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Topic: Starter Failure (Read 622 times) previous topic - next topic

Starter Failure

So back in January 2 days before we were planning on going to Quartzite with 3 other friends I went to start the coach and the starter would not crank the engine, reached down to check if the cable was tight on the starter and the bakelite material on the solenoid fell apart due to the extreme heat from the exhaust manifold. ISL 400, great design Cummins! DSD Scott was gracious enough to come by and help me change it out, Thanks Scott. So I was able to get a starter from one of the local parts stores on short notice. Has worked well for 3 more short trips without issue until now! This past weekend we had a trip planned to Laughlin for our Manx club event. Got there and parked for dry camping in the casino parking lot. I wanted to move over 3 spaces for room to put slides out. Cranked engine coach fired but I thought I could hear the starter motor continue to crank, weird. Shut the engine down, it stopped but the starter kept cranking. So by the time I got the batteries disconnected to stop the starter from cranking after I had moved it had started to Let The Smoke Out, ouch. Tried a few more times with no avail. Decided we were going to enjoy the weekend and worry about it on Sunday. My plan was to disconnect the battery from the starter post, hold it on the post while the DW started the coach then tape up the cable away from the starter. Off we went. Now I get a CEL, Power supply code coach shut down twice on Laughlin grade. Bypassed battery switch and drove on home. Starter box says MADE IN CHINA. Ordered delco today and got refund on knockoff. Moral to this story? Jim.       
Jim and Dona
2002 U295 36'
Lily, blue healer. Our fury person
Manx mid travel Ecotec turbo
2022 Bronco badlands Sasquatch
Trail 90 and 110cc

Re: Starter Failure

Reply #1 –
Damn, what a waste of time and hassle when you specifically ordered a "DELCO REMY" in the first place.
Keith
2003 U320 38' #6197

Re: Starter Failure

Reply #2 –
Not a Cummins owner but doesn't your engine have a remote starter solenoid? Usually the starter solenoid controls the juice to the starter motor and the starter can't spin unless the solenoid feeds it juice.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Starter Failure

Reply #3 –
Pierce, aux starter solenoid tested good.
Jim and Dona
2002 U295 36'
Lily, blue healer. Our fury person
Manx mid travel Ecotec turbo
2022 Bronco badlands Sasquatch
Trail 90 and 110cc

Re: Starter Failure

Reply #4 –
FYI, Delco Remy starters are made in San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Starter Failure

Reply #5 –
Quote from: fourdayoff –
So back in January 2 days before we were planning on going to Quartzite with 3 other friends I went to start the coach and the starter would not crank the engine, reached down to check if the cable was tight on the starter and the bakelite material on the solenoid fell apart due to the extreme heat from the exhaust manifold. ISL 400, great design Cummins! DSD Scott was gracious enough to come by and help me change it out, Thanks Scott. So I was able to get a starter from one of the local parts stores on short notice. Has worked well for 3 more short trips without issue until now! This past weekend we had a trip planned to Laughlin for our Manx club event. Got there and parked for dry camping in the casino parking lot. I wanted to move over 3 spaces for room to put slides out. Cranked engine coach fired but I thought I could hear the starter motor continue to crank, weird. Shut the engine down, it stopped but the starter kept cranking. So by the time I got the batteries disconnected to stop the starter from cranking after I had moved it had started to Let The Smoke Out, ouch. Tried a few more times with no avail. Decided we were going to enjoy the weekend and worry about it on Sunday. My plan was to disconnect the battery from the starter post, hold it on the post while the DW started the coach then tape up the cable away from the starter. Off we went. Now I get a CEL, Power supply code coach shut down twice on Laughlin grade. Bypassed battery switch and drove on home. Starter box says MADE IN CHINA. Ordered delco today and got refund on knockoff. Moral to this story? Jim.       
Your not the first to run into the convenient rabbit hole. Like OEM isn't OEM wish I could say I've never fallen prey to the convenient junk available.
Scott

Re: Starter Failure

Reply #6 –
Quote from: dsd –
Your not the first to run into the convenient rabbit hole. Like OEM isn't OEM

REPLACES (in small letters) XXX (the OE part number which is in large, bold print) is the new normal. Buyer beware!
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Starter Failure

Reply #7 –
So I'm not the only one to break the back off of a ISL 400 starter solenoid, I don't feel so bad now! I was in a campground in
Seward, Alaska summer of 2019 went to crank up and it didn't want to roll over, tried to tighten up a slightly loose cable on the solenoid and it cracked at the large battery terminal attachment point, drove to Anchorage to pick up new starter (4 + hour drive)

The shop rebuilt starters and alternators, The owner looked at my old starter and took the new starter out of the box and said I'm not going to sell you this $500 piece of crap, your old starter is the original Cummins starter and I can rebuild it for about $200 and you will be happy that I did it's a way better starter than the new one! So he rebuilt the old starter with new bushings, brushes, end plate bendix and hardware and solenoid it looked brand new and still spins it over today with no problems.
Mike & Donna Mariana + Angel & Rusty
2003 U295 3620
Build# 6118
2021 Jeep Wrangler 392

Re: Starter Failure

Reply #8 –
Just because a box or part says "Made in China" or many other places, it does not necessarily mean it's a knockoff. Everyone is outsourcing today including China. When I look at all my Macs and iPhones, the source is China. They have the lowest frequency of repair in the computer industry. I bought my first in the second week of production in 1984 and all of them have been faultless.

Many corporations are in a life or death struggle to survive or have been taken over by others seeking a profit by using an established quality name. So they cut costs by cutting corners plus outsourcing to Mexico, China, Vietnam, etc. When the product proves to be less than stellar, the county of manufacture gets blamed not the stockholders/management of the company. I have to laugh when the country south of the border gets the blame for poor quality but we quite happily drive many  of the Fords, Chevys, Toyotas, Freightliners, etc. made there. How about your new windshield? Where is it made? It's easy to pick the scapegoat when you get a poor product but it takes more work to see where the slippery slope started.

Pierce

Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Starter Failure

Reply #9 –
Pierce is absolutely correct-- any country can produce products to any standard.  If the parent company puts price before quality, they can build them that way.

Boats built in Taiwan were a good example.  Some with terrible mechanicals, some built to high standards.  Choose your price point and spec and build to that way.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Starter Failure

Reply #10 –
We find many new alternators have lower quality than OEM, so we try to find one of those single experienced owner repair shops to replace parts.  It seems, the messy looking shops do the best work.

Have not been as successful with starters and it took a new Delco Remy to fix a slow starter.

With new not needing a trade-in, some find keeping OEM and eventually getting it fixed may have value.

Trading in an OEM alternator or starter for a rebuilt unit may be a bad choice, as often rebuilding only replaces a few parts and the rebuilt core may be of lower quality than OEM.

Re: Starter Failure

Reply #11 –
IMO, best choice is to ask the manufacturer of your "electric component" for a list of approved rebuilders in your area.

We have (or had-- haven't used in several years) a great one in Pearland, TX.  Rebuilt several alternators for me on Foretravel and marine applications.

Alternators and Starters Pearland Alternator Co., Inc. Alternator, alternator...

Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020