1986 Nissan D21 Pickup Starter

"cover" wrote: 1986 Nissan D21 Pickup V6 3.0

... starter looks like a devil to change........ hoping someone
here may have changed one of these starters to give me a
clue how it comes out

On a couple of occasions I've turned the key only to geta
'click' (which I assume is the solenoid). Battery cables are
clean, battery is good and the connections appear to be
tight so I'm assuming the starter may be going bad.


__________________________________________________


External appearance of battery cables can be misleading.

Before replacing starter parts, ensure that battery and
starter cables are clean and connections are tight, by
disconnecting the cables, cleaning all mating surfaces,
and reconnecting.

Good luck.

Rodan.
 >> Stay informed about: 1986 Nissan D21 Pickup Starter 

On Sun, 18 Jun 2006 06:36:07 -0500, jim <"sjedgingN0sp"@m@mwt.net>
wrote:

>
>
>cover wrote:
>
>> On a couple of occasions, I've gone out and turned the key only to get
>> a 'click' (which I assume is the solenoid). Battery cables are clean,
>> battery is good and the connections appear to be tight so I'm assuming
>> the starter may be going bad.
>
>So what did you do to "fix the starter" on those couple of occasions.

Primitive as it may seem, the way we check these is one person holds
the key while the other person whacks the starter with a hammer. A
good tap and the starter that is failing usually cranks one more time.

> It is possible your starter has a problem that causes it to work
>intermittently, but that is not very likely.

Actually intermittent failure is 100% normal for these and most
starters.

> What is likely is that the
>starter was not getting sufficient voltage.

Then typically it would crank slowly or the if the voltage is too low
for even that there would be a series of clicks.

Don
www.donsautomotive.com



>-jim
>
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 >> Stay informed about: 1986 Nissan D21 Pickup Starter 

Don wrote:
>
> On Sun, 18 Jun 2006 06:36:07 -0500, jim <"sjedgingN0sp"@m@mwt.net>
> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >cover wrote:
> >
> >> On a couple of occasions, I've gone out and turned the key only to get
> >> a 'click' (which I assume is the solenoid). Battery cables are clean,
> >> battery is good and the connections appear to be tight so I'm assuming
> >> the starter may be going bad.
> >
> >So what did you do to "fix the starter" on those couple of occasions.
>
> Primitive as it may seem, the way we check these is one person holds
> the key while the other person whacks the starter with a hammer. A
> good tap and the starter that is failing usually cranks one more time.
>

Is this what he did? Or did he get someone to give him a jump? Or
what? My point - the answer to my question would be useful information.



> > It is possible your starter has a problem that causes it to work
> >intermittently, but that is not very likely.
>
> Actually intermittent failure is 100% normal for these and most
> starters.
>

Well yes if assume failure at all is normal. But most of the time you
turn the key and the starter doesn't fail. Given that OP hasn't provided
any reason for me to believe the starter is bad, as far as I can tell
this is just a guess on his part.


> > What is likely is that the
> >starter was not getting sufficient voltage.
>
> Then typically it would crank slowly or the if the voltage is too low
> for even that there would be a series of clicks.

If the low voltage is due to a weak battery it would behave as you
describe. If the low voltage is due to bad connections that would fit
the description he gave.

-jim


>
> Don
> www.donsautomotive.com
>
> >-jim
> >
> >----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
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 >> Stay informed about: 1986 Nissan D21 Pickup Starter 

On Sun, 18 Jun 2006 10:31:35 -0500, jim <"sjedgingN0sp"@m@mwt.net>
wrote:

>
>
>Don wrote:
>>
>> On Sun, 18 Jun 2006 06:36:07 -0500, jim <"sjedgingN0sp"@m@mwt.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >
>> >
>> >cover wrote:
>> >
>> >> On a couple of occasions, I've gone out and turned the key only to get
>> >> a 'click' (which I assume is the solenoid). Battery cables are clean,
>> >> battery is good and the connections appear to be tight so I'm assuming
>> >> the starter may be going bad.
>> >
>> >So what did you do to "fix the starter" on those couple of occasions.
>>
>> Primitive as it may seem, the way we check these is one person holds
>> the key while the other person whacks the starter with a hammer. A
>> good tap and the starter that is failing usually cranks one more time.
>>
>
>Is this what he did? Or did he get someone to give him a jump? Or
>what? My point - the answer to my question would be useful information.

Yes it would be.


>> > It is possible your starter has a problem that causes it to work
>> >intermittently, but that is not very likely.
>>
>> Actually intermittent failure is 100% normal for these and most
>> starters.
>>
>
>Well yes if assume failure at all is normal. But most of the time you
>turn the key and the starter doesn't fail.

We replace lots of these starters and almost always they are
intermittent. We do verify that the starter has failed first.

>.Given that OP hasn't provided
>any reason for me to believe the starter is bad, as far as I can tell
>this is just a guess on his part.
>
>
>> > What is likely is that the
>> >starter was not getting sufficient voltage.
>>
>> Then typically it would crank slowly or the if the voltage is too low
>> for even that there would be a series of clicks.
>
>If the low voltage is due to a weak battery it would behave as you
>describe. If the low voltage is due to bad connections

Specically the high current lead to the starter. That is a
possibility if a replacement + cable clamp has been fitted and only
the high current lead is failing to connect due to corrosion. Could
be bad at the starter end but less likely.

Don
www.donsautomotive.com

> that would fit
>the description he gave.
>
>-jim
>
>
>>
>> Don
>> www.donsautomotive.com
>>
>> >-jim
>> >
>> >----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
>> >http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
>> >----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----
>
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>----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----
 >> Stay informed about: 1986 Nissan D21 Pickup Starter 

You are describing either a worn starter or a bad connection. If you
can make it click a few times, then 'carefully' touch the main cable
connections, you might be able to find a warm or hot connection. If you
do, that hot connection is usually a bad one that needs to be cleaned.

Battery cables can look clean from the outside and still be corroded at
the contact point.

If you hit on the starter with a hammer and you get it to start next
time, it is likely worn out or just stuck brushes. I personally like to
rebuild the starters, but if you are not mechanically inclined, then a
replacement might be in order.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
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cover wrote:
>
> I just purchased a 1986 Nissan D21 Pickup V6 3.0 that appears to be in
> good shape other than the motor starter. It *looks* like a devil to
> change but in looking at the folder of the previous owner (kept all
> her receipts through the life of the truck), I saw one had been
> changed in 1998 for $50 labor which doesn't SEEM so bad labor-wise.
>
> I'm kind of at a loss and was hoping that someone here may have
> changed one of these starters to give me a clue how it comes out
> (without yanking the engine
>
> On a couple of occasions, I've gone out and turned the key only to get
> a 'click' (which I assume is the solenoid). Battery cables are clean,
> battery is good and the connections appear to be tight so I'm assuming
> the starter may be going bad.
>
> thanks for any advice,
> Chris
 >> Stay informed about: 1986 Nissan D21 Pickup Starter 

On Sat, 17 Jun 2006 15:33:30 -0700, cover

Thanks for the replies, guys. Still haven't had a chance to clean the
cables though they look pretty good. Might take them off this weekend
and do some cleaning. One thing I did this past weekend though was
check all the battery cells with a hydrometer and was surprised to see
that for a pretty new Diehard Gold battery that was charging okay
(according to the gauge), the specific gravities were all showing just
between okay and good. I would have expected the cells to show all
well into the good zone so... thanks again.
 >> Stay informed about: 1986 Nissan D21 Pickup Starter