Cantankerous Starter Solenoid - any easy fixes?

[gavio]

Hi Folks:

The starter solenoid on my loaner truck is cantankerous. Occasionally, it just won't do anything - turn the key and nuthin' happens. Crawl under, rap on the solenoid with the end of my channel locks (hey, it's what happened to be in the truck) and it fires right up.

I don't know for sure, but the starter seems to have been replaced in semi-recent memory and otherwise works fine - the truck fires right up in about one rev.

Any quick fix for this? As you would expect, it usually acts up at the more inconvenient moments......as if there is such a thing as a convenient moment.......

The truck is not my van, it's an 83 K10 with stock NA 6.2.

Thanks, as always.

[BobND]

Is it the original direct-drive starter, or has it been swapped out for a gear reduction unit?

Check the tightness of ALL connections on the solenoid. Those starters will act like that, too, when there's nothing left of the brushes. If that's the case, one of these times it ain't gonna start when you rap on it.

Does the solenoid even click at all when it's in "no-go" mode?

[Dan Wilson]

Some times the brushes will do this. They may be stuck or worn out.
Dan

[gavio]

When in no-go mode, it makes no sound whatsoever - no click, no nuthin', which is why I was suspecting the solenoid. The connections all seem tight, reasonably clean and solid.

The starter is the original type, and seems vaguely newer than the surrounding terrain, but when it was replaced exactly, I know not. (the truck's owner doesn't know, either, so it's probably from a previous owner, so like 20k miles at least.)

The misbehavior is completely random - hot or cold, in the middle of a day of running around, or after a night of sitting, and a couple times it has not started and then after letting it sit overnight or whatever, it'll just simply start without me banging on it or anything.

Hmmmmmmm......

[ZZ]

I'd say the solenoid is bad. I've had several GM solenoids to quit the same way. They wouldn't start with the key switch, but would work jumping the purple wire connector with the battery cable. A new solenoid cured it every time.

[gavio]

Thanks. that is what I was kind of thinking.......

But I found a better and more permanent solution - I gave the truck back to its rightful owner :D

I had fixed quite a bit on it for him and felt like it was time to let it go, so I told him what I had learned and all is well - he doesn't use the truck much anyway.