Just had my train horn installed yesterday at our local radio shop. Now today go to start my truck and it don't start. Would hardly crank so hook up jumpers and had em on for good while, went to start and still slow crank with the smell of something burning. Had buddy turn key and starter was shooting sparks out of the front of it. Question is, is it only the starter, a wire, or something else? My other question is what's the small steel rod coming out of starter and does that need removed to get starter out and if so how?

 

if you got sparks comming off your starter something not hooked up right, im not sure about this rod your talking about, I just disconnect, unbolt and pull off. But messed up connections would also explain the slow crank..

 

I'm not aware of any steel rod either. There is a hose that hangs off some motors, acts as a drain if anything gets in there. Could be time for a new starter.

 

the steel rod turned out to be one of the bolts that holds the actual starter together which was makin the sparks and not lettin er do nothing. yea i ended up havin to get a new starter. anyone have any idea as of to how that bolt could have worked itself out like that or anything? wasnt one of the three bolts that hold it onto the flywheel housin, one of the bolts the holds the starter itself together

 

Time, vibration, not torqued to proper specs, could be a few things.