Starter and Alternator suggestions

[tj 413]

A couple times in the last 2 months my truck had issues starting. Today I drove it for about 30 minutes on the highway, stopped in store for 20 mins came out, clicking and woowoo for a few times and then started. Drove 10 mins down the street and into another store for 20mins, came out and same thing however it didn't start for about 45 mins. Drove it home, parked it for 10 mins, cranked right over, waited another 20 mins and used the remote start and cranked right over... The battery is new and a heavy duty one. I am guessing its most likely the starter or alternator. I don't like the thought of getting stuck out there and having to deal with this again so, I think I am going to replace both.

What do you guys recommend for a starter and alternator. I won't go cheap, but I also won't be going super high end. I need something reliable and decently priced.

 

[‘89Jimmy]

I just replaced an Oreilly alternator with one from Autozone. Lifetime warranty is tough to beat. Sounds like your alternator is charging just fine and the battery sounds like it’s holding on just fine if you can crank repeatedly for awhile. I’d think it’s the starter starting to wear out. Might be worth checking if Autozone also has lifetimes on starters.

 

[Barrman]

I don’t know which alternator and starter you have. Or which engine/flywheel size you have. Along with V belt or serpentine belt system.

With that in mind it always starts with a healthy load tested to spec and fully charged battery. Followed by clean and tight connections on every electrical connection. If that is all good I suggest biting the bullet and getting a brand new Delco starter. If you have a real Delco starter now then finding genuine parts and rebuilding it or getting it rebuilt would be best.

If you have a gasoline engine then heat from the exhaust is always an issue that kills them. Along with ignition timing too far advanced really hurts the starter when everything is hot.

Alternator wise a CS130 will basically bolt up where a Delco 12Si is currently. You just need to swap over a\the pulley if you have a V belt drive and get an adapter pigtail to plug it in. Here is a video about alternator swapping:

 

[imiceman44]

A couple times in the last 2 months my truck had issues starting. Today I drove it for about 30 minutes on the highway, stopped in store for 20 mins came out, clicking and woowoo for a few times and then started. Drove 10 mins down the street and into another store for 20mins, came out and same thing however it didn't start for about 45 mins. Drove it home, parked it for 10 mins, cranked right over, waited another 20 mins and used the remote start and cranked right over... The battery is new and a heavy duty one. I am guessing its most likely the starter or alternator. I don't like the thought of getting stuck out there and having to deal with this again so, I think I am going to replace both.

What do you guys recommend for a starter and alternator. I won't go cheap, but I also won't be going super high end. I need something reliable and decently priced.

If your starter is old it could be getting tired, a newer vortec gear reduction starter is better.
You could put a relay to make yours work better since it does this when it gets warm, but I would put a new small one, I actually did on all my squares

 

[Blue85]

I had the same hot start problem until I added a solenoid underhood to power the starter-mounted solenoid. The problem is the undersized and relatively long factory start wiring.

If you need a starter, it's been hashed out in several places. There are better options than the stock unit. https://ck5.com/forums/threads/tell-me-about-mini-starters.346246/

 

[6872xtc]

Sounds like the starter drive isn't getting pulled into the flexplate ring gear. The solenoid can get some dirt and rust around the plunger where the drive can't move easily to engage.
It's possible to pull the starter, remove the solenoid off of the top and clean it.
It is possible to remove the solenoid without removing the starter, but the one bolt or screw towards the engine block would be less than fun to access.
I avoid lifetime warranty parts like this from the big chain stores, because I have seen them not work right out of the box, they only replace the faulty parts, or they die quickly. This has been from watching others have problems, not my experience. I have just watched so many people have problems and I like to have my stuff be as reliable as possible. Just my opinion.

If buying new, check out the thread that @Blue85 posted.

 

[Blue85]

clicking and woowoo for a few times and then started.

Sounds like the starter drive isn't getting pulled into the flexplate ring gear. The solenoid can get some dirt and rust around the plunger where the drive can't move easily to engage.
It's possible to pull the starter, remove the solenoid off of the top and clean it.

If the engine turns, the drive is engaged. I think the problem is the solenoid is weak and it doesn't slam the contact hard like it should. This might contribute to dirty contacts and cleaning them would likely help (for a while). Pushing the proper amount of current through the coil is the real solution. The factory setup pulls power from the fuse block, though the ignition switch and back out through that little pink wire. As the solenoid heats up, it's resistance goes up. The power of that electromagnet is proportional to the square of the voltage, so if you get the coil to 12V instead of 9V, that's 78% more power. (I made those voltages up, but you get the picture).

 

[6872xtc]

If the engine turns, the drive is engaged. I think the problem is the solenoid is weak and it doesn't slam the contact hard like it should. This might contribute to dirty contacts and cleaning them would likely help (for a while). Pushing the proper amount of current through the coil is the real solution. The factory setup pulls power from the fuse block, though the ignition switch and back out through that little pink wire. As the solenoid heats up, it's resistance goes up. The power of that electromagnet is proportional to the square of the voltage, so if you get the coil to 12V instead of 9V, that's 78% more power. (I made those voltages up, but you get the picture).

