Click--hard to start

[SR.GRINGO]

So over the weekend I got a bit deep at one point and the cruiser died after a water crossing. The weak point is the distributor--ran on what sounded like 1 or cylinders after she got going again. Currently I have 155k and the starter was rebuilt about 10k or 1 year ago. The battery is around a year old as well. So ever since the weekend when I got to start--click, click. It will entually turn over--does my starter need to be rebuilt again?

 

[firetruck41]

Intermittent click, but no starter turn over, was the exact symptoms of my starter contacts going bad.

 

[Mars]

I'm not sure if its a cooincidence withe the water or not, but sounds like a battery to me...or at least thats what solved my problem when i was having the same issues. Old battery along with corroded cables, replaced both and starts like a champ.

 

[Scamper]

If you replaced the starter/contacts just 10K ago, it's not likely worn contacts, but perhaps muddy contacts from the crossing? Did you replace the plunger at the same time, or was this a factory-rebuilt unit you installed? If some silt got into the plunger cavity, it may be holding the plunger back from sliding and making contact.

But the clicking may also indicate a bad battery or corroded cables (and or cable ends) which just can't provide the current necessary to start.

If you got in up to the dizzy, you should probably pull the cap and clean it out if not replace it.

The quickest/easiest to check is the cable ends--pull, clean, and retighten them--both battery and starter/body ends. Also check to see if there is a lot of corrosion on the wires themselves (I think you live by seawater which will accelerate this).

If it still won't work, I'd pull the starter and check out the contacts and plunger, then replace the dizzy.

 

[zipastro]

About 12K after my last starter contact job I had a failure. One of of the contacts turned up slightly when I tightened it up the last bit. Everything was fine till I got about 300 miles and then I got the click of death.

 

[SR.GRINGO]

If you replaced the starter/contacts just 10K ago, it's not likely worn contacts, but perhaps muddy contacts from the crossing? Did you replace the plunger at the same time, or was this a factory-rebuilt unit you installed? If some silt got into the plunger cavity, it may be holding the plunger back from sliding and making contact.

But the clicking may also indicate a bad battery or corroded cables (and or cable ends) which just can't provide the current necessary to start.

If you got in up to the dizzy, you should probably pull the cap and clean it out if not replace it.

The quickest/easiest to check is the cable ends--pull, clean, and retighten them--both battery and starter/body ends. Also check to see if there is a lot of corrosion on the wires themselves (I think you live by seawater which will accelerate this).

If it still won't work, I'd pull the starter and check out the contacts and plunger, then replace the dizzy.

Thanks for the advice--sounds like I have a little work ahead of me. The dizzy and wires were replaced about 25k or two years back. My terminals on the battery are in good shape--need to check the start end. The plunger was replaced as well. Will also take apart the starter--I am trying to hold off becuase one of Doug's head gasket dvd's is in the mail.... This has been intermitent it worked this afternoon. The salt isn't too bad inside the garage--Ever season the underside of the truck is pressure washed at a truck wash then they spray on used oil or atf oil--No rust. I would guess the plunger could be fouled as you stated. Could be the battery--it is only a year old but I go over a ton of washboard--I add water to it about once a month. I'm scheduled to be in the NW over Christmas--guess I need to order up another spare rebuild kit along with some other spares from Dan. Some people return with presents--me I have oil filters

 

[Eduardo96FZJ80]

About 12K after my last starter contact job I had a failure. One of of the contacts turned up slightly when I tightened it up the last bit. Everything was fine till I got about 300 miles and then I got the click of death.

I recently did my starter contacts, and got the dreaded "click" once after the contacts, were replaced.

 

[SR.GRINGO]

I had the starter removed today and cleaned up--starts like a charm. Also had the altern. brushes replaced---they were about 50% used at 155k--first set. The idler pully was replaced as well. My stereo is much stronger now along with my lights. Can the bearings be ordered? I can replace the bearings in the alt. or try and get a Tundra high output to fit--the pully would need to be changed. My Cruiser gets up to the hood in rivers around 6x per year-- what an amazing beast.

 

[jamisobe]

I had similar symptons once and it turned out to be a dirty battery connection. I new at first because bridging to my auxillary battery fixed the problem.