass this info on to my buddy and my wife... he is going back tomorrow to help her out... im so frustrated i will be home in less then two weeks and it decided to break on me...

Isnt that how it always goes? Worst time and place? Just remember to use your friends wisely!

[Gregs71]

I'm still impressed your wife was willing to crawl under the truck and two found the starter!!!!!!!

[rblcori7]

Originally Posted by Gregs71

I'm still impressed your wife was willing to crawl under the truck and two found the starter!!!!!!!

thats what you get when you marry a southern girl... Not to affraid of getting dirty

[rblcori7]

ha ha yea this guy is good **** i helped him out working on his ladies car while he was deployed and now he is helping me out...i just told him to

1 check all of the wires going to and from starter.
2 check the grounds
3 last if all of those check out ok then replace the starter

sound like a good plan lol

[1LowToy]

Honestly you have a great sport for a wife. I think your brushes in the sterter are probably worn to a frazzel. Get a new starter.

[rblcori7]

thats what i want to do but auto zone said they tested it 3 times and all three times it was strong

[rblcori7]

well guys a little update..... a new starter got thrown on the truck this am and the wife says it fires right up.... feels like a new truck.... i wanna thank all of you for all the help you guys are kick @$$