i have a '96 blazer 4x4 4.3L and i'm having issues with starting. i recently did a tune up (plugs, wires, new distributor assembly, egr valve, all vac. lines, etc.) the starter is ok but i have to cycle the key at least three or more times (sometimes less) in order to crank. when it doesn't start right away i hear the starter motor spin but i'm wondering if the plunger isn't fully engaging the flywheel it seems. when i cycle the key i usually remove then re-insert key and it will turn over. I'm wondering if the issue is either ignition switch or if i need to shim the starter. any advice on this issue would be helpful!

 

I'm a little confused...are you saying that you have to "cycle the key" because (1) the starter does nothing at all, or (2) because the starter spins but doesn't engage the flywheel properly right away?

If it's (2), the problem might be a weak starter drive/bendix.

The starter on my '97 had similar symptoms for almost 3 years before it finally died. Every once in a while, when I turned the key, it would sound like the starter was stripping teeth on the flywheel (improper shim type of thing). I would have to turn the key a few times before it would engage properly. Sometimes it happened regularly, and sometimes it was rare.

The starter had no shims installed with it.

When I replaced the starter, I installed the new one without shims just like the original one. Since then, the vehicle starts great and never gives me a problem. That poor-starter-engagement-on-flywheel noise hasn't come back since.

 

turn key once, starter spins & no start; second turn, same result; by third turn of key it will turn over usually but may need to cycle one or two more times. It's not stripping gears on the flywheel because i know that sound. i replaced a flywheel and starter on my old '95 s-10 2.2 that had that problem. it seems that it would be the bendix but i dont want to replace starter if its not the sole issue. i'm leaning more towards that but i was curious if anyone else has had the issue before. there are SB on ignition switch as well so i'm just trying to narrow it down.

 

So then you're saying that the first two times you turn the key, the starter spins without turning the engine over? Sounds like it's definitely a weak bendix then. If you pull the starter out and bring it down to a parts store with bench tester, you will probably get to see the problem in action on the bench. I saw that plenty of times when I worked at a parts store.

I think your problem lies in the starter, judging by the symptoms you described. If the ignition switch was bad, the starter wouldn't respond to the key; and if the starter needed to be shimmed, you'd hear nasty gear teeth noise when the starter engaged. Also, if your starter requires shims, it requires shims as soon as the starter is installed. It won't develop a need for shims over time or anything like that.

 

thanks camaro! took it up to my shop (work for acura) and i inspected the starter. i was going to pull it down and bench test and when i removed the leads the internals of the solenoid housing spun with it before i removed the nuts, so right there i knew that it was the solenoid not getting solid connection. The really F*ed up thing is the starter still tested good!! i replaced it anyway because it was factory and the beast has 105k. turns over first time around. I'm usually really good at diagnosing any problem (wouldn't be doing it for a living if i wasn't!) but it threw me for a bit of a loop. i've owned the blazer for a couple months. thanks again for your help though my friend!