ok, so my starter was working great and then intermittently would give that distinct shriek and zing that a starter makes when it doesn't engage all the way. this got progressively worse to the point that it would do it a couple times a week. So, I bought a brand new starter from NAPA and within a week this starter started doing the same thing. Now the NAPA starter is a month old and is doing it almost every day. I've searched old threads about guys building "super starters" but I'd rather have it work like its supposed to without bringing in an engineer to build me custom starter. Any ideas why my truck ate the new starter so fast? what other options do I have?

 

The old starter likely damaged the teeth on the flywheel/flexplate because you baby-ed it for so long...

Richard

 

I agree with Richard...You may have killed the flywheel

Pull the dust cover or what ever it is called

I am sure you will fine that it is full of ground metal and the teeth on the flywheel will be at least half gone


I hope we are wrong.....Good luck

 

Don't say that... damn I hope not, I looked it over pretty good while I had the old one out and what I could see was fine. Also, no fresh or excessive shavings.

 

Most of the shavings would have likely fallen out. All 4 stroke engines will naturally stop at 4 points on the flywheel. so the teeth at those locations are suspect.

it may be that one or two (or more) of those points have been damaged by the old starter.

Other things to check is to disconnect the big cables going to the starter at each end and test the resistance.

Starter and battery cables can corrode inside the sheath causing a voltage drop (the starter doesn't get enough juice).

Richard

 

 

 

The bendix on the starter if failing