Short Starter Life

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

Last June Jeep would not turn over, dead battery syndrome in most scenarios.  But took battery to Napa and tester said the 500CCA battery was cranking out 778CCA.  So I replaced the starter and everything was happy.  Also put in new cables.  Today appears to be a repeat.  Started a little slow earlier today, then about an hour ago a lot slower, and now no crank.  Battery reads around 12.5V.  Hooked up my charger and set it on start, so +50A, still nothing.  Will be taking the batter for another test shortly.

 

Here's the rub.  The exact same scenario happen maybe 10 years ago, and again the starter had crapped out over a day or two.

 

If my current battery is still showing good, that means another starter in 11 months.

Question to the group is, is it typical for a starter to just die over the course of a day or two?  Is it typical for a start to work great for 11 months and then die?  Is there something that might be causing this other than just a bad starter that I need to be fixing?

[Eagle_SX4]

Did you get a new starter or a rebuilt one?

 

Rebuilt starters and alternators are always hit or miss. I have put 5 rebuilt alternators on my Eagle in the last year. The only good thing about that is they were warrantied every time. I also have a rebuilt starter on it and have warrantied it out 3 times. One time the starter only lasted a few weeks.

 

If you can try to find a new one with a warranty.

 

I would get one from a parts store so that you can deal with the warranty in person.

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

I looked up by part number and it is a rebuilt from O'Reilly's (Ultima Starter - Remanufactured - R612453A).  I purchased it in 2014, and I know for certain I have did at least 2 warranty swaps from that purchase, with another one on the way possibly.

 

I'd like to get a better new positive cable, the one I put in last I had to cut the end off at the battery and get a bold on cable connection so I could add in the smaller cable to the coil (or at least I think that's where the smaller one goes).  So I'd like to get one that had a preinstalled battery end cable connector and also the smaller cable to the coil pre-attached, but so far I have not found that.

[fiatslug87]

If you want to spend some coin:

https://www.jeepcables.com/products/mj-big-7-complete-kit-comanche-87-92

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

2 hours ago, fiatslug87 said:

If you want to spend some coin:

https://www.jeepcables.com/products/mj-big-7-complete-kit-comanche-87-92

Probably don't what it that bad..

[Htchevyii]

Most rebuilds are junk. When I worked at a parts store (Shuck's), I tested every rebuilt starter and alternator that I sold. I'd guess the out of box failure rate was about 30%. There are good ones out there, when I worked for a Toyota dealership,  I don't ever remember a bad reman. I've been using new ACDelco units without an issue. I make sure the cables are good and add a few extra grounds.

[llhat]

15 hours ago, AnotherOldJeepGuy said:

I looked up by part number and it is a rebuilt from O'Reilly's (Ultima Starter - Remanufactured - R612453A).  I purchased it in 2014, and I know for certain I have did at least 2 warranty swaps from that purchase, with another one on the way possibly.

 

I'd like to get a better new positive cable, the one I put in last I had to cut the end off at the battery and get a bold on cable connection so I could add in the smaller cable to the coil (or at least I think that's where the smaller one goes).  So I'd like to get one that had a preinstalled battery end cable connector and also the smaller cable to the coil pre-attached, but so far I have not found that.

IIRC just a few months ago I replaced both battery cables on my 89

sourced them from O'reilly,   both 4 gauge and both had a secondary lead at the battery end with a butt connector. 

on the positive side, i added a short length and a ring terminal and attached to the starter relay under the electric cover behind battery

on the negative side, I did the same and went to the fender for an additional ground

both were 4 gage,  (wanted to step up to 2 gage) and have seemed to perform ok.

 

this was after a starter install...  "maybe" failed from oil leak... maybe not but 169k on it...  starter marked Car Quest ( probably from advance as CQ store was closed after AA acquired them.

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

2 hours ago, llhat said:

.. both 4 gauge and both had a secondary lead at the battery end with a butt connector. 

I have been avoiding the stock auto store cables because the pigtail cable gauge is way smaller, like maybe 75% smaller, than the OEM pigtail.  I was thinking this went to the coil (I admit I didn't pull the electrical cover to confirm that thought since the plastic hold tabs are not in very good shape and figured they would break).  But if this instead is a relay control signal, and since you already did it and without issue, I will probably give it a try.

[llhat]

Just from memory I think the pigtails on both the + and -  were at least 12 gage....

I do not think relay control, I'd have to go pull the cover and see where it went... i think to the main terminal (threaded on this image)

there are leads heading to the alternator from the relay also from that threaded terminal.

starter solenoid terminal goes to the solenoid ON the starter to energize

fuel pump terminal bypasses the fuel pump relay block and ballast resisitor  (IIRC)

i know on that terminal you can jump from battery + to that wire and pump will run continuously

 

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

5 hours ago, llhat said:

i think to the main terminal (threaded on this image)

That is correct, I went ahead and pulled the plastic cover and the + pigtail does indeed go to the Battery Terminal.