more starter stuff
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2008
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From: Blackwater, VA
more starter stuff
i'm guessing we have an old how-to replace starter thread but i can't find it 
so, the current story goes- no start this morning. got radio and dummy lights but no cranking when i turn the key. i have never killed a starter before so i don't know what the clicks sounds like but she makes a noise something like a click when i try to crank her over. popped the hood and my battery terminals are damp again and she seems to be sprouting corrosion overnight (just cleaned it off monday, and it's already back today).
whether or not this is a factor i don't know- but in all the flooding from the nor'easter last week, i did have her out thursday and went through some pretty huge puddles and she wouldn't start for three days after that. i don't have a garage either so she sat out in pouring rain and high wind for 4 days straight. she fired right up monday and i drove her a couple days this week with no trouble until today. which makes me lean toward starter or else batteries if not starter. would my starter fail intermittantly or just quit outright?
other thoughts?
so, the current story goes- no start this morning. got radio and dummy lights but no cranking when i turn the key. i have never killed a starter before so i don't know what the clicks sounds like but she makes a noise something like a click when i try to crank her over. popped the hood and my battery terminals are damp again and she seems to be sprouting corrosion overnight (just cleaned it off monday, and it's already back today).
whether or not this is a factor i don't know- but in all the flooding from the nor'easter last week, i did have her out thursday and went through some pretty huge puddles and she wouldn't start for three days after that. i don't have a garage either so she sat out in pouring rain and high wind for 4 days straight. she fired right up monday and i drove her a couple days this week with no trouble until today. which makes me lean toward starter or else batteries if not starter. would my starter fail intermittantly or just quit outright?
other thoughts?
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 176
Likes: 1
From: Dundas, IL
Mines been down the last few days with the same symptoms. Pretty sure it's a connection on the starter for me. Mine likes to vibrate loose. If it doesn't have a lock washer on it it's getting one this time. Might get down there and clean/snug those up before any parts store run.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 7,841
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From: Vacaville, Ca
Try having someone turn the key and you give the starter a good smack with a hammer. If it begins to start, thats your problem. Don't worry, you cannot hurt the starter.
If it doesn't help, check the voltage on your batteries. They should read 11.5 - 12 volts if they are charged.
If it doesn't help, check the voltage on your batteries. They should read 11.5 - 12 volts if they are charged.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,087
Likes: 189
From: Reno, NV
Check the battery cables & connections for any corrosion & make sure all connections are clean and tight.
Test the voltage at the batteries. If you know someone that has a tester that can check the batteries under load (while cranking) that could be helpful.
Check your alternator & voltage regulator. If you are getting wetness, your electric system could be over charging your batteries.
You can bypass the starter solenoid by jumping the posts on the starter
using a screw driver. While someone turns the key, touch both posts at the same time with the metal part of the screw driver. If it cranks, your solenoid may be bad.
You can also pull your starter (and alternator if it's suspect) and have them tested at an auto parts store.
If this all started after the storm, I'd suspect that you got water in your starter...
Test the voltage at the batteries. If you know someone that has a tester that can check the batteries under load (while cranking) that could be helpful.
Check your alternator & voltage regulator. If you are getting wetness, your electric system could be over charging your batteries.
You can bypass the starter solenoid by jumping the posts on the starter
using a screw driver. While someone turns the key, touch both posts at the same time with the metal part of the screw driver. If it cranks, your solenoid may be bad.
You can also pull your starter (and alternator if it's suspect) and have them tested at an auto parts store.
If this all started after the storm, I'd suspect that you got water in your starter...
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 311
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From: Santa Barbara and Ottawa
I really liked the look of the beefy starter in this thread:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...-starting.html
I would have gone for one myself, but the posting came a week after I already mine
Some peeps think the upper bolt on the starter is tough to reach. I had no problems with it in the least, I was even able to start it by hand, and just needed an extension to torque it down.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...-starting.html
I would have gone for one myself, but the posting came a week after I already mine
Some peeps think the upper bolt on the starter is tough to reach. I had no problems with it in the least, I was even able to start it by hand, and just needed an extension to torque it down.
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From: Blackwater, VA
ha, yeah, she does...never ending labor of love seems like! thanks much for all the tips, i will have to save all the info for future reference.
i figured i would start with the easiest and cheapest, so i attacked the battery terminals with a wire brush and a squirt bottle of baking soda/water (would you believe we had NO baking soda in the house and i had to go bum some-and a trickle charger-off my friend??). she hesitated A LOT but she started. this was about an hour ago...shut her down, started up again, so i took her for a spin. no shudders or anything, shifted nice, so i am happy now
i prolly shoulda put her on the trickle charger- can't get the batteries tested til tommorrow, so the big mystery is will she start tomorrow morning? lol, hopefully it will go better than this morning- red had a flat tire, and miss trouble wouldn't start, so that left my sister and i with just my honda to share. fun times! :P
i figured i would start with the easiest and cheapest, so i attacked the battery terminals with a wire brush and a squirt bottle of baking soda/water (would you believe we had NO baking soda in the house and i had to go bum some-and a trickle charger-off my friend??). she hesitated A LOT but she started. this was about an hour ago...shut her down, started up again, so i took her for a spin. no shudders or anything, shifted nice, so i am happy now
i prolly shoulda put her on the trickle charger- can't get the batteries tested til tommorrow, so the big mystery is will she start tomorrow morning? lol, hopefully it will go better than this morning- red had a flat tire, and miss trouble wouldn't start, so that left my sister and i with just my honda to share. fun times! :P
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 921
Likes: 1
From: Denver CO
To try to combat your apparent corrosion problem you could try doing a couple of things. you can buy at most parts stores a set of little felt circles that go between your batteries and the wires to help keep it from climbing the posts to the connections, or you can take some grease and slime the entire terminals from the wire ends to the battery. The corrosion is a result of sulfuric acid vapor, moisture, and air. The grease will create an air tight seal to keep the corrosion from forming on the connections. Dont use it on the starter though itll get too hot and could cause a fire.
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Thread Starter
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2008
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From: Blackwater, VA
moisture huh? thanks...may look into that since it is looking like one wet winter here. i think we've had maybe 2 sunny days in the past two weeks, and that was nowhere near enough to dry us out from the nor'easter. ugh.
no start again yesterday am...i tried to jump-start her in the afternoon with no-go and then just in case tried smacking the starter and still nothing.
i'm putting new batteries in this morning as soon as my buddy gets his lazy a$$ up and brings them over for me. the ones i have now are the ones she had when i bought her in april 08 and i have killed them on at least 3 separate occasions, so i'm biting the bullet $-wise and gambling this is strictly batteries and not a starter issue.
no start again yesterday am...i tried to jump-start her in the afternoon with no-go and then just in case tried smacking the starter and still nothing.
i'm putting new batteries in this morning as soon as my buddy gets his lazy a$$ up and brings them over for me. the ones i have now are the ones she had when i bought her in april 08 and i have killed them on at least 3 separate occasions, so i'm biting the bullet $-wise and gambling this is strictly batteries and not a starter issue.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 163
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From: Thunder Bay, Canada
Don't just smear regular grease on them. What you want is "dielectric" grease. If you clean up your cable ends, and tighten them down good when installing, you might notice your starter is winding up faster than before.
If so, there's a good chance only one battery was starting your engine. I had this a few weeks ago when it started turning cool. It seems only my driver's side battery was doing the starting all summer. Some good cleaning and new dielectric grease, and my truck rolled over faster then ever.
If so, there's a good chance only one battery was starting your engine. I had this a few weeks ago when it started turning cool. It seems only my driver's side battery was doing the starting all summer. Some good cleaning and new dielectric grease, and my truck rolled over faster then ever.
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Posting Guru
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From: Blackwater, VA
ok, so just for grins, i had my old batteries tested at napa. they are a little weak but still showing enough amps that she ought to be at least cranking. those terminals are now about as clean as they've ever been.
so, now what? starter?
so, now what? starter?
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 163
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From: Thunder Bay, Canada
If it doesn't even try to turn over, my next check would be the solenoid on your passenger fender, if you haven't already. When mine up and quit recently, it wouldn't even click.
Then beyond that, it's taking the starter off and getting it tested.
If your remote solenoid and starter are fine, then you have to consider the red cable that goes from the drivers battery to passenger battery and then to the starter.
Then beyond that, it's taking the starter off and getting it tested.
If your remote solenoid and starter are fine, then you have to consider the red cable that goes from the drivers battery to passenger battery and then to the starter.
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From: Blackwater, VA
i was getting absolutely nothing...not cool! pulled the starter and got that tested too. it came out not just ok but very strong. both solenoids checked out. so we gave it all a good cleaning with the wire brush and put it back together and she cranked but very weak. so we hooked up the cables and were able to jump-start from my buddy's (6.0L!! 
) powerstroke. i kept her running for about an hour, some driving, some idling. will probably go check and see one more time tonight if she will fire up
the original t-giving vacation plan was taking the horses to my parents' place, but i'm a little unsure about the wisdom of even a short road trip. i mean theoretically, everything's fine now...
the dodge, of course, is STILL out of commission
) powerstroke. i kept her running for about an hour, some driving, some idling. will probably go check and see one more time tonight if she will fire upthe original t-giving vacation plan was taking the horses to my parents' place, but i'm a little unsure about the wisdom of even a short road trip. i mean theoretically, everything's fine now...
the dodge, of course, is STILL out of commission