GMCforum
For enthusiast of the Classic GMC Motorhome built from 1973 to 1978. A web-based mirror of the GMCnet mailing list.

Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Re: [GMCnet] Stranded: Ignition switch, key switch or starter solenoid?
Re: [GMCnet] Stranded: Ignition switch, key switch or starter solenoid? [message #345197] Fri, 12 July 2019 18:33 Go to next message
Ek_Lektro is currently offline  Ek_Lektro   United States
Messages: 167
Registered: March 2011
Karma: 2
Senior Member
hey Jon,
Thanks for mentioning to “reach over the tire” to get to the solenoid connections. i couldn’t see it from this angle without jacking it up, but once i raised it about 6”, it was easy to reach in and get it to start with a screwdriver,… and then we drove it on home! (Manipulating the screwdriver from the bottom definitely looked more difficult, so i was saving this trick for the last resort..., once i ran out of options)
Also, coming in from this tire angle, being able to reach the terminals easier, it looks like i’d also be able to swap the starter without having to do an oil/filter change, ha ha!

I”m heading down to Autozone to get an ignitions switch. And even if this solves the problem, it might be time to swap the starter anyway,, BECAUSE: the smaller wire going to the solenoid: when i try to tighten it for a better connection, it just turns the whole thing… probably broken off inside… cheap… (Duralast). So... i might have had 2 competing problems all along, but now i’m at my home garage, so let’s see what i can do.

> You likely need a new battery. That is probably you had to use the boost in the past.

Hey Emery, Because this problem came on rather quickly, i wasn’t really suspecting the battery, since batteries for me seem to go bad over a longer period of time (unless it gets fully discharged of course). But looking closer at the battery today, i can see that one of the cells is very low on water. So i’ll put in some distilled and give it a good charge, and keep my eye on that as well, thanks!

> Having to turn the key twice is indicative of a failing ignition switch.

Let’s hope this is the worst of it :)
Thanks again to all who offered advice, cheers!
Greg


_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
Re: [GMCnet] Stranded: Ignition switch, key switch or starter solenoid? [message #345198 is a reply to message #345197] Fri, 12 July 2019 18:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bruce Hart is currently offline  Bruce Hart   United States
Messages: 1501
Registered: October 2011
Location: La Grange, Wyoming
Karma: 5
Senior Member
Greg,
You can replace just the solenoid and not the whole starter assembly.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/ECHST124?searchCategory=c11.s4&searchIndex=Universal

On Fri, Jul 12, 2019 at 5:34 PM Ek Lektro via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:

> hey Jon,
> Thanks for mentioning to “reach over the tire” to get to the solenoid
> connections. i couldn’t see it from this angle without jacking it up, but
> once i raised it about 6”, it was easy to reach in and get it to start with
> a screwdriver,… and then we drove it on home! (Manipulating the
> screwdriver from the bottom definitely looked more difficult, so i was
> saving this trick for the last resort..., once i ran out of options)
> Also, coming in from this tire angle, being able to reach the terminals
> easier, it looks like i’d also be able to swap the starter without having
> to do an oil/filter change, ha ha!
>
> I”m heading down to Autozone to get an ignitions switch. And even if this
> solves the problem, it might be time to swap the starter anyway,, BECAUSE:
> the smaller wire going to the solenoid: when i try to tighten it for a
> better connection, it just turns the whole thing… probably broken off
> inside… cheap… (Duralast). So... i might have had 2 competing problems
> all along, but now i’m at my home garage, so let’s see what i can do.
>
>> You likely need a new battery. That is probably you had to use the
> boost in the past.
>
> Hey Emery, Because this problem came on rather quickly, i wasn’t really
> suspecting the battery, since batteries for me seem to go bad over a longer
> period of time (unless it gets fully discharged of course). But looking
> closer at the battery today, i can see that one of the cells is very low on
> water. So i’ll put in some distilled and give it a good charge, and keep
> my eye on that as well, thanks!
>
>> Having to turn the key twice is indicative of a failing ignition switch.
>
> Let’s hope this is the worst of it :)
> Thanks again to all who offered advice, cheers!
> Greg
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>


