Frozen Starter Issue

[PEIslander]

It's been fairly cold here in PEI lately (-14c at night). We had about 15" of snow last week. I plowed out our lane and lot next to our property.. That night we had some heavy winds from the west and a -22C windchill. The next day the truck wouldn't crank- just a light "click". Since the battery is new I suspected a starter issue. On a whim I took my heat gun to the starter for about 3 minutes and sure enough the truck started right up. Yesterday I had to plow again and the truck started fine. This morning- same issue. Frozen starter. It appears snow is melting and the water must be getting into the starter and then refreezing. Has anyone else experienced this? A friend of mine worked as parts manager at a GM store for 35 years. He said the GMT400's were bad for doing this even when new. Now he lives in Manitoba where it often hits -30c. This is the first I've ever heard of the issue. Is there a fix? Would a different starter (aftermarket performance) solve the issue?
BTW my truck is a 94 3500 with a 5.7l/Auto

 

[MIHELA]

My mini starter has been doing the same thing. I suspect the solenoid is just not kicking the bendix in far enough to power the starter. Given enough tries it does eventually start. Your best bet if the starter is actually bad is to get a PMGR GM starter and the correct bolts to go with it. They were used on later Vortecs.

 

[thegawd]

that happened on my Sierra here last week in Southern Ontario. one cold night with a wind chill blowing right into the engine bay. I thought I needed a new starter and just walked away. it started right up the next day when it was much warmer out but still, cold as hell.

so Iv only experienced that once and after thinking about it for a while, I think it was simply the cold, no water. like you, all I got was a click, I just walked away. LOL.

AL

 

[PEIslander]

You might be right that it's just the cold. Is this a sign of a bad starter?

 

[thegawd]

i dont truly know, it could be but probably just the solenoid, I have changed a solenoid only to have the starter weld itself in operable 4-5 months later. it was so hot you could burn your hand on it.

The starter on my sierra looks original as it's very very rusty! so did the one on my Burb when it died.

 

[b454rat]

my 96 yukon did this the other day. Since it needs a motor it just sits. And being 2wd right now it gets stuck easy in any snow. It took me prolly an hour to get it out, then parked it. Tried to start it and just clicked. Hooked jumpers to it to my Tahoe, and still clicked. Let it sit for couple days. Just for the hell of it I tried to start it, and now just the battery is low. So, guess you can freeze a starter lol.

 

[Schurkey]

1. High resistance in the wire harness from the battery to the ignition switch, through the neutral safety or clutch switch, through the bulkhead connector, to the "S" terminal of the starter solenoid. Or, high resistance from the starter relay to the "S" terminal, if your vehicle has a starter relay. (Starter solenoid does not "click")

2. High friction including stiff grease on the shaft that the starter drive slides on, or on the starter solenoid plunger. (Starter solenoid does not "click".)

3. Partially-failed starter solenoid. (Solenoid does not click.)

4, Faulty windings in the starter motor. (Solenoid clicks, starter doesn't crank.)

5. Low battery voltage. Remember that cold will reduce the ability of the battery to provide electrical power, while cold increases the amount of power required by the starter. This is why batteries have to have huge CCA in winter. (Starter solenoid may or may not click.)

6. Overly-thick oil viscosity and/or other drag on the engine that increases with cold. (Solenoid clicks, starter doesn't have enough power to crank engine.)

It is entirely possible to have combinations of issues listed above, so that any one issue won't prevent the vehicle from starting, but two or more acting together can.

You can fire the Parts Cannon at the problem and hope for the best, but real diagnosis will involve testing the entire Starting/Charging power team including cables/wires. for voltage, amperage draw, amperage output, and voltage drop as applicable.