Bad starter?

[Milesvdustin]

I have a 2004 liberty that was acting like a bad battery, now it will go "whoom" once when you try to start it and then it stops. Checked battery with a load meter, checks good. Think it's a starter?
.

 

[renegade 04]

Yup it sounds a bad starter.

 

[Milesvdustin]

So it just got dropped by the tow truck in my driveway. It's been about 45 minutes, and the darn thing started right up like a champ. Still starter?

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I'd say so. There's probably a dead spot on the starter so as soon as it moves it's good until it lands on a dead spot again.

 

[blackhawk]

If it happens again, try to hit the starter with a hammer (like knocking on the door) so that the solenoid disengage and run again....
You must replace the solenoid only

 

[dude1116]

If it's making a turning noise but not turning the motor, the gear isn't coming out to engage the flywheel. You should get a whole new unit (same thing happened to me).

 

[Billwill]

If it's making a turning noise but not turning the motor, the gear isn't coming out to engage the flywheel. You should get a whole new unit (same thing happened to me).

Yep this^^^.

Sometimes a bit of lubrication on the starter shaft that the gear runs on will help but usually the shaft has been damaged too much by this stage and a complete new assembly is in order.

 

[Milesvdustin]

Slapped a new starter in it. All is well. I took the front driveshaft out and it made it real easy to chsnge the starter. About an hour job total.

 

[Adam Roby]

How fast does it turn over with the new starter, like any car on the market?

Mine is a 2006, and from day one it sounded like I had a bad battery. It turns over very slowly, and that's in the middle of summer. In the winter I leave the block heater plugged in because I fear it won't spin fast enough to start. I've swapped the battery with a new properly rated one, but had no effect on the speed of cranking.

Could this also be due to a worn or tired starter?

 

[Boomhawr]

Yep. Could be. On my Cherokee, it was having trouble starting. My daughter was the one driving it at the time, so I had her drop the starter and pull the battery. On the tester, both tested fine, but the starter was several years old, and the tester doesn't put as much load as the engine does, so I got a new starter. After my daughter put it all back in, it worked just fine.

 

[Adam Roby]

Kind of funny, on RockAuto looking at starters.
There are a few new ones for under $100 CAD, but the remans are $150 and up.
There is no mention of sending back a core or anything to rebuild.
Why would a brand new starter cost less than one that has been rebuilt, and why would someone want a refurb when a new one can be had for a fraction of the cost?

I must be missing something...

 

[GunnerSchenck]

Are the new ones aftermarket, and the remanned ones remanufactureed OEM Mopar parts?

 

[Adam Roby]

Kind of I guess...

New:

ULTRA-POWER 17937N
POWER SELECT/WPS 17937N
PURE ENERGY 17882N
OMIX-ADA 1722721
OMIX-ADA

Remanufactured:

PURE-ENERGY
ACDELCO
REMY
MOPAR
DENSO

I am guessing the lower list would be more reliable parts?

 

[JasonJ]

Kind of I guess...

New:

ULTRA-POWER 17937N
POWER SELECT/WPS 17937N
PURE ENERGY 17882N
OMIX-ADA 1722721
OMIX-ADA

Remanufactured:

PURE-ENERGY
ACDELCO
REMY
MOPAR
DENSO

I am guessing the lower list would be more reliable parts?

If nothing else, AC Delco, Remy, MOPAR, and Denso are at least name brands, or OE manufacturers...

 

[GunnerSchenck]

Yes the lower list is more reliable, I've used acdelco starters before and had no issue with them, and pretty sure denso is about in the same realm, but I can't speak for the other two.. Running an ACDelco ac compressor on my mustang and it seems to work like a charm.

How much is the price difference between those and the Mopar reman?

 

[Adam Roby]

The cheapest of the bunch is $82.88.
The Denso is the most expensive at $251.88.

2006 JEEP LIBERTY 3.7L V6 Starter Motor | RockAuto

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Wouldn't get new...probably China shit.

Mopar is only $20 more than ACDelco, so I'd go with that.

 

[GunnerSchenck]

^^^Exactamundo

 

[Adam Roby]

Thanks for the advice fellas.

 

[GunnerSchenck]

Yessir