Dead starter issue.

[SpookyDad]

I drove my truck to Austin this past weekend. (180 miles each way) She behaved flawlessly all weekend until the trip home. I stopped at a McDonalds for a break and when I went to start up again, there was nothing. I was next to an O'Reilly's auto parts so I had the batteries tested. (I have two with an selector switch) They were both good and fully charged. The lights all worked fine. I have a master switch from the battery so I bypassed that to eliminate that as a problem but no go. So I opened up the inspection band on the starter and there was a small amount of smoke and a burnt smell. I had noticed the amp meter had been running at 25 just before I stopped and the battery cable was hot. I assumed the starter was toast so I got a pull start and I made it home without further incident.

I went to go look at the truck yesterday and it started up just fine I haven't put more than 500 miles on the truck since I had the starter rebuilt.

Any thoughts as to what might have happened?

Neil

[John V Cliche]

Any chance the "Bendix drive" got engaged or didn't properly release upon start-up
You mentioned heat and smoke so....overheating.
The fact that it started well after a cool down period leads me to suspect the "drive"
Make sure you linkage isn't binding when the chassis flexes.

Hope this helps
John

[SpookyDad]

John

If the starter was stuck and thus causing it to continue rotating, would this draw current and make the amp meter read high?

Neil

[Brad]

would also make one hell of a noise.... i would think?

[John V Cliche]

would also make one hell of a noise.... i would think?

Only happened to me once with a Cummins, and you could hear it over the sound of the engine fried half the electrical harness ( since the fusable links were throughout the harness ) defective starter drive was the culprit and warranty covered it ( thankfully )

Neil,
if the starter linkage was engaged then it would draw power but without the "switch " on the starter being depressed, I would think the "starter motor" would act like a spinning generator instead regardless you would end up an overload = heat
Former electrical engineers such as.... Dr deuce could shed some light I'm sure

John

[dr deuce]

I would check the switch for a possible short (electrical engagement w/o mechanical engagement). The starter would turn and get hot w/o making a horendous noise freom being turned faster then normal by the engine.

If the starter was being truned by the engine, unless the switch was making connection, it would not have any affect on the electrical system.