Starter Problems

[KGoode]

A couple of weeks ago I started my truck and the starter stayed ingaged, I turned the key off but it still was stuck and keeped turning the engine over finely it quit with turning the key off and on. The other morning I went out to start it and it just clicked like my batteries were dead, I keeped turning the key on and off and it started like there was no problems. Any ideas?



Thanks Kevin.

 

[edgeman]

My truck is doing something close to what yours is doing. I was pulling my boat last summer, 95 degrees out, I stopped to fuel up. After a cool down i shut er down. After fueling i started it up, no problem starting, but the starter stayed engaged. Man i didnt know what to do! Well i turned the key off,it kept running with the starter still going. I pulled the key out, just to prove to myself,yep i turned it off. I was in a panic, here sits my pride and joy with a major problem and i dont know what to do! I had my trusty leatherman with me so i opened the hood and took the positive cables off the batteries. It shut down!!! After a few mins i put a cable back on, it started cranking! I took the cable off, scratched my head for awhile and tried it again, this time every thing worked. Since that day its happened 1 other time, with the exact same results. I now carry a half inch wrench and a skrewdriver all the time. The 2nd time it was cold out so i have ruled out the heat thing. Hope some one has an idea on this.

 

[illflem]

Both of you have starter contacts that are shot. Pull the starter and take it to an auto parts or starter shop and buy new contacts, less than $15. Easy job to replace.

 

[mwilson]

I just finished fixing my starter this afternoon so I feel I should respond. Elsewhere in these posts are many responses to this and I want to add my experience. Contact Diesel Electric Service at 520-836-8231 and talk to Keith. He sells a new contact kit as I'm sure that is what you need. My truck was doing the same thing. The part number is R. 19907 solenoid repair kit. Cost was 29. 50 plus 8. 50 freight. He has pretty good instuctions with this but the only thing I found was use the old outside insulators and nuts as I could not get the new ones tight enough. Tried his but my starter locked in first time. Took starter back off and apart, discovered cable side contact had twisted when I tightend battery cable. Used old ones over and tightend, checked for alignment, tightend and checked again. Stayed put that time!!!

The old insulators are thinner and old nuts are thicker so wrench grabs better. Also like they say elsewhere in here change your prefilter screen while the starter is off. No better time to get at it.

Part number for prefilter screen kit is Fleetguard 3845400S. Hunted all over up here for a couple and found local Ford medium duty dealer had them right in stock!! If you really want to abuse yourself, get ready to hug the front driveshaft and change the two rubber fuel lines that get rotten. There are several posts about that in here also.

Would like to add that all the information I needed was here in all the posts and this is the best 35. 00 I ever spent for anything in my entire life!!!!!!! TDR RULES!!!

 

[edgeman]

mwilson, illflem,

thanks for the response. Not wanting to sound too ignorant or anything, but, the pre filter screen is in,under,arround the fuel filter? And yes, i plan on changing the rubber fuel lines. Are they special lines or can i use regular fuel hose from napa?

 

[mwilson]

Hi edgeman,

The prefilter is mounted right beside and forward of the transfer or fuel pump, whatever you know it as. The line I used was simply good quality gates 5/16" gas line which your friendly local NAPA store will have.

Can't remember where it is in here but a gentleman gave a very nice method of changing these from underneath which involves releasing the steel lines on bellhousing so you can swing the lines down so you can get at the lower clamps. Only thing I want to add is on my automatic I had to take off transmission end of shift rod holder so I could bring the lines out through. Do a quick search and should come right up.



I MEAN IT--- TDR RULES!!!

 

[KGoode]

illflem, mwilson, thanks for the reply thats a big help



Kevin

 

[edgeman]

illflem,mwilson,

thanks again for the replys. ill start getting all the stuff arround. i think ill wait for a little warmer weather tho. its 0 right now. any idea how much 5/16 hose ill need?





TDR DOES RULE!!!

 

[illflem]

You will need about 18" of line, get 24" to be safe. Return line is 5/16, input line 3/8. mwilson was a little misleading, make sure you get fuel line rated for diesel, regular gas line will fail. Napa does carry it though.

 

[edgeman]

Illflem,

im on it! it sure helps knowing what i need b4 getting started. thanks again! Edgeman

 

[Cummins Corvette]

You guys check this out. There is more than one way that the starter can get stuck on. I have had the solenoid contacts go bad on me too, but in mine it just clicked without cranking, it didn't ever get stuck on. Here is the thread I started Friday about another thing that can make it keep cranking with the key off and the enging not starting: https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=35963



That silly little relay almost made a big mess of my pants and seat!

 

[edgeman]

CAnderson,

i read your thread, and i see i have several things to look into. its hard to figure out cause it has only happened 2 times. that starter solenoid you mentioned, is that right on the starter? is it expensive? thanks for the help! Edgeman

 

[Deezul1]

The starter solinoid is on the starter and is easy to take apart and change the contacts. Any place that rebuilds starters should have the parts. About $10. 00 or $12. 00 should buy the contacts.

 

[Todd T]

Edgeman and Deezul, Chris is talking about the starter relay that is in the PDC. i just had a post on friday about a similar thing.



my relay was OK but the wire to it, (under the relay base in the PDC) was falling off and not contacting it good. i would also recommend replacing both the shut off solenoid relay and the starter relay on a regular basis. or at least keep one of each with you.

 

[QRTRHRS]

My starter stayed running back in Jan also. I ran into my garage to grab a wrench to remove the cables but before I could, the shutoff selenoid smoked. Big bucks for that. Then, the new and improved selenoid is larger than the original and rubbed my master cylinder. I cured that by putting washers between the firewall and the cylinder to cant the cylinder away from the engine. Then had to adjust the brake light switch.



Sure would have been cheaper and easier to replace the contacts which I had to do anyway of course.

 

[edgeman]

Todd T,

At the expense of sounding ignorant,again,can you please tell me what the PDC is. thanks, Edgeman

 

[Deezul1]

Power Distribution Center



on the drivers side fender well, where all the relays and fuses are.

 

[Cummins Corvette]

The relay I mentioned is NOT in the pdc. It is on the firewall directly behind the govenor housing on the injection pump. There is a starter relay in the pdc, but the relay for the pullup coil in the shutoff solenoid is on the firewall.

 

[RJ2]

Do we have any pictures for the shut off solenoid. Thanks RJ

 

[Todd T]

sorry Chris, i got that.



Edgeman was asking about the starter solenoid, he read about in your post.



I was trying to tell him where THAT was.



RJ i will take a picture of the shut off relay and shutoff solenoid and post on here for you.



a few things to look at when you have a no start or no pull up condition.



1. shut off solenoid relay- located on the firewall just to the left of the center of truck, above fuel filter canister. there are two relays up there. its the one towards the drivers side.



2. starter solenoid relay - located in the Power Distribution Center, black box, on left (drivers) fender between battery and hood hinge. you can swap it with the trailer relay for testing.



3. connector at shut off solenoid- clean inspect, then jumper the white wire to 12v and verify the solenoid actually pulls up. if not go buy a new one.



4. clean and inspect blue wire on battery teminal of the left side (drivers) battery. also check that the fusable link is good.





a few things to check if starter continues to run or truck wont shut off.



1. starter motor contacts. remove starter and clean or replace severly burned contacts inside.



2. starter solenoid relay- located inside the PDC labeled as such. you can swap it with the trailer relay to test.



3. check both batteries with a stress test. if questionable replace



4. clean and inspect all battery cables (both sides, both teminals)