Starter motor intermittent failure, one more time please?

If your arms can't reach that far down to the starter then hopefully you can reach in your back pocket for some cash to pay a mechanic.

 

Weather permitting or the situation, I'm resigned to keeping a broom handle on hand when it happens again. I'll poke and prod the solenoid area and starter and see if the starter cranks. If it does, I'll be relieved that I've determined I need to replace the starter motor, solenoid and all. Paying a garage to clean the contacts or such will require enough labor cost to get at it, that that money would be better spent to install a new starter motor. I'll shit a brick if I do that and a newly bought starter does the same thing (intermittent non-start). Keep in mind I can no longer DIY. Lack of place to do it, lack of jacks, etc.

Just curious...if a new starter motor needs to be returned, what are the symptoms of that? Does it just refuse to crank? Does it crank weak? Does it intermittently not work but sometimes does? Also if I may...what are the opinions here about buying a refurbished starter? A dice roll just like anything else?

 

I’ve bought rebuilt starters before and had decent luck with them. If it’s pretty simple to change you can try one. If it’s a bear to change buy a new brand name one.

 

That can go the other way in the last few years I had so many bad reman starters and alternators I now buy the rebuilt ones from my dealer.

OP ask the shop doing the work what there policy is replacing rebuilt starters that fail most all will charge removal and install labor again that is seldom covered by the parts vendor or rebuilder so know going in.

Best ofLuck