Non Contact Starter Problem

[cary]

I am having a starter issue on my 1996. I replaced the contact about 5 months ago. Everything has been working fine. Then in the past two months, I have had several times where when the engine is starting all of a sudden the starter grinds. It isn't when I start to turn it over, it is like the starter is disengaging early. It happens about 1 out of 20 times. BTW, the battery is also pretty new, it was replaced about 6 months ago.

Any thoughts? Bendix spring? I am guessing new starter time?!!! How much are those nowdays (so I don't have to bug Cdan for a quote).

Thanks

Cary

 

[nakman]

Did you do the plunger when you did the contacts? maybe that's it...

 

[IdahoDoug]

Seconding the plunger question. I put new contacts in my 93 a few years ago, and about 5 months later on an incredibly hot day while at a gas stop and towing 6000lbs it would not restart. This was probably some kind of record heat figure in the engine bay. Anyhow, the starter would not engage until I did the time honored tap with a piece of metal and then it worked and never gave me trouble in the intervening 40,000 miles. However, I've always replaced with the plunger since then. Could it be that the plunger face is getting rough and the vibrations of the starter moving are degrading the connection across the plunger face/contacts and it disengages partly then catches again?? There is really no reason I can think of that would partly disengage it (causing only partly engaged teeth and resulting grinding) as an aging plunger/spring would cause it to disengage LATER (opposite what you're experiencing).

One other check I'd do would be make positive sure the starter's not loosening up its hold down bolts. I saw this happen once as a kid and it was the same symptom.

DougM

 

[cary]

Plunger was replaced. Hmm?!!!