Jeep Safari weekend ruined.

My 94' pickup 4WD was having problems starting. Thought it might be the starter and took it in to the local truck shop. They changed some battery clamps and it started to work. About a week later I was having the same problem as before. Turning the ignition and having to wait a few seconds before it would kick over. So intuition got the best of me and I bought a new starter. Took the old one off and sure enough the teeth on the starter were in very rough shape and when tested wasn't working. So I slapped the new one in and.... Now when I try to start the POS you can hear the starter make a RC toy car noise but won't kick the engine over. Next I took the starter off took it to the local parts store. They tested it. Everything was fine, went back and slapped it back on again and still the same noise when I try to start it. So I get someone to pull start it and it turns over and everything is fine. So it couldn't be the engine. And when I try to start it while it's running and makes a ugly noise. Sure sign that the starter is in fact working and extending to the flywheel. So why is it just making the RC toy car noise when I try to start the POS!!!!!!!

 

If the teeth on the old starter were ground down, that will tell you that your flywheel probalby has the same problem. It sounds like you have a manual trans. If it was an auto I would suspect a cracked flexplate. See if you can look in the trans blellhousing and look at the teeth on the flywheel

 

I do have a manual trans. And I already checked out the flywheel and the teeth are in great shape.

 

you sure you got the right starter? maybe a stupid question but I know they can sound like that if they are spinning free. good luck

 

I asked the same question. Actually multiple times. And Napa says it is the exact starter I need.

 

The bendix in the starter must be bad from what you describe. If your teeth are good that is. I know from expearence with the starter off you can look up and see the flywheel with a light. I would look because as someone else said if starter teeth are bad theres a good chance the flywheel is to. Hook up the batt cable and touch the the one that leads from the solenoid to the starter body its self. This will make it kick out. If the bendix extends and doesn't bounce around a lot it works. O yea and ground that thing.

 

Alright when I tried to to the very thing your talking about. It would extend for me at all. But when I took it back to napa and the put it on there starter thing. They said it works.???

 

I have worked at a parts store. The tester has you visually look for the extension. It can pass their tests and not extend. The bendix is what makes it push out. That is what is broken. 100% sure that it is bad with no extension. They suck at there job go tell them it is bad with some confidence. What store did you buy it from?

 

yea definitely sounds like you need a new starter. I've dealt with parts stores before, not for starters but for alternators. toybota is right about the visual test, except for some stores don't even have a visual look, it just load tests it. I'd go in and DEMAND a new one, or your money back.

 

LOL, Napa. I'm going to have to give that a try. I mean it has to be the starter. I drove it to my house to change the starter. At that time it did start the first time.