--
Bruce Hart
1976 Palm Beach
Milliken, Co
GMC=Got More Class
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org


Bruce Hart 1976 Palm Beach 1977 28' Kingsley La Grange, Wyoming
Re: [GMCnet] Stranded: Ignition switch, key switch or starter solenoid? [message #345199 is a reply to message #345198] Fri, 12 July 2019 19:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
James Hupy is currently offline  James Hupy   United States
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
Senior Member
Yes, you can change the solenoid, but, the current supply has a contact
disc made of a light weight material with a copper plating on the contact
surface.
Original G.M. solenoids have a solid copper disc that is reversible
to expose a smooth contact surface once again. They are far superior to
presently available ones. The rebuilder that I use here in Salem for
starters and Alternators will only use genuine Delco parts for rebuilding.
His stuff isn't cheap, but it lasts, and he stands behind it.
Jim Hupy

On Fri, Jul 12, 2019, 4:45 PM Bruce Hart via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:

> Greg,
> You can replace just the solenoid and not the whole starter assembly.
>
> https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/ECHST124?searchCategory=c11.s4&searchIndex=Universal
>
> On Fri, Jul 12, 2019 at 5:34 PM Ek Lektro via Gmclist gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:
>
>> hey Jon,
>> Thanks for mentioning to “reach over the tire” to get to the solenoid
>> connections. i couldn’t see it from this angle without jacking it up,
> but
>> once i raised it about 6”, it was easy to reach in and get it to start
> with
>> a screwdriver,… and then we drove it on home! (Manipulating the
>> screwdriver from the bottom definitely looked more difficult, so i was
>> saving this trick for the last resort..., once i ran out of options)
>> Also, coming in from this tire angle, being able to reach the terminals
>> easier, it looks like i’d also be able to swap the starter without having
>> to do an oil/filter change, ha ha!
>>
>> I”m heading down to Autozone to get an ignitions switch. And even if
> this
>> solves the problem, it might be time to swap the starter anyway,,
> BECAUSE:
>> the smaller wire going to the solenoid: when i try to tighten it for a
>> better connection, it just turns the whole thing… probably broken off
>> inside… cheap… (Duralast). So... i might have had 2 competing problems
>> all along, but now i’m at my home garage, so let’s see what i can do.
>>
>>> You likely need a new battery. That is probably you had to use the
>> boost in the past.
>>
>> Hey Emery, Because this problem came on rather quickly, i wasn’t really
>> suspecting the battery, since batteries for me seem to go bad over a
> longer
>> period of time (unless it gets fully discharged of course). But looking
>> closer at the battery today, i can see that one of the cells is very low
> on
>> water. So i’ll put in some distilled and give it a good charge, and keep
>> my eye on that as well, thanks!
>>
>>> Having to turn the key twice is indicative of a failing ignition
> switch.
>>
>> Let’s hope this is the worst of it :)
>> Thanks again to all who offered advice, cheers!
>> Greg
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
>
>
> --
> Bruce Hart
> 1976 Palm Beach
> Milliken, Co
> GMC=Got More Class
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
Re: [GMCnet] Stranded: Ignition switch, key switch or starter solenoid? [message #345200 is a reply to message #345197] Fri, 12 July 2019 19:38 Go to previous message
Matt Colie is currently offline  Matt Colie   United States
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
Senior Member
Greg,

Glad you made it home.

The fact that you made it start with a screwdriver without incinerating the tool means that the starter is not likely your problem.
Lets be clear here....
Did you cross the small terminal on the solenoid with the large terminal on there?
--- If you did and it cranked. then the starter is not your issue. (today)
--- If you crossed the two big terminals (and the tool got hot) then, yes, the solenoid is the issue. In this case, the starter needs to come out. The solenoid used on out 10MT starter is the same one used be all of GM from the time the Arc grounded until recently (not quite last week). They are in expensive and easy to change out.

Matt


Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
Previous Topic: What model are these motorhomes?
Next Topic: Re: [GMCnet] Stumped
Goto Forum:
  


Current Time: Sun Sep 22 13:28:09 CDT 2024

Total time taken to generate the page: 0.01526 seconds