Starter Saga V & ??

From: Ed (mojoedd@bellsouth.net)
Date: Tue May 09 2006 - 20:54:21 PDT


Well today saw us getting the starter checked on the bench after getting it
back from the shop. Bench checked just fine, not a problem in sight.
(Wait, it gets better)! Installed the starter on the truck, secured all
battery cables, started truck, started just fine, not a problem in sight.
(Wait, it gets better)! Found a couple of loose hose clamps on the radiator
and tightened them up, leaks stopped, refilled coolant, not a problem in
sight. (Wait, it gets better)! Started truck twice more, "just for grins"
and to check for leaks, charging system, things that go bump in the night,
not a problem in sight. (Wait, it gets better)! Drove the truck to the
local Dairy Queen for a large Banana Cream Blizzard because we finally
licked the dirty dog, planning to go by and pick up a heavy duty relay for
installation of it and an in line fuse, "just in case", not a problem in
sight. OK, here it comes.............Tried to start the truck and it went
ballistic at the starter again!!!! This time I was ready and pulled the
starter relay BEFORE it burned anything. Tore up my bad back but saved the

truck!!

Had to endure the jabs and jokes from my friend with the garage that came in
his roll back to get me but at least nothing burned!

OK, here's the deal, a couple of weeks ago I bought a brand new, never
installed, still in the sealed box military starter from a guy on Ebay that
I have dealt with many times with the very best of luck. This starter is a
LOT smaller than the one that we took off the truck but I was assured that
this was the proper starter for the M-1009 & M-1008. The starter was a 24
VDC starter and it sounded great when starting the truck for the two weeks
before the first burn up or out, what ever. This is when the trouble
started. Nothing else has been added to or subtracted from the truck before
or since. I have over 31 years experience working as an A&P Mechanic on
everything from a Cessna 150 to a Boeing 747, I know how to work on things
and I know how to check a circuit and wiring. A fellow A&P Mechanic that I
had worked with for many years helped me check the wiring after I made the
repairs. All checked good. All power was as spec'd in the manual for the
M-1009 and it's wiring diagrams.

Could it possibly be that this new starter needs a "beefed up" starter relay
due to it's size or something else in it's system that we aren't aware of?
Remember, the starter is the ONLY THING THAT HAS BEEN ADDED TO IN THIS TIME
PERIOD OR ANYWHERE NEAR IT!

I have caved in and taken it to a shop to pay for repairs. I am going back
in with a normal starter under the dash, taking the wire running from that
relay to the starter off of the starter and running it to a brand new
Kenworth 24 VDC starter relay. Running the other leg of that massive relay
through a larger wire and in line fuse to the starter. I'm then going to
stand back and see what happens. I told the shop to check out everything,
do the mod as I described it, (thanks to Chris Brunner for the idea), start
the truck several times, drive it for a few hours, run errands, what ever
and if it doesn't fail call me. If it fails I told them to run it off a
cliff!! Damn, we don't have cliffs around here!

Does anyone have any other idea WHY this damn thing failed again other than
what I said above? Can it be anything other than the new starter? This
starter had the solenoid replaced and then rechecked again by a VERY good
electrical shop and was found to be working 100% correctly!?!? Any thoughts
would be greatly appreciated!

Again thanks to all who have responded and helped, Bless you all, I can't
say enough about you guys, you are the best!

Best Regards,

Ed

"The consolidation of the States into one vast empire, sure to be
aggressive abroad and despotic at home, will be the certain
precursor of ruin which has overwhelmed all that preceded it."



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