What's killing my starter? (2 Viewers)

[jb welda]

i hate to keep flogging a dead horse but did you try jumping the solenoid like i mentioned in the other thread and/or putting a relay in the ignition circuit?

i would be very surprised if there is anything at all wrong with your starter...or your NSS for that matter. or at least in my case and im guessing youre in the same boat esp from your descriptions and the come-and-go nature of the issue.

but i would like to know the outcome if it is the NSS...its something ive not really messed with but sounds possible given the jump the solenoid trick's outcome.

one love
jah bill

 

[Jman]

Yeah, you need to definitely clean up all the cable connections. Do it now. Intermittent contact is classic for this problem.

It could still be something like the circuit opening relay or the neutral start switch. These can be intermittent too...

Forgot she has a slush box.

 

[grrlscout89FJ62]

i hate to keep flogging a dead horse but did you try jumping the solenoid like i mentioned in the other thread and/or putting a relay in the ignition circuit?

I asked my GF about it, since she does all the work. She wanted to know what that would tell us, besides that the starter is getting power.

She said that when she was down there, she fluked it, and there was power to the starter. But since it didn't do anything, that indicated a bum starter. (This was the first one -- we haven't checked out the second one yet).

Oh, and before, I had tried using the remote starter that's part of my alarm system. I got a series of clicks and pauses, but nothing happened.

 

[grrlscout89FJ62]

Also, if it is the NSS, how do you feel about bypassing it? Is it possible? I know it's not entirely safe, but heck, I always leave it in park when I cut the key off.

 

[Front Range 4x4]

Yes, you could do that but I think that's what jb welda mentioned doing in another thread about your starter. If it wasn't jb it was someone else.

 

[stinkyfj60]

Just a tip on cables, had a 40 that would do that all the time. I switched to really good quality cables with the eyes on each end (from Standard) and marine terminals...

Easier to keep clean.

 

[Mace]

You said there was power to the starter, so was there power to the little wire that went to the starter when the switch was turned?

Also, where was she checking the starter power at?

 

[jb welda]

>She wanted to know what that would tell us, besides that the starter is getting
>power.

well it would tell you that the starter was working because it would turn!

thats if you jump the two poles on the solenoid...i dont know what kind of set up you have with the alarm thing but i would not count that as anything at all really since it quite possibly is using exactly the same wiring as your potential problem is in.

jump the solenoid and you know FOR SURE whether your starter is working or not.

but be prepared for a bunch of sparks if you just use a screwdriver or something to jump it.

and yes this would go around the NSS.

by the way, this neutral safety switch...i take it thats just for an automatic? because with a manual you have to have the clutch in but you can start in any gear, not just neutral. so there may be similar circuitry on my 60 with the 5 speed but it would have to be on the clutch not the trans specifically.

i hope this helps; im not trying to add to the confusion, just telling you what my experiences have been and hopefully save you from switching starters in and out to no good real effect.

ps: your girlfriend does the mechanicing on your truck? does she have a sister?

one love
jah bill

 

[Front Range 4x4]

by the way, this neutral safety switch...i take it thats just for an automatic?

Yep and grrlscout has a 62.

 

[IZZYDUSIT]

My bet-low battery state of charge or cables are dirty!
by checking the power to the starter terminals you may verify voltage is getting there, but not enough to crank the starter if thre is a voltage drop due to dirty contacts or low batt.

at times, if a starter is acting up, tap on it lightly, as someone is holding the ignition key on the "crank" position.
if it cranks, you have a bad starter contacts.

 

[grrlscout89FJ62]

You said there was power to the starter, so was there power to the little wire that went to the starter when the switch was turned?

Also, where was she checking the starter power at?

Hmm not sure. I think she said it was getting 11v. She tested various locations. I could hear her moving the probes around, and she asked me to try the key several times. In one spot, it did start to crank.

 

[grrlscout89FJ62]

by the way, this neutral safety switch...i take it thats just for an automatic? because with a manual you have to have the clutch in but you can start in any gear, not just neutral.

Jes. I found this handly lil schematic of the starting system on the AutoZone site, that I thought y'all might enjoy.

GF looked at it and tried to explain to me about how the starter should always have power going to both the pos and the neg and the solenoid closing the circuit n how the switches and relays work and stuff, but I only understood about 20% of it.

By looking at this, and my vehicle, she thinks that the problem lies somewhere between the ignition and the NSS. So that means faulty contacts in the ignition, a failing relay, or faulty contacts / a failing NSS.

The good news is that my truck is starting every time again. The bad news is, that means we can't do any further diagnosing until it starts acting up again.

ps: your girlfriend does the mechanicing on your truck? does she have a sister?

LOL, only a brother, and he's married. She's works on huge generators for a living (and started out rebuilding starters and alternators), so I definitely trust her on the electric stuff, and certainly the basic mechanical stuff.

 

[browndog]

Not to mock your pain....but I sure am glad someone else is plagued by starter problems.

Mine is similar, but with the added bonus of getting a click when I turn the key. My problem is totally intermittent, so testing is of little value at this point. I've tested battery voltage to the starter, replaced my grounds, replaced and/or cleaned my battery cables, and am to the point where I'm seriously considering setting my truck on fire.

I suspect my problem is in the ignition circuitry, but who knows. For those of us with manuals, and NSS is not an issue but a clutch safety switch (CSS) might be. I haven't checked my manual yet to see.

I hope your problem does not return, although I suspect that it will.