Impossible starter

[ParkerRocker]

How long is the starter on my 92 Ex expected to last? it has about 136,000 miles on the engine.

The relay on the firewall works fine, but the solenoid on the starter itself rotates when i take a ratchet to the bolt that holds the cable on, is that normal?

If i remove the starter and hook it directly to the battery it spins just fine, but i only tried this several times. When its on the car itself, it doesn't work. I checked the cables as well.

How would i check the current coming off the battery cables? I'm not sure if i should maybe replace them before i look at the starter?

My thoughts are that if i can bridge the solenoid on the starter and it spins, then the cables are doing their job right, so it must be the solenoid/starter itself right?

 

[Masterd]

My starter has 286k on it....so I'd say its life span is quite long.

 

[seth247]

im not entirely sure what all youve tried to test yet but

if you bridge the starter relay and the starter motor runs then the problem is the relay or the wires running to it.

 

[yellowcat]

have autozone check your starter before replacing it. You may not be testing it properly.

 

[91exploreron37]

X2 yea I would have autozone test the starter and how do you know the fender mounted soleniod switch is good? If it clicks doesnt neccassarily mean its good.

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

Check the ground cable on the side of the block. It may have enough of a connection to run the accesories, but not enough to provide the required current for the starter. Follow the negative cable down to where it connects to the frame and then a little further to where it connects to the engine block and make sure they aren't corroded or broken.

 

[410Fortune]

Bingo Diff whack daddy nailed it

The starter gets its - feed from the engine block/trans bellhousing on some models (some models have a - cable going directly to starter)

What I do is test the battery voltage (around 12.2V with key off) then see if you are getting the same 12.2V at the starter. If its lower then 12.2 or watever your reading was then you have a + cable issue or a ground issue....

Do the same thing with the key on truck running, should be around 14.4V at battery and starter.

starter is always HOT but it wont run until the relay mounted on the starter is powered up through the small signal wire, + when key is in start position.

 

[ParkerRocker]

checked and double checked all the connections, i have a new battery, and current is strong throughout the entire length. took out the starter and used jumper cables to test it directly. it only worked half the time. Shucks tested it and told me that my suspicions were correct, solenoid on the starter was dying. Replaced it, and new 1 works like a champ.

only $109... ouch. Then gas... ouch

Apparently the stock starters for the first gen ex had a design flaw and corroded from the terminals into the solenoid quite frequently. If urs still works, i would reccomend slathering it up in dielectric grease to preserve it.