Eating starters, want crank with switch read more

JHUETHER

MEMBER
1988 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
170,000 MILES

My dad gave me a 1988 silverado 3500 dually, that someone did not fix correctly. The truck wound not crank thru the switch, so they rerouted it (jimmy rigged). The dash lights and stuff comes on with the switch, but they have put a toggle switch in that you have to flip to crank the truck. I think this is eating up my starters, because we are on our second one. This one has worked fine for over a month, but now has gone back to a real rough grinding noise. Is there something on the bottom of the steering column that controls this where I can fix it back right, and save myself the trouble of putting on another starter.

2 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,874 POSTS

I'm not sure how it is wired, but if you are going through starters, that is odd. The truth is when you push the button, you are sending power to the solenoid on the starter. That's it. The starter does the rest. If it is making a grind noise, either you have a bad flywheel, the solenoid isn't engaging fully and only grinding against the teeth on the flywheel, or it is loose and out of position. Check the flywheel for damage as well as the gear in the starter. Check for evidence that is isn't making proper connection.