CUCV Starter nightmare.....

[GeneralDisorder]

M1009. Was in a sorry state when I got it (and still pretty rough). Hadn't run in a while. Showing 8,400 miles on the odometer.

Replaced all the battery cables, rebuilt both alternators (one had a shorted regulator, the other had one brush lead that turned green and fell off) - they came apart like they legitimately had 8k miles on them though. Front bearing/cover slid right off the rotor shafts.....

With good batteries it would turn over but slowly - did get it running with some help from my LMTV. 4400 cranking amps got it spinning like it was on crack.....

So I got it running - was about 5 quarts low on ATF (leaking from between transmission and transfer case) - after filling it did sorta move. Wouldn't shift right, etc. Played with the VRV, ended up replacing it, etc. Got the truck up to about 40 mph at one point. Then the transmission died completely - torque converter grenaded internally - clutches were burnt up. Wasn't the original transmission, etc. Huge mess. Rebuilt the transmission, replaced the TC, etc ,etc.

Since swapped in the transmission and TC I haven't been able to get it spinning fast enough to fire. Someone wired the starter relay incorrectly (purple and purple/white swapped) and so had a jumper wire plugged into the connector that was sending 12v to the starter solenoid (but 24v to the motor). I also found the starter solenoid ignition stud was stripped so I pulled the starter and after speaking with a starter parts supplier concluded it was a 12v starter! So I ordered a Chinese reduction starter, wired the starter relay correctly (replaced with a new one), and it just wouldn't spin fast enough to fire then the starter gave up - I think the solenoid failed as I tried installing it on the old 12v delco and it just clicks - doesn't even try to power the motor from what I can tell.... I need to check voltage at wire to the motor..... Engine turns as freely as I would expect a 21:1 compression diesel to turn and did run fine when I got it running previously.

I think I'm just dealing with garbage starters. I don't have a starter to "rebuild" since the one that came with the truck is a 12v Delco. And the Chinese one I bought seems to be total trash.

Anyone have suggestions or a starter for sale?

 

[WWRD99]

@cucvrus may have one...I got one of his a few years ago and it's still goin! Another guy in Massachusetts named Mike Morin has a bunch too...hes on Facebook...I got one from him a few months ago...all used but not Chinese made. I'd avoid anything new and at the most pop some brushes in it.
Trying to figure out what you meant that the relay sent 12 volts to the starter not 24? Wonder if they put 24 volts to the relay under the dash on the control side?? Might need a relay....or you said you sent 12 volts to the starter solenoid on the starter? Its supposedto getv24 volts to the solenoid on the starter ...make sure you have the starter bracket on the front of the starter too.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

 

[GeneralDisorder]

Someone had chopped off the starter relay connector and then butt spliced it back on but got the purple (+24v to starter solenoid) and purple/white (+12v from ignition switch) swapped. When they couldn't get the relay to work due to the miswiring they just pulled it and stuck a jumper wire into the connector and were effectively feeding +12v from the ignition switch into the starter solenoid wire. Which actually worked because it was a 12v starter. The starter motor connection was still hooked up to the 24v buss-bar on the firewall though so when I jumped it with the LMTV's 4400 cranking amps it spun like it was gas fired! I've corrected the wiring back to 24v and installed a new old stock starter relay and that's working correctly but it appears the solenoid on the 24v Chinese starter has given out (clicks and throws the bendix but not connecting power to the motor) and since the old Delco was actually a 12v starter...... I don't have a working solenoid.

And yeah - fortunately the idiots didn't lose the bracket on the front. So I have that and it's faithfully attached and tight. No broken block or starter noses for me.

 

[WWRD99]

Sounds like a shxt show for sure!! I wonder if they did that 12 volt thing to the starter because they new it was 12 volt?? Not realizing the main starter was getting 24? Who knows but it sounds like you just need a good starter. It have the knurled starter bolts still?

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

 

[GeneralDisorder]

Sounds like a shxt show for sure!! I wonder if they did that 12 volt thing to the starter because they new it was 12 volt?? Not realizing the main starter was getting 24? Who knows but it sounds like you just need a good starter. It have the knurled starter bolts still?

