Thread: Flakey Starter AGAIN!

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Chevy Suburban. Got a starter problem. Go to start the vehicle. Works fine. However on any start of the day you may get a "bad start". There is no click - no nothing!

I started out thinking it was the ignition switch.

By passed it. Things seemed to work fine for a few days then again, no start. Thought it was the old bypass switch I was using. Replaced it with a new one. Right away it didn't work.

You can sit there for two or three minutes and then "it just works". I had this exact same probablem two starters ago. I replaced the starter with a factory re-man and it went away. But now 5-7 years later its back again.

I am jumping directly to the wire from the starter - to the battery plus terminal and about 70% percent of the time the starter operates as expected. The other 30% of the time nothing.. For up to 3 minutes of dinkin around then bingo.

So what is causing this? No doubt something in the starter solenoid but I can't imagine what since there are no "contacts" in the solenoid as relates to operating the plunger. (unlike the main contacts that operate once the solenoid/plunger does).

Anyone else seen this or gotten to the bottom of it?

Thanks!

Could be anything from a bad body ground to a weak connection in the start circuit. Sometimes there will be enough current to light a test light but not enough to activate the solenoid.

I had a Chev starter that did this a few years ago. Being the cheapskate I am I determined to fix it rather than simply replace it.
After several R&R's I finally turned the armature and cut the "micas" as the old guys remember. I replaced the brushes and sanded them to shape. I tested it electrically and found it ok. Additionally the solenoid seemed good so I tested it on another starter and it worked fine so I put it back on. I paid attention to the connections and made sure they were nice and clean. I also sanded the mount plate on the snout and where it contacts the block in hopes of a better ground. The end result was that the problem was fixed. Unfortunately I didn't do each item and retest it separately so I can't say which really did the job. The commutator was very black and the "micas" were flush so I think this was the real problem.

As for the solenoid, the contacts can and do wear which other than a short is about all that goes wrong. On the big diesel they actually have a heavy duty set of contacts available for about $35 that we all carry in the glove box for emergency repair.

Today if you haven't already replaced the starter I would go with an auto parts store lifetime warantee starter and be done with it. I did just that with my Dodge Cummins diesel and have "won" twice already.

The starter is good for about 50k and I'm nearing 50k on the 2nd replacement.

Thanks for the suggestions!

bentwings; It is a diesel. It's my fourth starter 200,000k mi.
I will be looking closely at the thru-the-Bakelite solenoid stud/connection.

R Pope; I will check with a meter the resistance before each start to see if I ever get a high resistance.

Stay tuned.

a "free" trick you can try on GM starter solenoids is to loosen the copper stud enough to rotate it a 1/4 turn(it has a square body like a carriage bolt) then tighten it back up. fresh contact area.

That there would be the conversion diesel?
Thats a high compression deal that went over like a lead plane,nothing but problems,I would get a gear reduction starter or do like was suggested ,get the cheap lifetime warrantee starter and just keep replacing them.

Denny, be assured that the bushings got a good looking over. I just didn't add that to the reply. I've had pretty good luck with GM starters as far as bushings, Mopar and Ford are the problems. Just my experience.

Kcress, what kind of diesel is that?? I think all the light trucks diesels are gear reduction units. My Dodge is. The starter is not really that heavy, maybe half again what GM gasser starter weighs. It's a bit bigger but not a giant. It sure packs a punch and can suck two top of the line batteries flat in a few minutes if it doesn't burn up first. don't ask how I know. It will turn that big Cummins over at -18 f with 15-40 Rotella without too much strain. I have generator in the back to run the block heater and pan heater now however.

Back in the olden days this bug could be traced to the solenoid getting hot and sticking. A tap with a hammer freed it if you didn't want to wait for it to cool off.