When your car is running normally everything is fine, nevertheless if it starts to have frequent complications you may start to question, specifically if your motor vehicle won’t start. In this post we will teach you where the starter of a GMC Sierra is, it will help you to solve your ignition complications. To achieve this, we will first describe the role of a starter, then, where is the starter on a GMC Sierra , and, at last, how to replace the starter of a motor vehicle.
Function of the starter on your GMC Sierra
We start this content by detailing the role of the starter motor on your GMC Sierra. The starter is an electric motor which is powered by your battery, its function will be to make your engine run at a high enough speed to start it (usually around 300/400 rpm). It is made up of three main parts:
- The Solenoid: This part is an electrical relay that will action as a switch, it will be activated by the key of your GMC Sierra and let the current from your battery to the engine of your alternator.
- The engagement pinion: This is the last part of your starter, it is the toothed wheel that will be in direct contact with the flywheel, it allows to transfer the force from the starter to the engine.
The engine: Main element of your alternator, it is the one that will drive the flywheel of your GMC Sierra and generate enough speed for your engine to start.
Where is the starter on a GMC Sierra?
Now that we have fairly quickly described what a starter is and how it works, we will answer the question that most of you have to ask yourselves where is the starter located on a GMC Sierra? It is quite easy to discover a starter, in truth, it is a large part that will almost always be placed in a similar location. We let you see the two possible locations for your motor vehicle starter down below.
Location of the starter on traditional GMC Sierra
First and most common case, where to discover the starter of a GMC Sierra with a conventional motor (implied without start and stop). The starter has a particular action, to start the engine of your motor vehicle, for that, it must always be near the engine flywheel of this one because it is the part that it actuates when it is used. The flywheel is located at the junction between your gearbox and your engine.
Location of the starter to GMC Sierra with start and stop
And now second possible starter location of your GMC Sierra . This case is much less frequent. It just is about engines built with start and stop, and a good part of them will be equipped with a starter placed close to the flywheel. However, on some particular series or engines, the starter of your GMC Sierra might be included in your alternator, it is then named a starter-alternator, to discover it nothing much easier, find your accessory belt and you should see the big starter block.
How to replace the starter on a GMC Sierra?
Finally, we’ll describe to you quite fairly quickly how to replace the starter of a GMC Sierra. This procedure is not necessarily difficult, it can be considered by people who have a minimum of basic mechanical expertise and adapted equipment. Stick to down below the main steps to perform this intervention:
- Disconnect the battery on your GMC Sierra, if you don’t know how to do it, don’t think twice to seek advice from our content which points out how to do it without taking any risk.
- After discovering your starter, loosen the fasteners that hold it in your engine block, there will in most cases be 2 or 3
- It will be time to disconnect the power cables from the starter motor of your GMC Sierra, nevertheless before doing so we advise you to take a picture of the installation to avoid making a mistake when reassembling.
- It’s possible that to remove it you may need to remove auto parts like the gimbal.
- Remount the new starter, being careful when connecting the connectors.
- Reconnect your battery and test your starter.
.
Whenever you have any additional questions about the GMC Sierra, do not hesitate to consult our GMC Sierra category.
