Hadn't seen that exact video before, another well done video. Help me out if I'm missing something here.

Jumper cables tests 1 - Running from Hummer battery directly down to starter "Main Stud" and starter housing. (Does not effect starting issue) PROVES IT NOT BATTERY CABLES

Jumper cables tests 2 - Using to make extra ground from starter housing to block, starter housing to frame, starter housing directly to battery negative. (No change). FURTHER PROVES NOT A GROUND ISSUE

Jumper cables tests 3 - Running 1 end to our 2007 Yukon Battery and other to 2003 Hummer battery (jumping.....which makes no effect). PROVES NOT THE HUMMER BATTERY

Jumper Wire Test - Running a small 18 gauge wire from the "S stud" to the "Main Stud" on starter. (No effect, still just the 1 click of the Bendix).......PROVES ITS NOTHING ON IGNITION SIDE...... including ignition switch, neutral safety switch, relays, PCM, and body control modules......correct?

Starter spacer test - Put Washers on to give Bendix more gap....no effect....PROVES NOT BENDIX BINDING ON FLYWHEEL

Unless I missed something, it can't be anything besides the starter? (Not even a voltage drop right?)

 

Just a thought, do you think the transmission shop somehow damaged your flywheel and replaced it with one that isn't correct?

 

Anything is possible, especially in this case, as the guy that did it, did it on the side at his house. He supposedly works at a transmission shop and does them in evenings and weekends on the side. He had to do ours TWICE. He had never done a H2 transmission rebuild before, and I tried to warn him about the torque converter difference. (299mm vs 300mm) but the guy was a total dik.....if I tried to tell him anything he just got huffy and puffy and would say "I know what I'm doing" type of response. 99% sure he didn't seat the converter properly as 6 days after getting truck back the first time, it went out again (the pump broke) which is extremely likely from not seating converter properly. BUT, we had times at beginning, where it would start 19 out of 20 times perfectly fine. After a year and 2 starters, it's now down to not starting 19 out of 20 times.........do you think it could have started that many times just fine with an incorrect flywheel?

 

you've performed just about every test you can with the tools you have on hand and the only items that are questionable to me are the higher than normal resistance on the ground side and the changes from wiggling the purple wire while cranking. Outside of that all other tests look normal indicating the starter is the issue but Oreille's tests says its good, while I do agree with Bronxtech that the free load amps of the starter test does look high.

Neal

 

Watch the voltage drop:

 

Not sure exact which test your referring to on slightly high resistance on ground side. (It's been such a long process I feel burnt out lol)

The purple wire, sure seemed to make a difference when wiggled the one day my neighbor came over and helped me. I put a new end on it and it made no difference. Then he came over again today to bring eggs again, and told him how it wasn't that wire. (He didn't believe it) So he got under there again and wiggled why trying and not once did it start. So it must have been a coincidence on the purple wire jiggling the first time.

For the starter itself , sure hard to believe with the 2 new GM's, and the current one tested "pass" at O'Reilly's, but that's with no load on it. (Not turning an engine) so the test isn't conclusive......and with you guys thinking the "stats" from the test are a bit high, that's even more evidence it could actually be the starter.

My neighbor came up with 2 good additions/points today.

1. I need to borrow a starter off another 6.0 motor and see if it works with no issues. (I have a brother in law I'm trying to bribe to let me use his to test)

2. Technically I should do 2 of my "jumper cables/jumper wire" tests at same time. I should have jumper cables running from the battery down to the starter AND then use the 18 gauge jumper wire to bridge the studs.......to insure it's not a bad power cable. If the power cable is compromised, when I bridge the studs, it wouldn't necessarily start the starter, no? (Although after typing all that, I just thought.....the test or running jumper cables from Hummer battery down to starter main stud and starter housing, WOULD confirm the main power cable isn't the issue, because it made no difference).

 

maybe the starter solenoid is bad on the starter. bad contacts internally. it's a pretty simple part if your interested. a plunger a spring a solenoid and a contact bar. might involve a roll pin. but it might not need removal.

 

Sit back in your seat and watch:

 

Epic.

*Runs off to search how much that little toy is

 

After all that it was the starter. I tried to return it under warranty (again) and rockauto.com said "you seem to be having issues with this product, so we will refund your money instead of replacing a second one under warranty". (I had noticed their price for the "acdelco gold" starter had went down from $180 to $140). I also noticed they sell a "Genuine GM" REBUILT starter for $240.....

I never understood why you could get same parts as "ac delco" and as "genuine GM" as I thought ac delco made most parts for GM. But the rebuilt GM one being considerably more than the New ac delco sure made me question the AC Delco quality further. So I search reviews and found a few saying the AC Delco gold is basically Chinese components in a AC Delco box. (Which matches my experience).

Couldn't get my brother in law to let me borrow his as he was working so I just ordered a new cheapo one from rockauto for $67. Purely just to test to see if all my tests were correct and it's the starter itself. New starter showed up today (24 hours after ordering as im lucky to be a few hours from their warehouse, I usually get parts in 1-2 days with ground). Put her on and it started 15 times in a row with no problems so far. (Couldn't get it to start twice in a row, or hardly at all with the AC Delco that was 6 months old)

Thank you again Neal for all the help. Your a true hero in my book. Silver lining.....I now know a crap ton more about these trucks and troubleshooting electrical. 😅