[Dick88P30]

I've had my P30 for 8-years. I love its ability to truck and provide a 'home-away-from-home'. I've had my share of trouble understanding the differences between gas and diesel and the differences between carburetion and fuel injection. Now I have a problem which has me totally confused. My starter began to stick and just 'click' when keyed to 'start'. If I repeatedly turned the key to start it would eventually kick-in and turn-over. I removed the starter, took it apart, cleaned it and emery-papered the commutator bars. Its brushes and spring pressure were all good. I replaced it but the same condition still existed. I assumed the problem was the solenoid. I bought a new one and installed it. On its first attempt to start the vehicle, the starter would not stop when I turned the key back to 'on', or back to 'off'. I returned the solenoid as defective. Even though the seller insisted the fault was not the solenoid, he replaced it. The same condition still existed. I took the starter out again and benched it. It works fine. I re-installed it...same thing. I meter-tested the switch; it's okay. I've now had the solenoid seller and two others tell me this is normal, yet in 8-years I've never had this happen no matter how low the batteries were. Am I now in the Twilight Zone?

 

[GMC-YA]

If it contines to crank over with the key in the off or run position and youve tried different soleniods then I would look into a wireing problem. With the truck lifed safely and high enough to work under pull the starter out, then make sure the starter cable cable isn't touching anything CAREFULLY hook the battery cable back up. Have a helper turn the key while you are checking for power at the small wire that hooks to the solinoid.Dont forget there may be a large wire and the big cable , ifso they have to make good contacct for you to have power in the vehical

 

[Dick88P30]

P30 Starter Update

After extensive testing of wiring and possible solutions, I was left with the Bendix. Unbolt the starter from the block and it worked fine. Bolt it back up to the block and it would hang, allowing 12 volts to pass from the solenoid's Bat. post to the starter. Was it the washer inside the solenoid sticking to the magnets? Or, was it a combination of worn end bushing, worn knurl on the starter bolts, and a missing starter end-bracket? I shimmed the starter to .060. It still wouldn't let go but the length of time that the load was present at the batteries declined. I bought a new starter and it works fine. I suppose I could have shimmed another .020. I even considered lifting the tail end of the starter with cable and turnbuckle. My feeling was that if the Bendix gear was allowed to sit ****eyed when it meshed with the flywheel, enough that it resulted in this condition, then it was beyond the point at which it should have been replaced. Thank you, Dick88P30.:exactly: