Starter issues again!

[TrailBeast]

And that was smart. You got an actual Chrysler part and not a cheap POS parts store rebuild.

Yea, I can see spending the money on things like internal engine and trans parts, but a dime a dozen mini...?
15 bucks I can replace it every month if I had to.
My 15 dollar Ebay keyless entry died the other day dammit.
Only lasted 5 years of every day use.
Got another one in already, so that’s done.
Now my interior overhead light doesn’t work anymore.
I’m sure it’s minor, (no power to the fixture) maybe I’ll do that today.

 

[dartfreak75]

Done some testing this afternoon. I checked the battery i got 13v i got 13 at the top post on the relay and 12.6 on the bottom post (when tuning the key) 0 when not. So the relay is working. I have 13 at the starter on the hot side and 12.6 on the solenoid side when turning the key. The neutral safety switch is working because I don't get a click when I turn the key in gear. Any ideas other than a pos starter? Lol

 

[dano]

Pull it and get it tested to verify if bad or not. If not then you have might have a lack of amperage issue, which could be in the main lead.

 

[RustyRatRod]

have someone hold the key in the start position and give the starter some really good WHACKS with a hammer. You can whack, can't you?

 

[JoePole1]

I feel your pain. I just replaced my working starter with a parts yard "mini" off of an 01 in prep for header install. First ride with it yesterday I was out about 75 miles filling up an nothing. No click. Started on the third try figured that's odd. Finished the cruise with a few more stops and drove back home. About 200 miles total. Had to push it into the garage last night after several attempts to start. Will troubleshoot this week. It looks like it was a replacement starter so may be suspect. Will see. Sure am glad I made it home.

 

[dartfreak75]

Ok guys I pulled the starter and bench tested it its bad!! The solenoid wire literally broke off in my hand. Looks like the wire just broke due to bad soldering! I requested a refund it has been in the car less than a month. I guess I'm gonna try and go to a junkyard and get a used original one. I hate to drive that far for a freaking starter the local pick and pull is like 100 miles away.

 

[fishmens67]

check the main bulkhead connector. more times than not the problem will be found there when dealing with intermittent issues.

 

[JoePole1]

I feel your pain. I just replaced my working starter with a parts yard "mini" off of an 01 in prep for header install. First ride with it yesterday I was out about 75 miles filling up an nothing. No click. Started on the third try figured that's odd. Finished the cruise with a few more stops and drove back home. About 200 miles total. Had to push it into the garage last night after several attempts to start. Will troubleshoot this week. It looks like it was a replacement starter so may be suspect. Will see. Sure am glad I made it home.

Found it!!! Easy fix. I removed the battery ground when I replaced the starter. I must have bumped the brown wire/connector at the starter solenoid. It was on the terminal but loose. Always check the easy stuff first. BTW. That little starter really turns the engine over nice but I kinda miss that mopar cranking sound.

 

[mopowers]

Ok guys I pulled the starter and bench tested it its bad!! The solenoid wire literally broke off in my hand. Looks like the wire just broke due to bad soldering! I requested a refund it has been in the car less than a month. I guess I'm gonna try and go to a junkyard and get a used original one. I hate to drive that far for a freaking starter the local pick and pull is like 100 miles away.

View attachment 1715719040

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If they don't give you a new one, re-solder that sumbitch and stick it back in. There's nothing to those Denso-style starters. If that connection is the only thing wrong with it, you're sitting pretty.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Ok guys I pulled the starter and bench tested it its bad!! The solenoid wire literally broke off in my hand. Looks like the wire just broke due to bad soldering! I requested a refund it has been in the car less than a month. I guess I'm gonna try and go to a junkyard and get a used original one. I hate to drive that far for a freaking starter the local pick and pull is like 100 miles away.

View attachment 1715719040

View attachment 1715719041

Yeah ain't no hammer gonna make that work. lol

 

[Bewy]

Bob,
Not the N/start sw in this case because the OP says he shorted the terminals on the starter & that bypasses the switches/relays.

 

[dartfreak75]

If they don't give you a new one, re-solder that sumbitch and stick it back in. There's nothing to those Denso-style starters. If that connection is the only thing wrong with it, you're sitting pretty.

I took your advice and resoldered it today. Works like new (on the bench test) haven't got it back in the car yet. Looks like that was my issue tho.

 

[mopowers]

Nice work! I had to do the same when I took mine apart to clean/refurbish it.

What's with the marking on the copper contacts? You may want to hit those with some emery to clean them up since you're already in there. Those contacts are pretty much the only wear items on those starters.

 

[dartfreak75]

Nice work! I had to do the same when I took mine apart to clean/refurbish it.

What's with the marking on the copper contacts? You may want to hit those with some emery to clean them up since you're already in there. Those contacts are pretty much the only wear items on those starters.

View attachment 1715719509

I noticed that too I wasn't sure if that was normal or not. It is a new starter I thought maybe that was just part of the breaking in process

 

[George Jets]

I noticed that too I wasn't sure if that was normal or not. It is a new starter I thought maybe that was just part of the breaking in process

^^^^^ That is where the solenoid pulls back into to switch on power to your armature to spin it. You want those clean.

It lays the solenoid washer across those 2 copper posts to complete the circuit.

 

[George Jets]

^^^^^ Looks like the red part is the electric magnet, that is energized by power coming in from the single wire from the start relay.

When that red magnet is energized it pulls the solenoid back to complete the power circuit to spin the armature.

If the wire you soldered is broken, no magnet, no maget no spinning starter.

Lol . . Sure you have that all figured out by now.

 

[George Jets]

We actually rebuilt our GM starters in the early 80s.

New Brushes, turn the armature in a lathe to clean up the copper contact areas. Or spin the armatures in the drill press and emry cloth the cooper contact area clean.

Then install the new replacement bendix drive.

We would take apart the solenoid and clean up all of the internal contacts. Sometimes turning the contact posts 180 degrees and reinstalling them and sometimes flipping over the contact washer to gain a new clean contact surface area.

Then new bushings in the nose cone and tail housing cover, lube them up, reassemble and go again.

Gear reduction starters would just replace as they were too complicated.

Today we just replace them. Buy them at the local Advance auto parts Store (Carquest) that way if they fail in a couple months they just exchange them, no questions asked. Have had no problems with the mopar mini starters yet.

Every mopar that comes through gets a mini starter. Starts them like they have fuel injection.