alternator problem?

Question

Ok, my fiance has a truck and he is getting sick of working on it and I am getting sick of sharing a car. lol He has replaced the starter, battery, and battery cables in the last week, and when he tries to start with a jump he just gets a whir sound. Is that the alternator? He bought a used starter, so could it be that again?

It is a 94 Chevy 3/4 ton. lol, well, if it is the starter, that will be covered under the 30 day warrantee and be no more money out of our pockets! lol

Answer 1

sounds like the starter, not the alternator. The "bendix" which plunges the starter gear into the ring gear on the flywheel is not engaging. Sometimes the bendix is just stuck so a nice firm whack on the side if the starter (it's best to use wood or a rubber mallet) will unstick it. You'll know after several tries. Good luck!

Answer 2

He's got a starter Bendix problem. Very easy fix and inexpensive to replace. It takes longer to drop and replace the starter than changing the Bendix. There's a neat race car clearance trick that may help in this case.

Remove the cover on the bottom of the bell-housing. If the teeth on the ring gear or flywheel are in good shape Bolt the starter to the motor block. At the end of the starter between the Bendix and the end of the starter housing (toward the passenger) there is a smooth slide shaft. Slide the non cutting end of a 1/8 drill between the ring gear and the smooth shaft. If it's too tight add appropriate shims available form your local parts store between the starter and block to space the starter further away from the ring gear. Shoot for the proper clearance of .125 or 1/8 in. This little step ensures that the proper clearance exists between the engaged Bendix and ring gear when he starts the vehicle. If this not checked the two gears bottom out and bind and all hell breaks loose

The Bendix is called the starter drive by some people. It's the small gear at the end of the starter housing that unites to the trans ring gear when he flips the key.

Answer 3

some chevys have spacers to gage the clearance between the abendics and the fly wheel and most starter gears themselves are made of a lighter metal than the flywheel ring gear to me it sounds like you need to replace the ring gear on the fly wheel you'll have to drop the transmission to replace it they don't strip out very often but some times the flywheel will even warp so drop the rock cover under the flywheel and have someone hand crank the motor and inspect it for warpage or if teeth are sheared off good luck I hope I'm wrong because it is defenitly a long weekend job

Answer 4

You didn't mention what type of car. It sounds like the Bendix on the starter is not in gaging. If the lights and radio works it is probably not the battery.

Answer 5

Whir and not starting is probably the used starter crapped out.
Lights and radio? Would help to eliminate battery and alternator.