starter electric gremlins??

[MattNC]

Hi All. My starter and I are in a love hate relationship. I posted a while back that my starter wasn't fully engaging on my '93 M998 6.2L. Long story short I pulled it, took it to the starter shop and they rebuilt it fully and found that burrs had made their way into the starter and were keeping it from engaging the gear fully forward when the solenoid kicked in.

So I installed it, enjoyed a dozen rides or so and a similar thing happened again. Another long story short I pulled it and took it back and they checked it free of charge same day and said they must have missed a burr and that it was hung up again. Just before this the hmmwv would start and then had a few seconds of a sound like a pump was running before going to normal. I am guessing it may have been spinning the starter a few seconds if it was slow to retract with the burr there. They walked me through a bench test and it sounded great and operated correctly.

So I bench press this thing in again, hook everything up the same day and now the starter spins but doesn't engage forward apparently. I can hear the starter spin just fine, but its not grinding and its also not turning over the engine.

I'm going to clean all the terminals again on the connections, and also watch underneath via a mirror with the dust cover off as a friend turns it over to confirm the gear is not or is moving forward.

I have two theories I need help with:

- It is moving forward with the solenoid but its ground a keyway off or whatever else could have occurred where the gear moves forward but just spins on the shaft. The mirror test should help with this.

- The second is it is not being actuated forward. The solenoid bench tested fine, but I cannot follow the wiring diagram. Is there a reason other than a bad connection on the starter that it would turn over but not provide juice to the solenoid? Does the smart start system or any computer controller have any say on when the solenoid actuates or not?

Thanks for your help

Next step may be buying a remanufactured starter.

Matt

 

[MattNC]

Here is a video of testing the starter. I’m thinking it’s spinning on the shaft. It started this time and we tried it 3-4 times after that and it didn’t spin but started with kind of a clunk as the starter gear engaged forward.

I’m thinking it’s time for a new rebuilt starter.

 

[Hmmv4me]

Not a pro or anything, but sounds like the solenoid needs to be replaced. Not sure if they are changeable on not on these things. Looks like a pretty standard starter though.

 

[Valor]

I don't have an M998 but I do have a GMC suburban with a 6.5. I had trouble with my starter and replaced the solenoid but it still acted up by not turning the engine. I got a used gear-reduction starter at a junk yard and it worked a lot better. I replaced the starter switch as well. That is in the steering column on the GMC. Make sure the batteries are charged good. The starter and those glow plugs take a lot of current from the batteries.

 

[Katavic918]

Try replacing this: AM GENERAL 5740926 ELECTRICAL STARTER DRIVE FOR HMMWV

I had mine go bad and it was acting similar to what you describe. If the motor is spinning and the bendix (i think thats what its called) isnt engaging the fly wheel then theres most likely a problem with this part. You can find them on popular auction sites.

 

[MattNC]

Thanks! I've logged several trips to the starter shop now. I'm leaning toward buying a totally rebuilt one and fixing this one as a backup or selling it as a core. The starter keeps making me feel nervous I'm going to get stranded somewhere and I need the truck for some projects I'm doing.