starter problems, what to do? 2000 LC with 135k

[fireball]

There are other wear parts in a starter, so it's up to you to decide what to do, but I went with a new (reman'd) unit. My contacts were definitely worn, but at 140k miles I'm sure the other bits are as well and I felt more comfortable with a whole new unit.

YMMV.

 

[Chris Sandstorm FJ]

Chris, you can just replace the contacts in the starter for cheap. Much cheaper than a repro and it only takes a few minutes to change contacts (after you get the starter out of course).

Often the re-mans have had nice oem bushing etc. replaced and I suspect the replacement parts are not up to par.

Solid advice Andy! I called a few life lines (Barry, Wes and Robbie), decided that at 99K miles my starter probably has a ton of life left. Contacts were 8.00 each, bought the manifold gasket also just incase we need a new one, spending the equivalent of a reman with Robbie to make quick work of this fix and learn how it is done!

Interesting how the starter went so fast, one day it slipped once and the next day every time I tried to start.. Hope it starts tomorrow, so I can get to Robbie's shop.

 

[rompin2001]

Oh no! Mine slipped for the first time today. Went to try to start it again, No slip, but it died before it fully started. Tried again and it fired right up. Ran several errands at lunch, started fine every time.

 

[Chris Sandstorm FJ]

Well my contacts were not that bad, after all.

I could not believe it would have been my Sears Die Hard Platnum Marine 31, that tanked, as it was only 1 year 3 months. But after ruling out starter contacts and all connections, new positive terminal connection..

I went to Sears, they tested my battery and said it was fine. But gee I could not start my truck from their parking lot. After dinner I went over to O'Rieley's and they tested the alternator and battery for me. Alternator was fine, battery was bad. No kidding..

Went with an Optima Red top 34. Going to return the Sears Die Hard and see what kind of return I will get. From the first response, I am not holding much hope for good customer service.

 

[krosnovski]

So I finally got the starter on my LC replaced. It's been a month now. MURF is the man! The service was awesome, the price even better, and the car is running beautifully. Thanks to Phil for his advice. For all the folks living in the greater Phoenix area, who are not DIYers that is, I would recommend MURF without hesitation or reservation.

 

[krice118]

Ok sorry to bring back an old thread but I am starting to have starting issues.... I am trying to determine if it is the contacts or the starter, but I am like others and while im in there might as well replace them both.....I have never really done any work on a truck or anything so I am a bit nervous to start digging into the motor and all that to get to the starter...... My 100 is a 98 with 77,xxxmiles and sometimes it will begin to start then die, 3 times it wouldnt even let me turn it then finally let me start it. and pretty frequently it will just not turn over but all lights come on and radio....so Starter or Contacts? Both?

 

[Hugh Heifer]

Generally it is just the contacts with those symptoms but you will not know the condition of the rest of the starter until it is removed. As mentioned, there could be other issues. 77k is not a lot of miles though. I have 200k on mine and so far no issues with the starter. Keeping my fingers crossed that it lasts another 4 years.

 

[staggrlee]

I think due to it being legendary how much of a PITA it is just to replace contacts this topic gets a lot of airtime. Don't be like the guy above and make your battery the last thing you check especially with those low miles. Check your ground path both at the battery and chassis. Tighten all the connections (burnish the chassis ground if needed) and then take it to a battery shop (Sears is usually easy) for a draw-down test. Don't take it as a given that because accessories are working you have a good path/battery. They're nowhere near the amp draw of the starter.

Also one of things that may make this a more common issue here -- where people have outfitted trucks with lights, fridges etc -- is a greater tendency to start trucks with run down batteries. This is a great way to prematurely wear starter contacts out.

I'm at 140k on a MY00 and recently had intermittent no crank, slow crank, sluggish starts. After putting a meter across the battery showing 12.8v and charging overnight just to be sure, I still had slow/intermittent start and my mind immediately leapt to the dreaded starter contacts. Yep, it was a loose ground.

<edit> Oh and a quick way to check the ground is if you jump it with the ground coming from the jump source connected to your chassis somewhere, and it fires right up...

 

[krice118]

Thanks for the responses gentlemen! Well the battery is only 8 months old and they replaced the positive connection but it looks like it might be time to replace the ground connection wire.... My dad had took it into the shop for me because I was out of town but I wish they would have just replaced bothconnections.... Does this sound weird: Last night i took out the 10 amp fuse for the IGN under the steering wheel and replaced it with a new 15 amp fuse and the car seems to be starting quicker and so far no issues...... or is this the placebo effect?