well it happened at lunch

[dustoff]

got home to let the dog out to take a leak and when i started up to come back to work i heard the vaccum cleaner noise and it would not shut off... . the starter apparantly hung up... i cut the ignition off two times and put it in reverse two times and on the third try the engine shut off... cranked it up and here i am back at work... i understand it is the starter selenoid, RIGHT. . to those who have had this problem, is it a difficult thing to replace the selenoid (knowing d/c wants my life savings for a new one)... or am i better off to try to rebuild the selenoid??... if its a lesser of two evils i think i would go for the replacement... . all advise is greatly appreciated... . thanks

 

[dustoff]

i just checked with my local dealer and he said you had to buy the whole starter... . $350 smackers... . anyone know of a rebuild kit or anything like that? thanks again... .

 

[Dieselnerd]

This is a place in Arizona that sells rebuild kits for your solenoid.



Diesel Electric Serv.

520-836-8231



I understand they will ship you a kit at a very reasonable price.

 

[bighammer]

Find out who in your area rebuilds starters. Either they can do it for you(<$50) or sell you the parts.

 

[HEMI®Dart]

Dustoff,



This is starting to happen to alot of the second generation trucks as they get older.



I happened to me. I rebuilt the solenoid and It was fine for 3 months. Than it started to act up again. I had to yank my battery cables the last time to get it to shut down. LUCKILY I was @ work where I could grab a wrench FAST. There probably would have been a hell of a fire. All those AMPS from the dual batteries.



I said screw it and picked up a nice rebuilt starter. Have not had any more trouble. If you can wait for the solenoid kit to get to you, by all means do it.



If you can't wait, there are several decent rebuilt starters available for you truck from about $170 (autolite) and up. They'll come with a no questions asked lifetime warranty too. I have one and never had a problem yet.



See this thread for more info: https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1254&highlight=Starter

 

[dustoff]

thanks for the info HEMI... i have checked on rebuilt ones and they start about 170 and go up... i hope it starts when i go home without any trouble... do i need to just take off the neg. cable from one battery or from both if it hangs up again? thanks again... i guess i will be *sick* tomorrow and tackle the starter replace... i knew my return fuel line was leaking so i might as well do that at the same time... it was probably the culprit anyway... cya

 

[HEMI®Dart]

I had to pull both the ground cables off both batteries to get it to shut down. I had to work so fast, I didn't really have time to think.



You can shut it down by pulling just the drivers side positive cable from the battery. The passenger side battery connects to this too. This may be quicker.

 

[dustoff]

well i ordered a NAPA rebuilt starter and will be out *sick* on wed. to do the work... has anyone ruled out the *can't cut it off problem*to be entirely with the starter selenoid and not the starter relay... . just curious before i jump into it... thanks...

 

[Deezul1]

Mine did it too, I could hear the starter running. The contacts were $ 20. 00 and real easy to change. One was totally trashed and the other looked real good and the guy at the shop said change then both as that is why the rebuild doesnt last as long.

 

[HEMI®Dart]

dustoff,





When my starter hung up, I pulled starter relay out of the Power distribution Center under the hood. It did nothing

 

[dustoff]

thanks HEMI... i went to pick up my starter at NAPA and was disappointed to find a cheap looking starter, with the selenoid threaded post bent, and a threaded opening on the bottom of the selenoid which was not plugged( it may be ok to be that way), but did not feel comfortable with it, so did not pay... the parts person could not tell me if it was a nippo remanuf. with the 2. 5kw rating... the service manual specs this so i was not sure if i was getting the right starter..... anyway i am trying to locate another one as we speak... . but thanks for your input and suggestions... . cya

 

[HEMI®Dart]

Good Call not buying that starter.



I bought a rebuilt Nippondenso starter. Exact same thing as the OEM starter. If they told me it was new, I would have believed them. I looked brand new.



Got mine at Advance Auto, about $233



I guess the power rating we need in 2. 7 kw.



See chart below:



http://dodgeram.org/tech/specs/electrical/starter.html

 

[Missouri Mule]

dustoff,

How long have you had batteries? (some think the run of the starter is caused by low voltage from batteries. )

Anything leaking on your starter ? (like diesel fuel- my theory)



I replaced my battery contact point in the starter solenoid. The other one looked brand new plus the guy would only sell me one.



Eight months now and starter acts brand new. My truck did it three times with "whirr" from starter.

 

[**ICEMAN**]

had the same problem on my 94. contacts were shot. $3 a piece

 

[dustoff]

MM... don't know the age of the batteries for they were on the truck when i bought it about a year ago... . but by looking at them i would say they are not that old ( i know, don't judge a book by its cover)... . anyway the starter is off and i am putting the rebuilt on this afternoon... . hope it resolves the problem... . thanks again for your input... . cya

 

[dustoff]

well i got that starter replaced while i was *sick* yesterday... i took it off the evening before and thought it was going to be a bugger to get back on... . it was rather easy much to my surprise... . the real PITA was replacing the return fuel line while i was under there... wow what a chore... but its done and over... i do have a question though... i was expecting to find fuel in the line but there was not a drop... . the old line looked liked swiss cheese so i assumed it all had leaked out since it had been sitting for a couple of days... how does that fuel get back to the tank... is it through suction, gravity drain , what??? anyway the job is over... she fired right up this morning... . thanks to all for the input prior to the job... . cya

 

[fest3er]

Originally posted by dustoff

i just checked with my local dealer and he said you had to buy the whole starter... . $350 smackers... . anyone know of a rebuild kit or anything like that? thanks again... .

Has anyone replaced the stock electric starter with a pneumatic starter? I heard 'em a couple times and, while distinctively loud, they do sound cool!



Fest3er