Re: 86 1 Ton 22RE Starting Problem - I'm Stumped

Hi,
> > I have the dreaded intermittent starting on my T. At first, I was getting a > half second or so delay. Since I replaced the starter that doesn't happen > anymore. Now it is just a click. Sometimes it clicks, other times it > starts... no consistency. When it clicks the lights dim. This has been > happening about a month. Here is what I have done so far: > > 1. Replaced starter (entire unit). > 2. Cleaned battery connectors and posts. > 3. Had battery checked at a local auto parts store. It is 3 years old, a > cheap Wal-Mart one. > 4. Good cable to the starter -- replaced a couple of years ago. > 5. Checked all connections that I could find. > 6. Verified good grounding to the engine.

Here are the second round of tests:

Voltage across battery w/o engine running: 12v exactly (it had been several hours since engine had been run).
Voltage across battery w engine running, no accessories running @ idle:

13.8v. (voltage remained the same when revving engine to about 2000 rpm)

Voltage across battery w engine running, all lights, A/C, blower, hazards (everything on) @ idle: 13.5v.
Voltage across battery w engine running, all lights, A/C, blower, hazards (everything on) @ approx. 2000 rpm: 13.8v.
Voltage across battery w/o engine running after above tests: 13v.
Voltage across battery w/o engine running after engine off for 10 minutes: 12v. IMHO, it looks like the alternator is putting out what it should. When I first went out to start and do the second set of tests, I got the clicks again. This had been several hours since it had been running. It had never gotten up to running temperature during the prior run this morning. Second set of tests #6 showed a 1v drop from 13v to 12v in about 10 minutes after turning the engine off. Anything up with that?

Thanks for looking, KR

snip...

Well, I did go ahead and get another battery... no joy with that. Then, I replaced the clamps on the positive and negative cables. I saw some corrosion and wanted to make sure. Still no luck. Well, at this point yours truly gives up. I figure it is likely somewhere from the ignition switch to the solenoid, and I don't want to get into that. Took it to an independent shop where I get heavier work done, tell them what I had done, and told them to find the problem and fix it. They called back a couple hours later, and said the starter was bad! This was an Advance Auto, Worldwide starter that I had installed last week. I told them to go ahead and put the one in they recommend, and I would take this one back and tell Advance thanks for wasting my money and time! The shop put in a OCA (Orange County Alternator) Premium

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. Quite a bit more expensive, but these arethe only class of parts they will honor with a warranty. They have harped(ad nauseum) on using quality parts over the years I have been theircustomer, and I guess now I'm more the wiser to listen to their advice.They don't even consider the Auto Zone and Advance products; they'll put 'emon without a warranty, but if they give out then that's your problem.Lessons Learned:

Don't forget to consider what you orginally replaced might be bad. I just didn't put the clicking scenario together with the starter replacement. I orginally replaced the other starter because of the 1/2 second solenoid delay. The clicking started once I put the Worldwide in, and I just didn't think of a DOA starter being the problem.
Avoid the cheap auto parts store units. I think I'll stick with this now. As a general rule of thumb, for starters, alternators, water pumps, etc. it looks like the class of parts my shop uses costs 2-3 times that of an Auto Zone or Advance. Perhaps I'm getting ripped off, perhaps not. But when they do something, it just works and works right the first time (they did a flawless water pump job on my Durango with these class of parts)... good enough for me.

I would be interested in who else has seen the OCA line of parts "in action". I didn't find much out on the internet about this company, nor many reseller sources for them. They market starters and alternators in two rebuilt classes (Premium and Lucas) and a new class (NEW Advantage). I think they primarily target repair shops more than the end user. Cheers, KR

Re: 86 1 Ton 22RE Starting Problem - I'm Stumped - 2nd Set of Tests