But where he said that it goes "woowoo a few times, then started " that's what leads me to my post and idea.

 

[tj 413]

Snapped a couple pics of my currant alternator and starter


CARQUEST ALTERNATOR 7861-7AN
Amperage Rating:
100.0 A
Decoupled Or Clutch Pulley: No
Family: Delco
Fan Type: External
Plug Clock Rear View Main Mounting Ear at 6 O Clock: 7
Pulley Belt Type: Serpentine
Pulley Groove Quantity: 6
Pulley Included: Yes
Regulator Type: Internal
Rotation Direction: Clockwise (Right)
Voltage: 12.0 VDC




No clue other than it looks like an OE type starter

 

[6872xtc]

That starter looks pretty decent, IMO. I have seen much worse in my arid area. But it still may have something making the solenoid drag or be intermittent to pull the drive into the ring gear.
As I said you can pull it and dig into things yourself or buy another starter. There is a decent chance that your current one has more wear than is apparent.
I have changed all of my old trucks to gear reduction starters and have had good results.

 

[imiceman44]

That starter looks pretty decent, IMO. I have seen much worse in my arid area. But it still may have something making the solenoid drag or be intermittent to pull the drive into the ring gear.
As I said you can pull it and dig into things yourself or buy another starter. There is a decent chance that your current one has more wear than is apparent.
I have changed all of my old trucks to gear reduction starters and have had good results.

It could also be bad wires, these are old wires, they degrade and when they get hot they don't flow as much current.
That's why the external relay improves it, you add a new thick power cable and you reduce the need for current by only needing activation of the relay

 

[6872xtc]

It could also be bad wires, these are old wires, they degrade and when they get hot they don't flow as much current.
That's why the external relay improves it, you add a new thick power cable and you reduce the need for current by only needing activation of the relay

I still point to the sound that he said that it makes before it actually starts the truck. Doesn't sound like it's engaging the flywheel.
The sound of a starter being engaged but unable to crank the engine over is different.
A starter drive skipping the over-run clutch, sounds like it's chattering and grinding teeth against the flywheel teeth. Just in case that helps the O.P.

 

[imiceman44]

I still point to the sound that he said that it makes before it actually starts the truck. Doesn't sound like it's engaging the flywheel.
The sound of a starter being engaged but unable to crank the engine over is different.
A starter drive skipping the over-run clutch, sounds like it's chattering and grinding teeth against the flywheel teeth. Just in case that helps the O.P.

You are interpreting a sound he typed, I understand it as a weak turning from not enough current getting to the starter, that's how I would type that sound. I think we need to hear it to find out

 

[tj 413]

The woowoowooo is the best way I can describe from what it sounded like while also hearing the clicking sound. This issue has only happened twice and has no issue cranking over since Tuesday. Most of the time I use the remote start especially in the morning while it's still cold. The solenoid does sound like the most logical explanation, I think I am just going to swap out the starter and also the wiring. Might as well do it right from the jump...that being said, should I stick with a AC Delco OE starter?

 

[imiceman44]

The woowoowooo is the best way I can describe from what it sounded like while also hearing the clicking sound. This issue has only happened twice and has no issue cranking over since Tuesday. Most of the time I use the remote start especially in the morning while it's still cold. The solenoid does sound like the most logical explanation, I think I am just going to swap out the starter and also the wiring. Might as well do it right from the jump...that being said, should I stick with a AC Delco OE starter?

Get a newer gear reduction starter, oem or not doesn't matter much other than longevity

 

[6872xtc]

You are interpreting a sound he typed

Yep. Been interpreting sounds for too many decades, 5+ days a week. Yep, I could be wrong, but that's my 1st thought.
If it engages but doesn't have enough power, it's usually more clunk than click.
It could be clicking the solenoid with weak cranking, I just have never heard weak cranking described as such.

Free spinning starter motor is a sound that not a ton of people have heard.

 

[imiceman44]

Yep. Been interpreting sounds for too many decades, 5+ days a week. Yep, I could be wrong, but that's my 1st thought.
If it engages but doesn't have enough power, it's usually more clunk than click.
It could be clicking the solenoid with weak cranking, I just have never heard weak cranking described as such.

Free spinning starter motor is a sound that not a ton of people have heard.

Yeah, I am very familiar with the sounds, but a combination of woowoo and clicking, is typical of not enough power getting through. That's how I concluded it was engaging.

 

[6872xtc]

Yeah, I am very familiar with the sounds, but a combination of woowoo and clicking, is typical of not enough power getting through. That's how I concluded it was engaging.

I guess that you and I have quite the different interpretation of the sounds.

I had 290K on my old TBI 350 with the original battery cables. It always started with the old Delco unit. Which is why I don't jump immediately to the external solenoid trick.

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