Cummins 12 valve starter contacts

[freds40]

Begining of the week, every now and then when I went to start my '97, the starter would click and not turn over or it would try to turn over but kind of sputter. If I tried the key one or two more times it would crank and fire just fine. I knew this part negated it being the batteries but I checked them anyway. My batteries were good so I checked all connections and they were good.
On Thursday it got bad, took many turns of the key for it to turn over (like 10-20). I knew it was the starter so I started pricing them. I prefer to stick with Dodge parts so I called them first: $575 plus a core for a reman starter. :eek: I tried NAPA and they were a bit more reasonable: $197 plus core.
I remembered seeing an add in the TDR about replacement contacts that would fix "most" cummins starter issues so I figured Geno's might have them. They didn't, but knew what I was talking about and gave me the contact info for Larry B. I relayed my experience and the symptoms and Larry said without a doubt that it was my contacts. The kit was $37 and change shipped via USPS and included 2 new "Super" contacts and a new plunger. Unfortunately for me, it was Thursday afternoon and I had to fix it over the weekend before work on Monday so I paid $66 shipped for UPS red and got them Friday.
Aside from the time to remove and replace my starter, there was an additional 10 mins. to remove the old contacts and install the new ones. So far I have had no issues starting the truck and for the savings over a new (rebuilt) starter I am extremely happy. BTW, this same guy sells new replacement starters for around $350 which is something I'll keep in mind just in case.
BTW, I got my contacts Friday morning and Friday afternoon I got my TDR with a write up about Larry B's starter contact kit. :D

Good product, figured it might save some guys a few bucks and it's an easy install with good instructions (if you're into that kind of thing :flipoff2: )
Heres what I first saw of the contacts.

[freds40]

Then there is the side view. Larry told me usually only one contact will wear but both should be changed. There was very little material left on the left contact and the plunger was also pretty chunky where it had been hitting the contact.

[pcorssmit]

I would order youself a set of brushes, just to have them on-hand. I replaced the contacts in my '97, and the starter worked great. About a year later, the brushed started to get worn badly, and it cranked over much slower. Eventually, it fried the new contacts, and I ended up putting in a reman starter (IIRC, jobber from Napa was ~$160).

Pete

[fj40charles]

Get Larry B's (B is for Buck) starter contacts and plunger from this place.
www.fostertruck.com/dodge

Kit with plunger is 34.95 plus 5.99 shipping. I have it and it works great.

Disclaimer: not affliated with any vendor.

[Tommy]

Get Larry B's (B is for Buck) starter contacts and plunger from this place.
www.fostertruck.com/dodge

Kit with plunger is 34.95 plus 5.99 shipping. I have it and it works great.

Disclaimer: not affliated with any vendor.

I second the above. I did the install a couple of months back, they work great so far. Hardest part of the install was removing the starter. I did however find some new/rebuilt starters on Ebay for around $150.

[Flashover Mfg]

I have put Larry B's contacts and plunger in over 2 years ago, and have never had an issue with starting since. They are a huge upgrade over the srock components.

[freds40]

Glad to hear they have held up for guys. I work construction and I'm starting my truck a couple of times an hour so my contacts get a lot of use. I've been happy every time I've hit the key the last couple of days.

[basketcasejeep]

Larry B's is great for hard to find parts or parts that Dodge would normally want to sell as an assembly, not just the defective part. I've changed contacts a few times, you will definitely want to replace the brushes at some point. I was stranded on a long road trip when the brushes bottomed out- had to buy a rebuilt unit(200 + tax), whereas a set of brushes would have cost 40 IIRC.

Instead of rushing the parts in, you could always make a contact temporarily. I had a contact that was FAR worse than the one you have- it was arcing to the side, not the bottom. I had to make a new contact on site(was at my dad's, and the truck would no longer start AT ALL), so I grabbed a piece of copper tubing, a drill and a hacksaw. A few minutes with the vice and it was done.

I replaced a contact in my friends '00 truck a few weeks back. IIRC you'll need 1/2" for the battery terminals(important!), 17mm for the cable to the starter, 8 mm for the ign. wire, 10mm for the 3 bolts holding the starter on the bellhousing. You can get the 3 bolts out with a standard 10mm wrench, but a 10mm, 12 point socket is helpful(they're 12 pt heads.

Hope this helps someone in the future...

[thump93yj]

Begining of the week, every now and then when I went to start my '97, the starter would click and not turn over or it would try to turn over but kind of sputter. If I tried the key one or two more times it would crank and fire just fine.


FYI for the 2nd gen guys... my old 2001 CTD had similar looking contacts... however, the symptoms were much different. It just did nothing... nada... zilch... turn key on... get power to everything (lights, radio, etc.) but no clicky clicky! :confused: So... start checking fuses... found blown one... replace it... turn ignition... nothing... check fuse... blown again. We were on our way back from wheeling... so we "arc" started it on the starter with a screwdriver and got home. I was gonna go with Larry's but chose the half day turn-around over waiting on mail-order... local alternator place put in new contacts ($40). I traded that truck in shortly after anyhow for the one I have now.

[basketcasejeep]

That's very similar to how my friends '00 was- it would blow the 20A fuse repeatedly, so he tried a 25A and kept blowing those. To keep it going he put a construction staple in. That kept him going until I got involved...

There is a TSB for '00 and some '01 Rams, the ign. wire was undersized and could overheat at times. There is an upgraded harness, don't know how much it costs. The TSB should be listed on www.dodgeram.org

[96zjlimited]

I paid $8.00 a piece for the contacts, and get them locally, 40 seems pretty darn steep to me.

[freds40]

I forgot to take a picture of the new ones. The kit includes a replacement plunger and the contacts have a larger surface area which is said to last longer and also has less resistance allowing for easier starts. Mine doesn't seem to crank quite as long or hard now, not that it was much before.

[probuilt]

http://www.fixinrams.com

here is another site for the contacts..he also has vaccum pump rebuild kits and alternator rebuild kits like foster...but i felt like this guys turnaround was quicker than foster's