1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?

timbre4 · Post by **timbre4** » Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:28 pm

My son was going to go out in the Caravan (6-3.3L/AT) today until a no start happened.

Starter was replaced less than a year ago. Getting underneath to tap on the solenoid, I did finally notice a bolt sticking out with a loose not. With key on, it would arc and smoke a bit. Told him to turn the key off.

Was thinking that tightening the nut could be the answer at first, I came to realize that the solenoid had broken or melted away. Can anybody tell me what might have happened to it?

I'm looking through my receipts for the extended warranty for that aftermarket starter now. Thanks

brianp87 · Post by **brianp87** » Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:42 pm

Check for a shorted wire from the fuse panel under the hood its a possiblility

brianp87 · Post by **brianp87** » Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:50 pm

Which nut is loose? Is it the one that the main wire goes to? it it was loose it could of melted due to a bad connection

timbre4 · Post by **timbre4** » Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:52 pm

I believe it is the main one; kinda not looking to touch this one too much.

brianp87 · Post by **brianp87** » Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:56 pm

Id put a good starter in it and then if problems still exist check the circuit but that nut may have been loose and overheated

timbre4 · Post by **timbre4** » Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:58 pm

Thanks, I suspect the starter itself was the culprit.

liljoe · Post by **liljoe** » Mon Nov 28, 2011 2:18 pm

Sounds to me like the nut that holds the main battery wire was not tightened properly at time of installation. That is about the only thing I have seen cause this.

Tim Martin · Post by **Tim Martin** » Mon Nov 28, 2011 2:30 pm

liljoe wrote:Sounds to me like the nut that holds the main battery wire was not tightened properly at time of installation. That is about the only thing I have seen cause this.

Same here. Have seen this same issue on other starters also.

steven kiser · Post by **steven kiser** » Tue Nov 29, 2011 2:24 am

Loose nut is usually the culprit. As we know loose anything in a the wiring causes heat. On situations like this i take a good look at the cable to make sure it's ok.

It's good to see a Tech Guru using a hammer to solve a mechanical issue. I wish i could say "My computer wasn't working quite right so i tapped it with a hammer" life would be so less complicated.

timbre4 · Post by **timbre4** » Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:12 am

You can it's called "percussive maintenance".

Thanks

a&mauto · Post by **a&mauto** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 2:37 pm

Tim Martin wrote:
liljoe wrote:Sounds to me like the nut that holds the main battery wire was not tightened properly at time of installation. That is about the only thing I have seen cause this.
Same here. Have seen this same issue on other starters also.

Ditto, Same here

fortknoxx · Post by **fortknoxx** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 12:25 pm

what no pics?

ricmorin · Post by **ricmorin** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 12:35 pm

Here ya go.....

: melt-o-rama; starter.jpg (7.43 KiB) Viewed 5043 times

timbre4 · Post by **timbre4** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 3:13 pm

Nice! If I grab that bolt/stud and wiggle slightly, it arcs & sparks.

steven kiser · Post by **steven kiser** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 2:34 am

Let's take this one step better. Broken insulator because the cable was improperly aligned and the starter installed with an impact gun using l10 standard bolts in metric tapped mounting holes. Of course they were bottom holes not through ones with restricted accessibility.

Good thing i was able to take pictures and forward them to the customer as we went. Shops like this make it difficult for me to keep to my non bashing stance.

1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?

1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?

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Re: 1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?

Re: 1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?

Re: 1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?

Re: 1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?

Re: 1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?

Re: 1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?

Re: 1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?

Re: 1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?

Re: 1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?

Re: 1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?

Re: 1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?

Re: 1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?

Re: 1994 Dodge Caravan - No Start Cooked Solenoid?