Help removing solenoid nut - clock is ticking

[dreamy.dancer]

Hi there
The starter in my 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 diesel finally died last Friday in my local grocery store parking lot. I was given until today in a few hours to get my parts and move my truck. I received the starter rebuild kit yesterday and got stymmied in the rebuild at one of the solenoid contact bolt nuts. It just would not come off so after much work my daughter and I let my roommate try and he only managed to strip it badly and its still seized. Can anyone tell me what kind of store I should bring my starter into cheaply and quickly get that nut removed. I am lost , running out of tinme and cannot afford to tow the truck or have it towed on me by the grocery store. As you can see in the photo there is only a tiny lip available to get a socket on and now its just chewed right up. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks
Cheri

 

[BillBaker]

From the pictures it looks like mostly it's just the top of the nut that is gouged up and you still have flat surfaces on the nut. Did you try a deep socket on it?

 

[NIsaacs]

Try a thin wall 6 point socket so it clears the insulator.

 

[SnoKing]

Do you have a dremel tool and the little cut off wheels? You could carefully cut the nut on two sides and get it off. You would need a new nut to put it back together.

 

[mwilson]

Isn't the nut and stud included in the starter contact kit?? I ask because having a new one of each in hand gives a lot of options as far as removal....

Is the nut spinning on the stud when you say it is stripped or you simply can't get a wrench to work on the nut???

 

[DavidC]

Panic situation, buy a rebuilt starter at the parts house and fix this one when the panic situation is over

 

[B.G. Smith]

Are you using a metric wrench. Looks like enough nut left if proper size socket is used. I would probably take a diamond point chisel to it and try to back it off.

 

[dreamy.dancer]

Hi there
Thank you for all the replies. I have used a deep socket however on my socket the first few mm's are curved and do not make contact with the nut which im not sure if you can tell from the picture I have little room for contact to begin with since that plastic part covers most of it. The other side did not have an O ring instead it just had a washer and Im wondering what if anything this side has as there is little clearance. Yes so I can just barely get the socket to grip and it will not move at all and yes I have had someone with quite a bit more strength than me work on getting it to budge.
As for the nut I am going to buy a new one from Lordco or somewhere if I can ever get the old one off and no my kit only came with the contacts and plunger no other handy parts. I do have a dremel with those wee cutting blades I will research how cuttinga stuck nut is done if indeed those little cutting wheels can cut. Sadly I just bought a new grinder but I cannot attach the more sturdy cutting wheels I bought on to it as the grinder has a factory defect and the grooves do not line up. I have yet to track down the receipt so that is not yet an option. As for buying a new starter I cannot afford it so removing that nut is imperative.
If I cannot get it off I was wondering what kind of shop I would approach to pay to have someone take it off for me? And what kind of price would I expect to be charged. As a woman especially now that I only drive trucks every single time I have to deal with a repair they try to charge me outrageous prices lol not knowing I am the queen of research. So I try to have a ball park figure so I know if I am indeed being taken for an unbearable ride lol.
Thanks Cheri

 

[dreamy.dancer]

Hi again. I just read about the diamond point chisel and "backing it off" I will research what that means lol Yes I have used both metric and imperial and it may look like it should make enough contact but I have had no luck. Unfortunately, my daughter and I are living on Vancouver Island where the only person we know is far from handy more of a fulltime gamer sadly for us. This is a situation we are not used to as we just have not had a chance to meet anyone as we have a new baby in the house and we require that truck.

Cheri

 

[mwilson]

Find a small starter / alternator repair shop and tell them you got in over your head.....they will probably step up and use your parts...

 

[B.G. Smith]

Sorry, Diamond point is misleading name, just a small square ended chisel with the tip ground at an angle so the face of it resembles a diamond shape, used to remove metal or dig into metal such as a nut to be removed.

 

[Ozymandias]

Hi there
Thank you for all the replies. I have used a deep socket however on my socket the first few mm's are curved and do not make contact with the nut.
Thanks Cheri

I had that problem to with such sockets, usually i grind them down to the point that it is fully engaged from the tip.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

IIRC, that's a 13mm nut and I used a 1/4" drive deep socket (much thinner than a 3/8 drive) that barely fit inside the "cup".

 

[dreamy.dancer]

Hi there everyone
The nut is OFF!! After reading all the amazing replies i received and feeling way more knowledgeable regarding stuck nuts i doused the nut heavily with penetrating oil, wrapped that section with syran wrap and left it to brew overnight until about an hour ago. I still could not move it so i threw my starter in my backpack and walked to Napa and bingo one of the guys got it off. Only charge apparently was the shops pleasure at seeing the visable relief in my face.
This process has been really stressful as i have zero experience with any vehicles and whats got me through it all is forums like this one and the awesome people offering helpful words of advice. I am so grateful. Now I just need to find someone who can put the starter back in cheaply lol
I am dreaming of being on tbe road again soon and thank you all for your help.
Talk to you all soon as my baby has many many other troubles.
Thanks Cheri

 

[JR]

In the future if you have problems with stripped out nuts or bolt heads they make easy out sockets. They are designed to bite into the nut as you apply pressure to the ratchet. Living in the rust belt I've had to use them many times. They have paid for themselves many times over.

This is a good set but there are many others out there for less if you shop around.

ProtoA 10 Piece Bolt Extractor Socket Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00206SLSU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_PVr6CbARBS5SX

 

[JimMiller]

I’m way late, but along with the great mechanical suggestions I would suggest using
one of 2 Super liquid penetrating products, (1) Kroil, &/or (2) PB Blaster. I recommend Kroil due to low odor, now PB Blaster has an odor that will curl your eyebrows & made your nostrils close, & let it soak 4 a day. Cheri U well with the penetrating oil. Happy miles to U

YakimaKid. 8/1/19

 

[BigPapa]

Kroil is amazing stuff and made right here in Nashville, just down the road from me. I've never had much luck with the PB Blaster.

Speaking of odor, one of the techs I worked with a few years back called the Kroil "Cocaine". I asked him why one day and he said that's what it smells like, cocaine. I told him I wouldn't know. I did suggest he needed a drug test....

 

[mwilson]

I have good luck with PB Blaster when used in the following manner...

(1) Heat the obnoxious offending rusted POS fastener with a propane torch, not red hot but just enough to warm things up.

(2) Hit it with a stream of PB, if it smokes you have done Step (1) correctly. The heat will draw the PB right into the threads...

(3) Heat it again, may have a little flame action..be prepared by shielding anything that could get damaged....

(4) Then go at it with an impact and six point socket...make sure you have adequate air supply because if you stop halfway the fastener will seize again and the next attempt will shear it off...ask me how I know this.....