So I go to leave work and my truck won't start...

[Subliminal]

Starter just clicks. Lights all come on, buzzer sounds powered up, but CLEEK! No start.

A coworker is outside and I get them to come over and try and jump me. Wires connected, CLEEEK! No start. Sad emoticon.

So, I'm trying to think. First I'm thinking, dang, it must be 15 degrees out here. Then I'm thinking...stop...hammer time!

I smack it a few times, take out a little aggression, but no go. I check the battery terminals. They're fine.

So, I do what any man would do, I call my wife and get her en route.

Then I go back inside the office and start looking for a starter...and of course my truck is basically a dinosaur, so nobody has a starter in stock.

Then I think, hey my wife's Equinox has a tow hitch, and I think I can probably wrangle something up.

So, I look in the truck and find one of my fancy Home Depot specials...a 12 foot ratchet strap...that might do it!

I pull the strap out of the ratchet, and have her back up behind the truck...I tie one end to her hitch and hook the other to mine and have her slowly pull me backwards and 90 degrees so we're lined up with the straightaway in the parking lot.

So far, so good!

I then have her come around to the front and tie to her hitch again and wrap the hook around my front axle.

It took about 10 feet and I popped the clutch in 3rd and she fired up...gotta love the Cummins...they pop immediately.

So I drive home and finally source out a starter...they can have it here at 8:30 tomorrow morning (today). Great.

I go on my favorite diesel forum and post, and find the bolts are 12-point 10mm (grade 8 of course), the main power is a 17mm and the little power wire is an 8mm. Woot!

Anyway, I just got inside from pulling it off...pretty straightforward, except of course one bolt was hidden and behind some stuff...grrrr!

Now, I gotta go put the top up on the cabrio and drive it to the parts store...it doesn't have a heater, and its a bit drafty, but thank God for a backup car!

Anyway, that was my adventure last night and today so far.

[Subliminal]

Anyway, that was a fun adventure...new starter is in and the truck is purring like a kitten...or running like a diesel that wasn't plugged in in freezing temperatures.

[clocktowersniper]

You could have said forget it the truck aint worth a starter and sold it to me for parts. I would have then installed the Cummins in my RamCharger and been very happy.

[Subliminal]

Ha! Yeah, I guess I could have done that.

[turbovanman²]

Good job it was the starter, as you should know, just because the lights and buzzers work, doesn't mean it has enough oomph to crank a diesel over,

Glad you got her fixed, and gotta love manual tranny's for times like this,

[Subliminal]

Yeah, but even when hooked up to another running car I still just got a clicking.

[turbovanman²]

Yeah, but even when hooked up to another running car I still just got a clicking.

True, but battery's can still cause that, I've had a few get me,

[Subliminal]

Right. Well, also on the drive home (after pull starting it) the volt gauge was acting normal. When the grid heaters were initially kicking on, the voltage was going waaaaay down, and then when they stopped it sat around the 14ish volts it normally likes.

At any rate, it was the damned starter, damnit!

[Subliminal]

Welp...I fixed the starter all right...but apparently snapped the dipstick tube off where it goes into the block. GRRR!

Anyone know an easy way to get a dodge partnumber? I don't think there's a Dodge dealership within miles of here anymore.

[86Shelby]

As I look into my crystal ball I can see you looking at the clock on the dash, 6:33 a.m. I can't see much else but I hear click, click, click. DAAAAAAMMMMMMIIIIIIT!

[Subliminal]

lol

[GLHS592]

Good job it was the starter, as you should know, just because the lights and buzzers work, doesn't mean it has enough oomph to crank a diesel over,

I found that out. Also, just because it tests "good" at the auto parts store doesn't mean it is. Luckily for me, the manager knew this. Changing out the starter isn't that bad if you have the right tools and don't have to do it in a gravel parking lot. I had to do the old wrench in the wrench thing to get enough leverage on that 10 mm Craftsman.

[Mr.Mopar]

Good job! When you mentioned the Equinox and ratchet strap I was expecting to read somethin went bad lol. Glad to hear everything went well.
Gotta love it when a starter goes without warning. Had that happen in the spring on my 84 Ramcharger.

[Evilancer]

You can get the engine model # off of the info tag on the side of the timing case, go to a Cummins dealer and they should be able to get a new dipsitck tube. Parts for the 5.9 I find are cheaper when buying from Cummins, rather than the Dodge dealer.

Jon

[Subliminal]

You can get the engine model # off of the info tag on the side of the timing case, go to a Cummins dealer and they should be able to get a new dipsitck tube. Parts for the 5.9 I find are cheaper when buying from Cummins, rather than the Dodge dealer.

Jon

Yep...that's exactly what I did. Turned out to be ~$40 for the new tube and the nubby that sticks in the block.