Do I need to replace the starter motor?

[JWB475]

So, I am up ice fishing on LOW this weekend. After a long day out in the portables we head back in (it's about 10 below at this point).

Go to start my truck, I hear the soleniod click, but it won't turn over. I immediately become concerned because the lights seem to be pretty bright, and the guage shows a good voltage on the battery. Luckily, I had some friends along who had another truck. We try to jump start it, same thing happens, solenoid clicks starter wont turn over. One of the guys is much more mechanically inclined than I am, locates the stater solenoid mounted on the firewall and messes with that and decides that that is not the culprit. I climb underneath and bang on it with a hammer to no avail.

At this point it is getting late, we are staying at a house a few miles down the road and I decide to have my friends tow me there and I would figure out what to do the next morning.

The next morning after calling and calling, I finally get ahold of a mechanic. He says the starter is probably just frozen, try heating it with a torch.

So we did that (luckily we had one along), after about 5-10 minutes of warming up that starter she turns over and starts up.

So, my question is, I assume I need to replace the starter or this will happen again, and I certainly don't want to crawl under it with a torch. But is there something else I need to look at as well?

Thanks for the help...

[Macgyver55]

What year make model mileage,of truck?

Its entirely possible, in fact likely that it was just frozen if you were driving through snow or slush, and that a new one may have done the same thing. In the future letting it run a few minutes before shutting it off when you get to your spot may help deter it from reoccuring.

If its an older, high mileage unit and its reliability is in question, maybe it is a warning sign of whats to come and replacing it for peace of mind is in order.

[BobT]

How does the moisture get inside by driving through snow or slush? Aren't the motors sealed? At least, any that I've ever seen were.

[efgh]

To get moisture in the starting motor the end cap is either loose or it is getting in the drive end somehow.I would take it off anmd replace it.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Water will get into anything!

One time out on the ice after driving through those conditions may have been a fluke/. If it happens again its no coincidence, replace it!

[Macgyver55]

As Airjer also said, water will get into anything. How does it get into a "sealed" gas tank? Believe me, after 33+ years of being a mechanic and rebuilding hundreds of starters, you wont find many that are "sealed" enough to keep out everything. Many even have weep holes on the bottom to allow moisture to drain out.

[JWB475]

It is a 2000 F-150 with about 98K miles on it.

It had sat in a garage not driven for about 6 weeks (I started it and let it run for a while 3 weeks ago). Prior to this there was no history of any starter motor issues. I really wasn't driving in any wet/slushy conditions prior to this happening.

Regardless I plan to replace the starter this weekend.

Thanks for the help and the advice...