Would installing a lock washer have helped stop it from backing off while requiring less torque to tighten it?

 

Possibly but I don't think so. The problem is that you're tightening against the stud which is embedded in the plastic of the solenoid. The headers make the plastic brittle so the stud ends up loosening inside the plastic. Thats why I want to put a nut on first so I can tighten the other nut against it instead of relying on the plastic as a positive stop.

 

A simple heat shield will help also. You can buy a ready made one, but just a thin piece of alum hand cut with tin snips and wrapped around the solenoid works fine.

 

Yea I think I'm going to invest in a thermotech wrap.

 

Why, so it can hold the heat in and create moisture as it cools ?

A heat shield is mo'better.

You could get a small fan and blow on it, like the old Datsun 240/260 did

 

This is BS! I need a new starter (click no start problem) and ORielly has no stores near me (more than 200 miles is the closest) and I called and they won't let me order it over the phone. Where else can I get a starter for $90?! Don't feel like paying $300 For one!

 

Bill Winters,YOUR THE MAN!

 

I didn't even see the DB link.

5 liter eater--how did the DB starter work out for you? No problems? If not I'll be ordering one ASAP to get my pos fixed..and I'll be wrapping that header with DEI heat wrap!

 

Since this thread got pulled-up from the bone yard;

This is exactly how my solenoid looked.

If you have a starter solenoid has cracked you CAN purchase a solenoid and avoid purchasing a whole new starter. You just have to find a starter/alternator shop or possibly an auto electrical shop that carries it, or can order it.

In my case, I had to get creative because I have a turbo mounted to the exhaust manifold and the starter will not drop-out completely unless I drop the turbo from the ex manifold (which is a PIA with an oil/water cooled lines, housing bolts, heat shield etc).

I disconnected the starter completely, unbolted the exhaust manifold and turbo together from the cylinder head and exhaust (which gave me a few inches for my hand/arm to painfully access the sarter wires from above between the manifold flange and cylinder head). I then rotated the starter around towards the cylinder head to access the solenoid.

Here's the good part; I mixed up quick curing two-part epoxy and coated the broken/cracked plastic around the brass terminal that connects the positive battery cable to the alternator. (It’s the outside terminal that always cracks. See pic above). Keep in mind my solenoid was cracked bad enough the brass terminal/stud fell out when I loosened the wires! I then applied several thin coats of epoxy (which set-up in less than a minute) and let it completely cure for 24hrs.

I then remounted the starter and connected the two wires back on the terminal and DID NOT OVERTIGHTEN the nut to the brass stud!

The solenoid holds up great even with the heat from the engine and turbo (although I have shielding between the starter and the turbo).

I’m at 14.2v consistently and it cost me $6 for the epoxy.

 

Mine is not cracked, but when I hit the start button I just hear a click and no power to the starter. (sometimes Other times it fires right up) So I'm assuming there is something wrong with the solenoid internally due to heat from my uncoated kooks headers.

 

It was deff the solenoid The stud was arcing against its contact inside the solenoid itself and my solenoid was not cracked. When I went to loosen the battery wire retaining nut it cross threaded itself and just cracked the plastic on the solenoid...breaking the stud free. When I got the stud detached from the battery wire, the contact area of the stud was all burned. I have a pic I will post later. Anyway a new starter is on the way and I heat wrapped the pass side header with DEI heat wrap. If the header retains heat and rusts and I need a new one in two years Ohh well. Better to have a car that starts and a rusted header than a car that doesn't start lol.

 

Btw I was getting a service charging system on the DIC every once in a while, but the voltage would jump back up to 14 and the message would go away. Just a little bit more info for anyone with future starting/charging problems!!

 

It always is.

Why pay for a new starter? The brass terminal just holds the two wires in place/together. Good quick-curing epoxy (see my post above) will reinforce the cheap plastic as good as or better than new. At the most you can replace the solinoid for $15-20. Dropping the starter is about as easy as changing the oil.

 

I am having the same problem. I can tug on the positive cable and see it move. Do anyone know if the starter will clear headers to drop out or will I need to unbolt the header?

 

I pulled myheader to heat wrap it so I'm not sure if it will pop out with the long tube in place...

 

I looked at it, and it might make it; but, with my luck, I will have to pull the header...lol

 

I just pulled my starter- It would not drop out until I removed my header.I could not find anything physicaly wrong with mine so I removed it and took it to a shop. They pulled it apart and informed me it was ok but had some indications of failing in the near future. I bought a new starter cheaper than he could rebuild mine (kept my old one for a emergency backup even though I probably would wait for new one because of header removal). Sad to say but my charging issues didn't clear up after the replacement.

 

Did you sand the contact points of the connectors on the power wires which meet at the starter? a coating/film builds up on the copper after time, you may need to sand them.

Also, what spark plugs do you use? I remember seeing spin monster post about a certain plug causing a service charging system code....

And make sure the power wire coming from the alternator isn't melted from the heat...

 

Well this all started because I thought for sure I would find a bad starter or connection @ the starter.
I cleaned all contacts -cleaned all grounds- put a heat shield on the new starter- replaced the alternator -removed the NKG plugs- rerouted the alternator wire that was near plug 1.
When I first got the car it showed 14.5-14.7 .About a year later it was showing 14.3 and I startered looking then. I replaced the battery with larger Diehard and that did not make any difference.
When I bought the new starter I spoke to the owner of the business and he checked on his computor for causes. Almost everything I had already done was mentioned. So I am going to take it in there soon and let them look for the gremlin.

 

You're doing all of that because of a 14.3V reading? that is fine! I would imagine everything is normal if you're getting a consistent 14 volts!

14.7 is kind of high....