need some help.. cummins starting problems

[78Suburban]

my 96 2500 cummins dodge ram is having a hard time starting. I thought the batteries were dead, so I took them back to wal-mart (they had 2.5 years on them), and the honored the 3 year free replacement. Still have the same problem. I go to turn it over, and the starter just makes a very quite CLICK noise one time. Try again and it just goes CLICK. then it'll usually turn over and fire right up. I dunno if the starter solenoid is going bad or what? any ideas?

thanks,
James

 

[yellowK20]

How do your cables look???

 

[78Suburban]

How do your cables look???

There was a bit of corrosion on the terminals and I cleaned it with baking soda and water. Maybe I didn't get it clean enough? Its odd how it'll not start 1 or 2 times, then decide to start. It would be nice if its just a corrosion issue I haven't addressed. Has anybody ever had a starterproblem like mine with a cummins, and it turn out to be something more aggrivating like a starter solenoid or the entire starter itself?

 

[79k20350]

clean the cable ont the batteries wwith a wire brush too, then get where the neg hooks to the block and pos. to the solenoid.

 

[Confedneck79K30]

definately clean all the connections involved with the battery and starter...then try it, if not, then check starter draw...

 

[W7NB]

Hard starting solution.

Had EXACTLY the same problem on my 95. Cummins said it was a bad starter - big $$$. Took it over to my mechanic who works on a lot of Cummins motors. He said the problem is a rotating pin assembly in the starter solenoid that will arc one or more contact points - sometimes it starts no problem and sometimes you hit the bad spots. He replaced it ($90 with the part) and I have not had a problem since - like 2 years.

I would imagine if you can find the parts breakdown on the starter you can do it yourself and just get the part from Cummins.

Hope this helps!

 

[78Suburban]

Thanks for the tip, I was kinda thinking it might be something like this, because I have a good battery connection. I'll try to find out about getting this part. You don't have the part number still laying around do you?

thanks,
James

Had EXACTLY the same problem on my 95. Cummins said it was a bad starter - big $$$. Took it over to my mechanic who works on a lot of Cummins motors. He said the problem is a rotating pin assembly in the starter solenoid that will arc one or more contact points - sometimes it starts no problem and sometimes you hit the bad spots. He replaced it ($90 with the part) and I have not had a problem since - like 2 years.

I would imagine if you can find the parts breakdown on the starter you can do it yourself and just get the part from Cummins.

Hope this helps!

 

[FWP]

It's the starter contacts. See Here. It's a common problem. http://fostertruck.com/dodge/default.htm

Larry B's stuff has a good rep on TDR. When (not if) I have this problem in the future, that's what I will use.

 

[Hossbaby50]

Bingo, Fred hit the nail on the head. I help (mostly watched ) Rob (therobzilla) do this on his 99 a couple weeks ago that was having what sounds like a similar problem to yours. It cured his problems.

Harley