HELP! Starter issues and Im in Mexico

[deepseeman]

First thanks for looking. Im currently in Rosarito, mx and last night my truck started and the starter kept spinning. not knowing what it was I shut her down and the starter was still spinning. I disconnected battery leads, tapped on starter and tried reconnecting. had sparks at terminals upon reconnecting. I pulled starter and investigated. found stater was really warm. cooled it off and re-installed. tried to start and just got a click. tried jumping starter and same click. any suggestions? i dont want to put her on the hook to cross the border. $$$$.

 

[tbearatkin]

Sounds like your starter relay went bad. Look at the doghead starter relay post. http://www.steelsoldiers.com/cucv/60960-doghead-starter-relay-modifcation.html

That may help you if the parts are available in Mexico. Should be if you can find an auto parts store. Hopefully you got it shut off before it fried any wires.

 

[deepseeman]

Uggghh. I am about to pull the starter and see if they can test it down here. im doubting it, seeing that its 24v. I truly hope its not the relay. any way to test to make sure?

 

[Disciple]

It's the starter relay. Fried the starter. Same thing happened to mine only I was actually driving when mine started firing off. By the time I pulled over, popped the hood and grabbed my tools to disconnect the batteries, she was smoking. You'll need a new starter or get that one rebuilt. Yes, it's 24V. You might be able to find someone to rebuild that one down there. The relays are junk, when they go, they fuse shut. I have a new relay here I could send you but won't do you any good until you get that starter fixed. Also, there's a reason I have a new one sitting here. I'd either do the Doghead mod or put it on a push-button. That's what I did.

 

[Disciple]

Just to put this out there, there is one more option, but it wouldn't be my first. You could convert to 12v now. If you get a stock civvy 12v starter off a 6.2L you could disconnect an alternator and battery, do the resistor bypass on the firewall if you haven't already, throw the new starter on a push-button (or even just jumper it with a piece of wire for the meantime) and you're all set.

 

[Chief_919]

Yep- your relay killed your starter.

As a temporary fix, find a 12v starter (parts stores even in Mexico should have them)

Get 3 feet of battery cable and 12 feet of 10ga wire as well, and some electrical tape.

Remove old starter and set it in the cab. Tape over the ends of the wires that went to it really well so they don't short, you won't be using them.

Install the 12v starter. Run the new battery cable from the solenoid to the front battery positive terminal. Make sure it is the front battery.

Run 10ga wire from the solenoid (where the small wire would go, I forget what it is marked) up by the front battery. When you want to start turn switch on in the cab, pop hood, and touch the end of the 10ga wire to the positive terminal. When truck starts, pull wire back and set it aside.

It is a kludge, but it will get you rolling. If you have more time you can install a switch on the 10ga wire, either in cab or under the hood. Make sure it is a momentray push switch so you don't fry your new starter.

 

[deepseeman]

hey, great ideas! Im off to the parts store to see what I can find. appreciate the help.

 

[doghead]

Yep- your relay killed your starter.

As a temporary fix, find a 12v starter (parts stores even in Mexico should have them)

Get 3 feet of battery cable and 12 feet of 10ga wire as well, and some electrical tape.

Remove old starter and set it in the cab. Tape over the ends of the wires that went to it really well so they don't short, you won't be using them.

Install the 12v starter. Run the new battery cable from the solenoid to the front battery positive terminal. Make sure it is the front battery.

Run 10ga wire from the solenoid (where the small wire would go, I forget what it is marked) up by the front battery. When you want to start turn switch on in the cab, pop hood, and touch the end of the 10ga wire to the positive terminal. When truck starts, pull wire back and set it aside.

It is a kludge, but it will get you rolling. If you have more time you can install a switch on the 10ga wire, either in cab or under the hood. Make sure it is a momentray push switch so you don't fry your new starter.

or, If you unplug the underdash starter relay and jumper the purple wire to the purple with white stripe wire, you can still use the original small wire on the starter to activate the starter solenoid(unplugging and jumping the purple"permanently" will resupply the stater solenoid with 12V from the key). This jumper can be made with 3" of 12ga wire and 2, 1/4" male blade terminals.

No need to unhook the rear battery or passenger side alt.

Just use a new large starter cable and connect it to the front battery positive terminal(as Chief said).

edit, Oh yeah, don't drink the water...

 

[deepseeman]

ok...so i took the starter to an electrical shop and they have the starter working. you should see the the contraption they have to bench test starters. no luck on a stock relay. before I attempt to do the dogfish conversion, is there a way to bypass the relay as 24v?

 

[K9Vic]

If you do not want to do the Doghead mod there, you can use this relay to start it to get back home, but unplug it after you start the truck. These will not last long and will either lock open or closed.

Search: 35910 | Relay - Blower Motor | AutoZone.com
Part Number: 35910

 

[doghead]

ok...so i took the starter to an electrical shop and they have the starter working. you should see the the contraption they have to bench test starters. no luck on a stock relay. before I attempt to do the dogfish conversion, is there a way to bypass the relay as 24v?

The thing on top of the starter is a Solenoid.

The thing under the dash is a relay.

Which part do they NOT have?

If you cannot find a 24v solenoid for the starter, you might be best off to buy a complete 12v starter and make the modifications needed to use that to get home.

If you cannot find the relay that is called for in the "doghead relay mod", you can use a common "ford" style relay instead. You'll need to cut and replace 3 or 4 wire ends to do that(or the Doghead relay mod).

is there a way to bypass the relay as 24v?

I have no idea what you mean by this...

 

[319]

before i attempt to do the dogfish conversion, is there a way to bypass the relay as 24v?

who???

 

[deepseeman]

If you do not want to do the Doghead mod there, you can use this relay to start it to get back home, but unplug it after you start the truck. These will not last long and will either lock open or closed.

Search: 35910 | Relay - Blower Motor | AutoZone.com
Part Number: 35910

ok. This was the only relay I found down here. I thought about the ford relay, but they didnt have those either. I couldnt find dogheads relay (sorry about the fish part, lack of sleep). so i attempted the temp fix with above said RELAY and it went up in smoke.

contemplating a long ride home on a hook, I put everything back together as stock. the only part that was fixed was my starter. I didnt have the time or resources to run around to find a 12v starter etc. feeling defeated, I decided to have a couple of tacos while waiting for the tow truck.

tow truck arrived, driver spoke great english, and I told him my problem. He insisted on looking at it. so he did.

guess what? he turns the key and the **** thing starts with no starter running on issues. I felt like an idiot. I then disconnected my batteries and tipped the driver. I am now back in the states.

Im gonna spend the afternoon chasing down the doghead relay part and install.

boy, those tacos sure were good.......thanks for everybodies help and input. I have learned another cucv experience.

 

[edpdx]

Cool story to follow, and there was a happy ending in it for you. How lucky that the driver had the touch. For a while it looked like you were in deep ***. Well who knows... after you had those tacos...

 

[overkill375]

lotsa good guys that have good advice on this site. glad you got home.

 

[deepseeman]

update...performed the doghead mod and she starts right up. Man, that popping click is hard to get used too. I want to thank everyone again for their help.

 

[Terracoma]

Man, that popping click is hard to get used too.

Mine is more of a "snap", but it sounds so heavy-duty, I love it.

More proof (in the pudding) that the AC40 relay is junk... Glad everything worked out for you!

 

[ralbelt]

After a few hundred startups you don't even notice it.

 

[doghead]

I don't notice it or the GP relay (sounds) ever.

My seatbelt buzzer usually works.