Dangling Starter!

[RangerX]

Last night, my truck won't start at a friend's house, so I push start it and head home.
Once home, I first clean the battery terminals, hoping for an easy fix. Still won't start, so I crawl under to pull the starter, and find it almost flopping around! The bottom bolt was backed out a good inch, and the top bolt was not even finger tight!
As I'm getting those bolts out, I realize the starter solenoid is also flopping, WTF?! Get the starter out and see that the two small screws holding the solenoid in are both backed out most of the way!
At this point, I'm thinking sabotage. Somebody must've done this to me. Then upon some reflection, I realize I've had a clunking underneath for a while now, but couldn't find it cuz I was looking only at suspension parts.
I'm guessing one main bolt was loose, and vibration loosened the other, plus the solenoid bolts. But I haven't touched the starter since I put it in in Jan 2000.

End of story: I dug up my Autozone receipt w/lifetime warranty, and swapped it for a new one!

 

[VairKing]

Haha, yea my friend had the same thing happen to him, left him stranded at a walmart, so he called me, and i came out there, and crawled under his car and told him it might help if his starter was bolted in, both bolts were gone, it was hanging by the wires!

 

[unclemeat]

I had the same thing happen to me.

 

[RangerX]

Wow. I never thought others would have experienced this! Maybe I better check my Haynes to see if there is a torque spec for those starter bolts.

 

[IAmTodd]

Originally posted by RangerX
Then upon some reflection, I realize I've had a clunking underneath for a while now

I think i shall go home and check mine, I have a clunking underneath mine. This could be the problem. Although i hope not

 

[Elevatorguy]

I had the solenoid just about fall off my rebuilt starter on my Ford pickup that I got at Autozone. I thought the starter was just going bad but when I got under there, I saw that the solenoid had lost the 2 long screws that were holding it together. I have learned my lesson with Autozone. They have the cheapest prices around for a good reason...they sell cheap quality parts. I will buy things there now that are VERY easy to replace as long as they have a lifetime warranty, but anything that takes me some time to do, I go with quality parts.

Godd luck,
Todd

 

[lo_jack]

Hey mine did this all the time...because my rear main was leaking onto those bolts. I live in San Antonio, home of the worst roads in the lower 48. They will bounce off entire exhaust systems given enough time. My starter has wiggled loose a dozen times, but when i backed the bolts out all the way and cleaned them off, then reinstalled them, I havent had a problem since. I still carry the wrench for it though, just in case.