Hello all I've a 1990 dakota. The starter has been rebuilt and checked out as good. The truck has been sitting for months. During a very cold snap my fuel pump died and the stater gave up trying. I've replaced the fuel pump and had the starter rebuilt. I've also tried a junkyard starter which tests good. I hit the key and hear the bendix push but no starter turning. I cleaned up many connectors under the hood and it did start once. Then back to the click. Battery is fully charged. Any idea what the problem could be?

 

What exactly do you mean by 'bendex push'?

 

You need to check the battery under load. Just because it reads over 12 volts without a load on it doesn't mean it won't drop down too low when a load is placed on it. I've had that happen with a battery before.

 

I mean the obvious clang when the gear is thrust to the flywheel.

I had considered that and tried with a battery charger on 40amp boost and it did the same. In thinking more about this overnight. I had to work all night. I'm thinking it may be the positive battery cable is bad. It feels solid and both ends are clean and tight but a previous owner added a crimp on connector at the starter end. I'll get a new cable in soon and try that. Does this sound right?

 

I had something similar on an '89 with the battery cables, but I was able to get it started more than once by twisting them around a bit and having someone else starting it. You could give that a try. I ended up replacing the terminals and the problem was corrected. When I looked at the old original terminals the wire hole inside was too malformed after so many years....

 

If it is the nippendenso starter 3.9 I suspect you may have over tightened the battery wire on the post. If the post turns even a little when you tighten the nut it can cause the contact in the starter to move and no longer sit flat resulting in a bad contact across the contacts. Pull the starter and open the flat cover held on by 3 screws. See if the contacts are flat and the round copper strike plate is contacting both contacts evenly.

 

Problem found and solved. There was an aftermarket end on the positive cable at the starter. It was rusted and loose. I cleaned it up and cut back the cable. Reinstalled the end crimped and soldered. Bingo she fires right up!