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

Both of the bolts were knurled but two different bolts - one with a flanged head and one with a loose split lock washer. Both 15mm though and the same length with knurling so I haven't sourced new ones.

You should have seen the state of the transmission/install. Besides the torque converter shearing off all it's stator blades internally, there was a piece of ANOTHER converter jammed in the end of the crank centering hole. They also had the cross-member installed with the bolt spacers between the member and the frame instead of on top of the lower frame edge.... made the shifter bind in park. And the steering column was so bad I ended up just getting a whole assembly from Hillbilly Wizard. There's lots more. I keep fixing stuff and I keep finding that everything anyone ever touched is completely F'd up.

 

[WWRD99]

I've used stock bolts and arp makes a set too. About the same price...get the stock ones nos from a surplus guy. Sounds like someone got hold of it that didn't have money or no idea what to do. Nice thing with those 400s is they're cheap n easy to rebuild. I've done many with surplus parts that are everywhere.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

 

[BIGHOSS]

i had a "slow" starter turn over nightmare also , my guy that rebuilds all my electrical stuff reccomended switching from the stock 27 mt to a 28 mt , now i just crack the key and off she goes

 

[GeneralDisorder]

i had a "slow" starter turn over nightmare also , my guy that rebuilds all my electrical stuff reccomended switching from the stock 27 mt to a 28 mt , now i just crack the key and off she goes

Interesting - the starter I pulled out was a 28MT but some idiot stripped the solenoid IGN stud so I pulled it out of the truck and wasn't able to disassemble the solenoid......

Did your guy mention that the 28MT is a 12v unit.... did he put a 24v solenoid on it? Admittedly the 28MT was handling the 24V to the motor seemingly without issue. I cranked it a LOT before this situation with the solenoid cropped up. I wonder if I could just install a 24v solenoid onto that 28MT I have and roll with it.....

 

[BIGHOSS]

Interesting - the starter I pulled out was a 28MT but some idiot stripped the solenoid IGN stud so I pulled it out of the truck and wasn't able to disassemble the solenoid......

Did your guy mention that the 28MT is a 12v unit.... did he put a 24v solenoid on it? Admittedly the 28MT was handling the 24V to the motor seemingly without issue. I cranked it a LOT before this situation with the solenoid cropped up. I wonder if I could just install a 24v solenoid onto that 28MT I have and roll with it.....

honestly he makes stuff in the back room,, i dont even ask any questions , i rode a freaking bike with my starter in a backpack and sat on the curb while he rebuilt it and bench tested it ,, he is a cranky old man and he saw me sitting with my bike and said he had not seen such a stubborn bastard in a long time . he also rewinds my altentors cheap .

i picked up a spare 27 mt on rock for 25$? on closeout (acdelco) so no more bike for the fat guy

 

[Curtisje]

I had a slow cranking issue with my CUCV for a while when I first had it. I found that it was missing the grounding wire from the frame to the block. Once I installed that my slow cranking problem was gone.

Good luck.

 

[GeneralDisorder]

I had a slow cranking issue with my CUCV for a while when I first had it. I found that it was missing the grounding wire from the frame to the block. Once I installed that my slow cranking problem was gone.

Good luck.

All the battery cables were thrashed on this truck - it has the big ground from the battery to the alternator bracket, and from the battery to the ground bussbar (both new) and the original ground from the bussbar to the intake manifold which I cleaned. I was wondering if I should add another big ground cable from the battery to the engine block closer to the starter..... I will consult the TM.

I'm thinking about ordering a 24v solenoid for the 28MT that I have. It didn't seem to care at all that I was running it off 24v and it spun the engine over really well. I think I'll go that route and also add more grounds.

 

[GeneralDisorder]

Ok well that's what I'm going to do. Ordered these two items:

Solenoid, 24V

Delco 28MT Series OSGR Starters

www.aspwholesale.com

Delco 28MT 12V Starter Rebuild Kit

Services Delco 28MT series 12V OSGR starters.

www.aspwholesale.com

We shall see how this goes.