Starter Failure? (1 Viewer)

[Gretsch]

Been having some issues with my truck starting after sitting for a bit. Forced me to crank on the starter more than I should have. Forum pointed out some vacuum issues I had which helped but still the truck is hard to start after sitting. Better but longer than it should be. Still working through that stuff.

I got in it today and tried to start it. Lately the starter had been sort of sounding like it was binding up when trying to start the 2F. Real slow sounding like it was not getting enough juice to turn the engine. Kind of a whuh, pause, whuh, pause, whuh rhythm to it instead of the fast ch,ch,ch,ch sound I am used to. It finally started so I drove it to get the battery tested to see if it was bad battery. No luck. Tested good. Tried to start the truck to test charging and she would not budge. Just a 'whuh' sound and nothing. No clicking. Silence. Tried several times and the starter would sometimes crank over and then sometimes nothing at all. Sounded like it was getting bound up or something or the battery was not providing the juice it needed to spin it. This has been getting worse and worse over time to the point its at now, so I think its just wore out. I push started it to get it home where she is sitting now.

The FSM I have is missing the starter circuit section. I found a picture online that seems to show +12 through the fusible link bundle, to the starter key switch, and then down to the starter solenoid. There is also a direct +12 from batter to starter for the actual cranking power needed to turn it. Looks like there is no other relay in the diagram I am looking at so maybe everything needed is at the starter. Is this correct? Seems simple enough but wanted to rule out a relay or something I am not aware of I could look at as the cause of this and not the starter. The wiring is original AFAIK, and coincidentally I did just received a new cable kit from @Fourrunner I have not yet put on. I am trying to rule out anything else first before replacing the starter. Ignition key switch itself, wiring, other unknown to me relays, fusible links, etc. The manual I have goes into detail on rebuilding the starter but not much in the way of testing it. Any help here to either confirm or rule out the starter would be greatly appreciated. I do not mind replacing it to just add to the list of 'its been done'. But would prefer not to waste money if possible. I think I can remove it and have it tested on a bench to rule it out but kinda more trying to rule out anything I could check first outside of the starter before going that far. If its the only way then so be it. Thanks in advance.

 

[2mountainfish]

Really sounds like it is just a bad starter. They are not hard to remove and inspect. Long cranks really heat up the starter and cause them to fail.

 

[Gretsch]

Yeah that's what I am thinking too. I'll let it cool down and see if it comes to life again. Also open to any good replacement experiences. I got an email into @beno for an OEM one but open to other ideas. Thanks.

 

[Spike Strip]

Denso Reman (Reman'd by Denso USA) is the way to go .... Little bit expensive and a core charge until you return the old one, but I've never seen or read of one failing. Brick 'n Mortar parts house starters really tend to be a crap-shoot these days.

 

[NMC_EXP]

I've heard that from the factory the 60 had a conventional starter but the 62 had a gear reduction starter. Also that the 62 starter is a direct fit on a 60.

Any truth to that?

 

[vipergrhd]

Check your battery cables for corrosion and resistance before getting a new starter, get a Denso reman for sure I got it from a local parts source.

Just to add have your battery load tested too.

 

[SteveH]

I've heard that from the factory the 60 had a conventional starter but the 62 had a gear reduction starter. Also that the 62 starter is a direct fit on a 60.

Any truth to that?

As far as I have seen, all '60s and '62s have gear reduction starters.

 

[Gretsch]

I looked on rock auto today as a source and for my year they seemed to list both gear reduction and non gear reduction versions as options. Not sure what comes from the factory.

 

[Spike Strip]

GR

 

[vipergrhd]

Here you go.

 

[Gretsch]

Here you go.

So no gear reduction then?

 

[NMC_EXP]

Here you go.

When I was in high school I had a '61 Datsun B310. It could be crank started and that's what I did after school.

Doing so helped convince the rest of those dumb arsed teenagers that I really was crazy.

 

[vipergrhd]

That would be arm reduction if you can get it to crank fast enough. J\K
It is a gear reduction starter, I installed one on my 60 not too long ago.

 

[Gretsch]

Lol. Yeah good stuff.

 

[cruisermatt]

Battery cables and add a relay between the key trigger wire and starter. I had similar issues with new starters even and now I get nice crisp starts every time. Cruiser wiring is old.

 

[Gretsch]

Check your battery cables for corrosion and resistance before getting a new starter, get a Denso reman for sure I got it from a local parts source.

Just to add have your battery load tested too.

Yeah that was actually what I was trying to get done at Autozone when the starter crapped out. Can those guys do actual load tests there with their little testers they have? Guy just said the battery was 'good, full charge, 12 volts'. I was not paying close enough attention when he ran the test as to what he was doing as my attention shifted to how to get the truck home at that point.

I have a battery charger here which may have some testing capabilities now that I think about it. Might see about that. Plan was to get these new cables I have on here and clean all the contacts down when I did it to see if the starter fired up quicker. Now its just dead. I'll prolly replace the cables first and see if things improve.

Not to hi-jack here, but the grounding nut on the engine mount, pass. side where the ground strap off the battery attaches to, is just that. Just a nut on a post off the engine mount right. I should be able to just take the nut off and replace with the new cable and replace nut right without fear of the messing up the engine mounting? Looks tough to get at with the A/C compressor there but still reachable without tearing that stuff out to get at it. Sound right?

 

[John McVicker]

Battery cables and add a relay between the key trigger wire and starter. I had similar issues with new starters even and now I get nice crisp starts every time. Cruiser wiring is old.

This will fix your problem. You can easily do it yourself, will cost less than $15. Some might think of this as only a bandaid, maybe so but it works and will last for years.

Yes, Cruiser wiring is old.

 

[Gretsch]

This will fix your problem. You can easily do it yourself, will cost less than $15. Some might think of this as only a bandaid, maybe so but it works and will last for years.

Yes, Cruiser wiring is old.

This would at least confirm the starter is fine right and the wiring is the issue?

 

[Gretsch]

So interesting turn of events here. Local guy @SgtChase reached out to me and says he has a spare starter he is willing to let me have. I am going to try and get this part and get it installed and see if it gets me going. Will try replacing the cables at the same time to see if things improve. Thanks all for the help. As always you all are awesome.

 

[John McVicker]

This would at least confirm the starter is fine right and the wiring is the issue?

Most likely, but this is why some look at this fix as a bandaid. Starter could be very tired and this fix...giving it full electricity...can cover up the starters inefficiency.

But this fix has lasted for many years on my 62 that I sold. It's still going strong, and as of now is a decade old...never a hiccup since the relay was installed.