I need help regarding my truck. Last night I turned the key off, and instantly went to start it back up and the starter wouldn't turn.

I've changed starters in this truck before, so last night I put in the new starter and same problem. I left the truck over night. 1992 GMC 5.7 350 automatic transmission.

so today I went back and really went through things. My first thought was maybe i had seized my engine. So i decided to check the flywheel and crank pulley to verify they'd move by hand, they did. (Did a full turn on the pulley) I ended up buying a third starter and verifying my wiring was correct.

What is happening is my starter is engaging the flywheel but not spinning. After releasing the key the starter stays engaged, until I turn the crank pulley, I can hear it click back into the solenoid.

I'm feeling like perhaps this is an electrical issue(Not enough juice at starter) today I did hook up starter number one and two to the battery but not connected to the flywheel and the starter engaged and spun just fine. Makes me think it never was my starter.

I know I need to take a voltage meter and do some readings but I'm also curious is there a starter relay? I can't seem to find information about this online.

thanks in advance

 

3 shims, outside bolt

 

What's the year/make/model of the truck?

Sounds like your S- terminal wire is good, check for power at the large battery cable that goes to the starter. The solenoid will move out but the starter will not spin in the scenario where the large battery cable is not supplying power to the starter B+ terminal, but the S terminal is getting appropriate power

 

a few updates to this thread. So first and foremost I did need to shim it all out of nowhere, that was a month ago or so. Current update, heat kills starters! Also maybe changes flexplate positions period since replacing that starter I've already had to get a new one because the Bendix failed due to overheating and was starting to Nick my flexplate while in drive what's ironic is I no longer have any shims on my starter. I'm so sick of this truck

 

Has your block been remanufactured? usually you don't need to mess with shims unless you are getting garbage starters or your block was damaged at one point and machined on the starter ear.

I'd get a nice high quality ACDelco starter and go from there. The starter hasn't changed positions in years, and they all experience the same heat conditions that yours is experiencing.

 

you know the anagram, you also probably should be advising people to buy a high performance high torque starter they are half the size and half the weight. Also not all starters getting ran for 30 miles at 210 Fahrenheit. Which is an artifact of a faulty cooling system to clarify your dull mind

 

Seeing as how a factory thermostat opens at 190 degrees fahrenheit, it wouldn't necessarily concern me if coolant tempreature was near 220 before the cooling system has fully adjusted to the change. Also the exhaust manifold is there, which are typically cast iron which can produce some pretty extreme radiant heat. From my understanding most factory starters have a heat shield clipped over the starter solenoid for this very reason.

And I do not recommend the high torque starters because they are not necessary ... go to any old parts store, get a starter and put it on and it should last you quite some time unless you have something else going on. I can certainly understand if some people prefer to hear the starter spin faster, but if a factory SBC needed a high torque starter, I figure GM woulda done something about it long long ago. Hell I'm just happy the starers aren't the size of a football anymore. But to each their own.

So as long as what you have working works for you, go with it and nobody is going to argue what works for your truck. All I know is my truck uses, has used and will continue to use GM starters, as will all of my customer's engines.

 

they did come with factory installed Shields.. it's amazing how they're all missing. It's nothing about hearing the spin it's about laying on the ground with T-Rex arms trying to lift a 30 lb starter with one hand and threading the carriage bolts with the other.

Been through too many starters, regardless.

 

Understandable with T-rex arms for sure. I on the other hand have big foot features, hairy, long arms. I also typically put starters on using a lift and the car 6ft in the air. Makes a big big difference in the enjoyment of putting a starter in, so a mini torque on the ground is an understandable thing.

As I said to each his own. But if you gotta shim your starter I would wanna know what the reason is, a mini torque might need a shim due to its clearly aftermarket design, but if the teeth are dragging on the flex plate, if the flex plate gear is chewed up and its hurting the bendix, etc etc. Might have to pull it out and rotate the engine by hand and inspect the ring gear on the flex plate to make sure you've got good gear teeth on it if you ever encounter another starter issue. I usually get 70-100K out of my starters.

 

What you're saying is exactly why I'm frustrated. I bought the truck three years ago couple months and I replaced the starter with no shims period for a long time I had a hot start issue in February I replace the starter again with no shims. On the day of this post it out of nowhere somehow change positions and started requiring 3.20 shims on the outside Bolt. Frankly my arms aren't T-Rex they're tough I'm a construction Foreman I do not have a lift and I envy you for having one. Back to what I was saying it's ironic that after burning up the one I changed at the beginning of this thread the same exact model I warrantied it out for no longer requires a shim..

The only noticeable difference is there is quite a temperature hike recently here in SLC.. I do have a refurbished small block 350 however something is moving and I'm not sure if it's my flexplate or if it's the Bendix in the starter having some sort of Tolerance plus or minus.