Redesigned starter?

[Tired Iron]

I got the famous "click no start" problem. Tap, tap on the starter, it fires right up, drive it home. This happened a couple times so I got the new starter. Here's my problem- The new starter has a different solenoid wire, it has a ring terminal instead of the old spade terminal. There was a manufacturer not in the box saying "due the numerous no crank symptoms, we have changed the wire to the solenoid to a bolt on instead of the original plug in style." (paraphrase) Does this mean my starter may not be TU, can i just clean the corrosion from the spade terminals, slam it back in and get my $130 back? That's a lot of cheese burgers right there.

It's a new (not reman) starter from BBB Ind. #N3224 Called 'Superior 1'

 

[arco777]

Tapping on the body of the starter won't fix a corrosion problem at the terminals. You could see about rebuilding your starter, it may need new brushes installed or the commutator lathed.

 

[Tired Iron]

I forgot to mention I got this starter 2 years ago, only 9000 miles since then. It should be fine internally. The plug is pretty scummy looking, corrosion. Easy fix with the right chemicals, a little contact cleaner should do the trick. I was wondering if anybody else has had this issue with starter problems being in the plug.

 

[mrboyle]

Try it, if it works return the other one and get your money back.

 

[Tired Iron]

I cleaned up the old starter and put it back together. I'm gonna haul the new one around for a while and see if it acts up again, then I will return it.

 

[rhauf]

if the starter does the click but no start problem, the problem lies inside the starter but is easily fixable, here is what i do to fix my old starters for free. done it on a few now, always works, and they havn't had problems since.

first, a look at the problem: the click means the starter gear is popping out to engage the flywheel, but not turning it, this indicates the starter is getting power just fine, and has an internal problem.

the way the starter works, is that thing on the side (i believe is called the bendix) pops the gear out, and has a contact which makes connection as the gear reaches its popped out position, this contact runs the starter motor. these contacts often get dirty, so i just file them lightly (and sometimes bend the spring to add a little tension) and put them back together. fixes the problem, always works.

oh, and while you're in there, be sure to grease the bearings.

edit: you can always tell a connection problem by heat, bad connections have resistance, resistance generates a lot of heat when current is drawn through it, so if you get the click but no start, and it's due to lack of current entering the starter, the connection would get very hot (too hot to keep you're finger on) after only a few seconds of trying. but usually when it's a resistance problem, the starter will buzz (pop out, attempt to run the motor drawing more current, loose voltage, drop in, repeat cycle. only very quickly)

 

[Tired Iron]

Thanks Rhauf, I will definately do this when it craps out in a couple days again.

 

[mikeinri]

FWIW, I replaced starters every year or two for the first few years I owned my 94 Explorer. At around the third starter, the guy told me that this new starter they put in had the new connector, and I never had another problem, ran it something like 4 more years with that starter.

Mike

 

[shaggymane]

rhauf, I"m gonna look for that contact next time I have one off.

I had a different scenario with the 'one loud click - no spin'. After a week of wet rainy, had two ford starters, both 91's, did that. Took em apart, couldn't see anything wrong. On the bench, each one would activate the solenoid by itself and each one would spin the motor by itself using their independent contacts.
Therefore it must be the bare braided cable running from the solenoid on the starter to the starter motor itself. since power flows to the solenoid first then it must be the connection at the starter motor. The large one, the threaded bolt.
About every 1.5 yrs it'll sound like it's dragging when first engaged. then it goes to one loud click - no spin. So I get under there and disturb that connection at the starter motor, not the one where the battery cable comes down. I've learned when it starts acting sluggish do it sooner rather then later.

I suppose i should put some di-electric gel on it or something.