How do you change a worn solenoid contacts?

STACY24J

MEMBER
2000 MITSUBISHI GALANT
147,000 MILES

I have to turn my key off & on a bunch of times for it to start, but eventually it starys right up & if u charge the battery it cranks right up, I changed the battery so its good, & so I bought a starter from a junk yard cause thats really all I can affors right now, & its still doong the same thing. So I read a commeon here & someone said the solenoid contacts r worn, what do I do & were can I buy them? Tjanx

7 Replies

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

Best check if it has a starter relay if it does check it, if it continues check the ignition switch

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Thursday, February 16th, 2012 AT 5:45 AM

STACY24J

MEMBER
3 POSTS

So its not worn solenoids, & if its the starter relay are they exphow expensive & how would u fix that & are ignitions switches exspensive? My dad said that he thonks its the ignition switch to after he changed the starter & the problem didnt go away, but I read another comment on here & the experts car did the same thing & he said it was the solenoid cantacts were worn.

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Thursday, February 16th, 2012 AT 5:54 AM

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

The 2nd one is doing the same thing-don't you think something is wrong-get a repair manual and check the relay and ig. Switch

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Thursday, February 16th, 2012 AT 6:12 AM

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,815 POSTS

To test if it is the solenoids, disconnect the starter solenoid and use a fused wire to apply battery voltage to the solenoid terminal. Connect and disconnect a few times and if the starter cranks up every time, it is not the starter solenoid nor a fault with the starter.

Quite often the wiring goes bad when they age and if vehicle is not equipped with a starter solenoid, installiing one would do.

When turning the ignition key to start, does the starter click and try to crank or you hear no response at all?

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Thursday, February 16th, 2012 AT 12:48 PM

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,815 POSTS

How about a picture of the starter that you replaced?

Some starter has solenoids contacts that can be replaced and some solenoids are non rrepairable.

For those with contact type, improper installation of the battery cable can cause the contacts to be twisted and starter to fail.