Starter not engaging flywheel

[sooxies]

98.5-----5 speed.

Having an issue where I'm not getting the starter to engage the flywheel.  Starter will go, but will not turn over the engine.  Batteries are brand new as are my cables (I'm 100% sure that my connections are all good.....now )  

The story........................

This initially started out as just a "1 click, no start" when turning the key; it also threw a code.  Went underneath to to check the starter cable....  I unfortunately caused an arc because the connection was loose and I'm fairly confident I made something go crispy critters in the starter. I only had one negative disconnected so I learned the hard way ; save the lecturing, all you can do is laugh.  Went back to start again and now I'm at the "not engaging the flywheel" situation (truck also is NOT throwing any codes NOW). I guess I'm just curious as to what my next step should be.  Is the starter more then likely toast?  Anything else to check?  Truck ran excellent when it was stored back in November so I can only assume I FUBAR'd the starter just now.  Just want to get the truck running.

Thanks fellas.

Edited February 27, 2016 by sooxies

[JAG1]

Yeah the starter solenoid is not sliding the starter pinion gear into the flywheel. When you pull the starter you can take apart the solenoid, real simple inside, and kinda determine what might have happened to it. I've had okay luck with rebuilt starters lasting about 3-5 yrs. I'm on my 4th free replacement starter on my 1st gen. 2nd gen oem is still good.

[TFaoro]

37 minutes ago, sooxies said:

98.5-----5 speed.

Having an issue where I'm not getting the starter to engage the flywheel.  Starter will go, but will not turn over the engine.  Batteries are brand new as are my cables (I'm 100% sure that my connections are all good.....now )  

The story........................

This initially started out as just a "1 click, no start" when turning the key; it also threw a code.  Went underneath to to check the starter cable....  I unfortunately caused an arc because the connection was loose and I'm fairly confident I made something go crispy critters in the starter. I only had one negative disconnected so I learned the hard way ; save the lecturing, all you can do is laugh.  Went back to start again and now I'm at the "not engaging the flywheel" situation (truck also is NOT throwing any codes NOW). I guess I'm just curious as to what my next step should be.  Is the starter more then likely toast?  Anything else to check?  Truck ran excellent when it was stored back in November so I can only assume I FUBAR'd the starter just now.  Just want to get the truck running.

Thanks fellas.

This isn't the type of forum to lecture you about an accident  Stuff happens.

I'd be willing to bet you have a starter contact going bad, which is really easy to replace. For some reason the article I'm about to post isn't showing the pictures, but I'll throw up one or two of my own. Click here: 

 

[sooxies]

3 hours ago, TFaoro said:

This isn't the type of forum to lecture you about an accident  Stuff happens.

I'd be willing to bet you have a starter contact going bad, which is really easy to replace. For some reason the article I'm about to post isn't showing the pictures, but I'll throw up one or two of my own. Click here: 

 

Thank You all.  Apologies, this is my 6th vehicle in seven years so I've been on many forums where it's all lecture/lecture/lecture.   Immediately after I finished posting this, I ran out for kicks to try it again and it started just fine .  Did not touch the truck at all.  I do believe this vehicle is cursed.  I just drove a nice 70 miles today with starting and stopping...no issues.  Now with the problem I was having before, Is there a could chance the issue could come back?  Any action I should take.  Again, having zero issues currently.

[dripley]

Yes it will. It will get worse until one day it will not work at all. Just the nature of the problem.

[Mopar1973Man]

Cheap to just fix it with a few of LarryB's contacts and move on.

[Buzzinhalfdozen]

Fix it now before you end up stranded at a rest stop 100 miles from home in the middle of the night...ask me how I know. 

[Russ Roth]

 

On 2/28/2016 at 5:15 PM, Buzzinhalfdozen said:

Fix it now before you end up stranded at a rest stop 100 miles from home in the middle of the night...ask me how I know. 

 

It's a bit of a long story but to make it short 3 of us took off after Katrina to help @ New Orleans a few days after I took possession of my '01.  Starter didn't always want to work but figured it would likely make it and I would replace once we got there.  On my last fuel stop just before we got there no start right on the fuel island.     There was some others we knew on the way home and I hitched a ride with them to the closest NAPA to get a replacement and did it right at the pump. 

Edited February 29, 2016 by TFaoro
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