Is My Starter Toast? (1 Viewer)

[Canuck]

Started up my BJ74 and something spun really fast and I could smell something acrid, then the loud spinning settled down to normal. Not sure what that was but I made it home no problem. Went to start the truck and it struggled to start for a second but started up. Heard the fast spinning again and there was the smell again so I backed up a little and some molten metal fell down from under the engine. The particles looked like copper. I stopped the truck, crawled under and saw this:

Now the truck won't start at all, just a clicking noise so I'm really thinking its the starter.

 

[roscoFJ73]

Its sounds like the solenoid went. If it spins fast its because the solenoid isnt throwing the starter gear onto the flywheel so it just spinning in thin air.
The melted copper is probably from the electrodes in the solenoid .
Its a no big deal to fix,parts should be available at the dealer.

I think any B diesel starter will work but a rebuilding yours is the best option as you know it will last

 

[Ron R]

Its sounds like the solenoid went. If it spins fast its because the solenoid isnt throwing the starter gear onto the flywheel so it just spinning in thin air.
The melted copper is probably from the electrodes in the solenoid .
Its a no big deal to fix,parts should be available at the dealer.

Orrrr...... the starter was driven by the engine for some time, because the solenoid didn't release. After all, he had the engine started.
That's a scary thing happening. Because the starter goes on when you release the key or even switch of the ignition. All you can do then is trying to free it by engaging the starter several times with short clicks or disconnect the battery.

When the starter is spun by the engine the rev's get far to high and damage will happen

 

[Canuck]

So it's the starter itself correct? Or was it something else in the electrical or ignition system that damaged the starter and lead to what happened? Just wanna be sure before I start taking the starter out.

 

[Ron R]

So it's the starter itself correct? Or was it something else in the electrical or ignition system that damaged the starter and lead to what happened? Just wanna be sure before I start taking the starter out.

From your description it's the starter.
Don't know or it's beyond repair or not.
If you go for a repair by yourself then look at the solenoid and depending on the type of starter the fork that moves the bendix forward and back or the spirals on the starteraxle where the little cog (?) wheel moves forward and back.

If you try to engage the starter motor off the engine, make sure it's firmly secured to a workbench or something like that, because the torque is tremendous and you won't be able to hold it.