Electrical Gremlins Taking My Soul
11-10-2016, 08:27 PM
#1
Electrical Gremlins Taking My Soul
Been a long time since I've posted anything around here. My truck has basically been sitting for a year and a half since I blew the 4L80e..
Anyway, I've been fighting this one issue since I rolled my truck back in 2010. Can't find a fix, and it is driving me crazy. Any advice would really be appreciated.
When I go to start my truck, the bendix comes out of the starter, hits the flexplate, and gets stuck before it engages the teeth. So it comes out and does not spin. It only spins if it comes out enough to engage the teeth. When I turn the key, I just hear the bendix hitting the flexplate. Ting, ting, ting... Kill me, kill me, kill me. So the only fix I have is to pop the hood and turn the motor a few degrees and try to start it again. If I can get the flex plate perfectly lined up with the bendix, it will come out all the way out and spin... Sometimes it take 10 time of me getting back out of the truck, turning the motor, and trying to start it again before I can get it to turn the motor over. Pisses me off to no end.
Typically it does it after the starter is warm. So If i run to the store, come back out to start it, it will do it to me. Once in a blue moon it will do it cold. So I have replaced the starter twice thinking they were weak, put a push botton start on it, ran a new signal wire from the fuse block to the starter, ect........... Nothing fixes it. When I first put the push button start on the truck, the problem went away for a while. So i rewired it to stock again so I could start it with the key. Problem came back. So tonight I put the push button back in, and it didn't fix it.
I had the motor running for a while. Shut it down and rewired the starter for the push button. Took me about an hour. Then went to start it with the push button, and it ting, ting , ting on me. So WTF. Anyone have advice?
Anyway, I've been fighting this one issue since I rolled my truck back in 2010. Can't find a fix, and it is driving me crazy. Any advice would really be appreciated. When I go to start my truck, the bendix comes out of the starter, hits the flexplate, and gets stuck before it engages the teeth. So it comes out and does not spin. It only spins if it comes out enough to engage the teeth. When I turn the key, I just hear the bendix hitting the flexplate. Ting, ting, ting... Kill me, kill me, kill me. So the only fix I have is to pop the hood and turn the motor a few degrees and try to start it again. If I can get the flex plate perfectly lined up with the bendix, it will come out all the way out and spin... Sometimes it take 10 time of me getting back out of the truck, turning the motor, and trying to start it again before I can get it to turn the motor over. Pisses me off to no end.
Typically it does it after the starter is warm. So If i run to the store, come back out to start it, it will do it to me. Once in a blue moon it will do it cold. So I have replaced the starter twice thinking they were weak, put a push botton start on it, ran a new signal wire from the fuse block to the starter, ect........... Nothing fixes it. When I first put the push button start on the truck, the problem went away for a while. So i rewired it to stock again so I could start it with the key. Problem came back. So tonight I put the push button back in, and it didn't fix it.
I had the motor running for a while. Shut it down and rewired the starter for the push button. Took me about an hour. Then went to start it with the push button, and it ting, ting , ting on me. So WTF. Anyone have advice?
11-12-2016, 07:47 AM
#3
https://www.performancetrucks.net/fo...thread-513087/
As for the starter... i tried a reman from Advance one time and no matter how i shimmed the darn thing, it would always do what you are describing. Grabbed a stocker from AC Delco and its worked like a champ since. That was 3 year ago.
11-30-2016, 01:34 PM
#4
There is some chance that you've some "BURRS" on a few of the ring gear teeth , that would be a best case, as they can be dressed down with a die grinder or dremel tool, nothing fancy, take the burr off, maybe a slight chamfer. probably all it needs.
If not, you might have a cracked flex plate.
What does the starter drive pinion look like ?
Wouldn't hurt to install a new starter drive if it's bunged up, they are cheap.
If not, you might have a cracked flex plate.
What does the starter drive pinion look like ?
Wouldn't hurt to install a new starter drive if it's bunged up, they are cheap.
11-30-2016, 02:27 PM
#5
Sorry boys, just saw these replies. Thank you!
Yes, I rolled my truck over in the snow a while back. Not fun. Anyway, the bendix looks clean. No burrs on it. I've put three different starters on the truck I think and they all have had this issue. Maybe I will try an AC Delco unit. I'm sure they are worth their weight in gold... Ugh.
I've shimmed the started I've put on and still the same issue. I literally can't get them down far enough to not have the issue. I've but multiple thick washers in between the starter and block and still have issues. Drives me crazy.
Yes, I rolled my truck over in the snow a while back. Not fun. Anyway, the bendix looks clean. No burrs on it. I've put three different starters on the truck I think and they all have had this issue. Maybe I will try an AC Delco unit. I'm sure they are worth their weight in gold... Ugh.
I've shimmed the started I've put on and still the same issue. I literally can't get them down far enough to not have the issue. I've but multiple thick washers in between the starter and block and still have issues. Drives me crazy.
12-13-2016, 12:23 PM
#6
Last night I got tired of this issue again.. 
Got under the truck and added a stupid amount of thicknesses between the starter and the block. Figured If i could space it far enough away form the block, no way the bendix could hit the back side of the flexplate... Wrong. I literally cant get it spaced far enough for that not to happen.. I have about 3/8" worth of washers on each bolt between the starter and block and it still comes out and just hits the flexplate.. So **** me I guess. The farther I get the starter away from the block, the louder the starter gets. It makes a harsh grinding sound that I'm sure all of you have heard before..
So after tinkering with that last night, obviously the starter has to move away from the block but toward the passenger side of the truck. Since I can't move it that way, I guess I need to try ANOTHER starter to see if it lines up better.. I'm out of options.
Got under the truck and added a stupid amount of thicknesses between the starter and the block. Figured If i could space it far enough away form the block, no way the bendix could hit the back side of the flexplate... Wrong. I literally cant get it spaced far enough for that not to happen.. I have about 3/8" worth of washers on each bolt between the starter and block and it still comes out and just hits the flexplate.. So **** me I guess. The farther I get the starter away from the block, the louder the starter gets. It makes a harsh grinding sound that I'm sure all of you have heard before..
So after tinkering with that last night, obviously the starter has to move away from the block but toward the passenger side of the truck. Since I can't move it that way, I guess I need to try ANOTHER starter to see if it lines up better.. I'm out of options.