So, I used a BAS (big ass screwdriver) on the starter solenoid terminals. Sparks flew, my life passed before my eyes, but I did get a whirling noise from the starter so I went inside the truck and it started. I then restarted 10 times and the truck started 9 out of 10 times. I'm glad the truck starts but I don't feel like I have fixed the problem. Any thoughts on what could be wrong? Starter going bad? Bad wiring?
Thanks to cattlerepairman for reminding me about the screwdriver trick. P.S. My apologies if I have hijacked this thread.
Often, when this happens, it's the starter rotor. The part of the starter rotor, where the brushes ride, the collector, (and I hope I am getting the terms right, as I have forgotten a lot of the English words). The collector, is made up of a number of elements, that are insulated from one another. They are 180 degrees apart, from another element, but connected by a wire. The two elements compleat a circuit in the wires wound around the rotor. The completing of one circuit, causes the magnetic force to move the rotor forwards. When the brush passes from one element to another, the energizing and de energizing of circuits causes the rotor to spin. So, why am I boring you with this? Well, as long as the starter motor stops on a pair of good elements, it will turn the motor over when you re energize the starter. But if you have two or more bad elements, and the brushes just happen to stop on them, when reenergizing the starter, no circuit can be completed, and the starter will not turn. People often used to slide under a vehicle and tap, or bang (depending how often you have done this, and in what kind of weather) on the starter with a hammer. The shock, of being banged on, almost always, but not 100% of the time, made the rotor move a bit. If the next element was good, the starter could be turned over. You accomplish the same thing by jumping the starter. You get it to move to a place that has no burned out element.
To test a starter rotor, you can do it several ways. Take it to a good auto shop, and the have a "growler". This is a electrical device the allows you to lay the rotor down into a bench. At one end is a "V" slot, where the shaft end can rotate. The front has the same. This allows you to be able to turn the rotor smothely. In the middle is another "V". It holds on opposing sides, brushes, or electrical probes, connected to the correct voltage for your motor. When you spin the rotor, the opening and closing of the circuits, vibrate and make a growling sound. By slowly turning the rotor, you can hear if a pair of elements fails to work.
A simpler way, for us folks who are DIY people is to get a multi meter, set for ohms, and best with a beeper. Then, ( if you are lazy like me) drill a hole in a block of wood, big enough to let the rotor shaft turn easy, but not slop around. Put the rotor shaft into the hole. Get a black sharpie. Make a dot on one of the the element edges. Put your multimeter probe on that element, and keep it there. Then take the other probe, and touch each and every element all around the rotor. When the meter beeps, you have a compleat circuit. Mark it with your sharpie. Keep going, as you might have a short between more the one element. If you have more the one matchup, the rotor is bad. If you have no matchup between two elements, the rotor is bad. Go all the way around. Each element has to have one to match up. Easy. It sounds more complicated then it is.
