my excavator has a 8.3l cummins. sometimes the starter turns fine and sometimes the starter just makes a klick noise and wont turn! Whats the problem? do they have carbons like a car starter who might be worn?
If you haven't already check your grounds :)
bettin on bad ground or greenitis in the cable just replaced the ends on my forwarder with all soldered on connections no problems this winter
checked al the cable connections and cleaned them. Probably the starter solenoid. also hit the solenoid case with a hammer.
Sounds like the solonoid, when it clicks you can check your voltage drop. You can jump the terminals to by pass the solonoid too before you replace it. make sure you have battery voltage to the hot post on the solonoid when the key is on, could also be a intermittent connection there.
Double check your grounds same thing happened to me a month ago thought they were good, went through them again and problem solved.
Bad battery
Batterys are 2 month old.
There is just on big red cable and a small black one going to the solenoidcase. How do i jump them?
How is a starter grounded? because its bolted on the engine and engine is grounded to chassis? Will check those grounds
New or not, check all of your batteries separately. Need about 13.5 volts across each set of terminals.
Sounds like your ignition wire and the big red is battery power, should be direct from battery.
Jump across the two large terminals that's what the solonoid does inside. Jumping manually bypasses the solonoid you can see if the starter has an issue or the solonoid is not connecting.
Ok. checked all the battery terminals, grounds and engine-chassis ground cable, wire brushed them put a little WD-40 on them, reconnected and she fired right up! 8) 8) Was just a bad connection
Thanks guys, really appreciate all the help!
Solenoid is bad i guarantee it. I just did one on my old skidder. And it made the same click,click noise.
If yer runnin a Cummins in anything, and your battery & connections are good,and you still get the "click click", then 90% of the time one of the solenoid contacts is worn thin. Only one arcs and wears - so I only replace the one. I only buy and use the 24volt ones in all solenoids. They can be bought in some starter repair shops for $$ or on flee-bay for cheap. They are easy to change but do not over tighten the bolts in the plastic cap, it will crack.
The pic. below shows 3 contacts. The one on the left is worn (the end facing you) the center is the standard 12V - the one on the right is the 24V.
UN
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24436/DSCF0098.JPG)