Chrysler Repair: Starter motor: 01 T&C, cable clamp, starter generator

Question
i had my starter replaced on  7/27/07 and now i go to start it and it wont turn
over,u hear a click the battery is ok but no start now my question is this how
much is the average cost to repair it  and should i get a new or rebuilt starter.
called aaa garage who did repair and they said it was out of warraty
2001 t&c lxi 3.8 engine 98000,00 miles

Answer
Hi George,
The starter itself you should be able to get rebuilt or exchanged for a rebuilt for around $100. Check your phone book to see if there is a starter/generator rebuild company near by.  The labor to replace it is minimal in that vehicle, maybe a half an hour maximum. You could do it your self I suspect. Before doing anything I would check that the + cable clamp at the battery as well as the red wire at the starter are clean and tightly connected and that the wire/clamp interface is not corroded/rotted. Before touching anything related to the + clamp it is important to disconnect the - clamp of the battery first. The do all the checking and when the + clamp is reconnected to the + post finally reconnect the - post clamp. Your problem may be related to those connections rather than to a bad starter. Also to possibly get it to start you could try tapping on the side of the starter motor with a hammer while a helper tries the key to start it. If that worked, then that would suggest that there is something wrong with the starter itself.
Roland


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