Starter issue -

I’m on my second 6,5l diesel in more then twenty years. I have replaced the starter on both motors due to intermittant cranking failure. Shall try to explain why.
Suddenly, after years of reliable function, the starter refuse to crank the engine, I can hear a ”click” from the starter. I turn the key to START couple of times and starter will crank the engine. Now it works OK for weeks but it will happen again. Over the time it will happen more And more often until It get unpleasent, like shall it start or.....
I will replace the starter and now it works for years and then it start the same all over again.

What can it be for reason ?
Somebody with same experiance ?

While starters do fail from time to time, the symptoms you describe sound more like a poor battery cable connection. Either at the battery(ies), grounds, or the cable lug on the starter solenoid. Replacing the starter renews some of the connections, and often likely the previous poor connection that prompted the replacement.

If you are hearing a clicking noise but no start, it could be your starter is not aligned and the gear with the teeth is hitting your flex plate. Common failures are miss alignment from the bracket nut/bolts getting loose.

You could have a friend take a look to see if it hits the flex plate instead of going into the teeth. Could use a phone and do a video underneath.

If the teeth are aligned up on both the starter and flex plate but no crank. Remove starter and take to an auto parts store and have them test it. Could be bad starter or bad starter solenoid.

Could be bad connection.

Could be battery’s getting weak.

Check alignment first. Then test at auto parts store then decide from there.

Starters are super easy to remove. Make sure batteries are unplugged before you do.

Post 12-13 of my guide might help you out with starter removal here:

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/thread...-guide.198509/

I have seen a situation where the starter goes CLICK and no crank.....the power needed to pull the solenoid in takes a fair bit of amperage.

The wire that feeds the solenoid is relatively small.

A nice fix is to use a Ford starter relay.

Connect the wire that normally connects to the solenoid to the Ford relay.

The connect a #10 from the battery to the Ford relay (One large terminal) and then the other large terminal to the starter solenoid with a #10 wire.

Use good crimp terminals and be sure they are solid.

This will put far more amperage and voltage too to the starter solenoid...

The solenoids take more ooooomph when the starters are HOT too..


This little change also takes a buttload of stress off the ignition switch.

If the ignition switch is getting a tad weak the issue can get worse.....


Try this mod.....an easy fix me thinks.....