Starter

When you turn your ignition key to the start position, it enables the starter enable relay(96up) which in turn provides power the purple wire on the diagram below. When that happens it engages the starter solenoid which moves the starter bendix/pinion into position using a plunger and shift lever so that it engages with the flex-plate(automatic transmissions) or the flywheel(manual transmissions) and supplies battery voltage to the starter motor. This spins the crankshaft moving the pistons up and down getting fresh air and fuel into the engine so the ignition system can ignite the mixture and start the engine.

Specific locations and wire colors could vary, but the basic operation of the starting circuit is going to be the same. Make sure you reference the diagram for YOUR vehicle.

Starter Exploded Diagram:

My starter when turning the key to the start position:

• Rapid click-click-click-click-click when trying to start = Dead battery, loose/corroded connections.

• 1 loud ker-chunk when trying to start = engine not turning over = possible engine failure or starter failure.

• Grinding = worn flywheel or starter gear.

After a dead battery, the most common problem is the starter solenoid stops working caused by normal wear. It's generally most efficient to replace the entire starter/solenoid as an assembly but you can also buy just the solenoid like: https://amzn.to/3DMGyiQ

Help, my van won't turn over and I think it's the starter, what do I check first?

• 1. Check your battery voltage and connections

  2. See if the starter enable relay(96up) clicks when the ignition key is turned to the start position

  3. Check for voltage at the starter battery terminal on the solenoid

  4. Check for voltage at the starter enable terminal on the solenoid when the ignition is turned to the start position

  5. Sometimes tapping on the starter solenoid will get it working again, if that works don't trust that it will keep doing that, it needs to be repaired/replaced.

Note: if you have recently replaced/worked on the starter and/or alternator and your battery isn't charging, check the wire/fusible link going up to the alternator. Ensure it's in good condition, clean, and going to the proper post on the starter.

You can see the starter enable relay listed here in this example under-hood fuse-block/convenience center diagram:

Here you can see how the wiring is run, heavy gauge wire from the battery goes directly to the starter, and from that same stud up to the alternator.

Earlier Truck Diagram:

The following diagram shows how the wiring is connected, notice the fusible link in the wire leading up to the alternator.

The end view of a new starter. The heavy wire from the battery and the fusible link/wire from the alternator connect to the terminal circled in red and the small gauge starter enable wire goes to the small terminal circled in purple. Make sure your connections are clean and tight in the proper orientation so that there can be no jumpering/shorting between terminals, or to ground.

There is a 9tooth and 11tooth starter listed for my engine, does it matter which one I use?

It is talking about the teeth on the pinion, doesn't matter at all, just a different design, either will work just fine. If you really wanted to you could look up the OEM part for your van on gmpartsprime and use that to cross reference.

A common one listed is: 1st design is PG260G(11tooth) and 2nd design is PG260D(9tooth), motor on G is a little longer in length than the D but either will fit just fine.

Remote Solenoid used on some RVs https://amzn.to/2Uh8lAa and starter shunt Motorcraft SZ-654 C8VY-11072-A