I,knock on wood, only twice have gone to start my truck(the '04) and hear the starter motor spin, but the gear not engage the flywheel. Both times was when it was warm-ish out and the temp dropped overnight,below freezing. Both times I just ran the starter 2 or 3 times then it engaged normal.

Should I pull the starter and try to lube the shaft the gear slides on and see if that helps, or get a new starter? It is perplexing, as I have never had this problem on my '98.

 

You will have the same problem eventually. You can try the lube, but it is probably time for starter, either have rebuilt by local shop, and possibly consider junkyard (you pull it, so twice the labor), dismantler, rebuilt, gear reduction upgrade style (depends on year I believe), or various parts outlets. You may need several extensions to get the socket wrench ahead of the axle. On the 98 (like my 97) you have to remove the heat shield, which has a bolt inside the motor mount bracket, viewed from front. Not sure on your D2, may be worse.

 

The more you let it spin then engage the worm wear you are causing to the flex plate and at some point you will need to replace it if you don't deal with the starter.

 

It could need lubing, or it could be gunked up and need cleaning. If it's gunked up you also need to find from where the gunk is coming.

 

Tom,

Is lube a long term fix (or something that we all should do?) ? What would be the proper lube (synthetic for cold weather?)?

And what might some sources of gunk be?

Also, is the gear reduction starter you have mentioned before compatible with the '04?

 

They should be pretty well sealed in the flywheel housing, but a lot of wading can allow water in and lead to a rusty bendix. Light machine oil I think is the preferred lube, something like sewing machine oil.

Usually it's a bad seal on the crank or gearbox allowing oil in. It's more common to get gunked up on manual transmission because the clutch dust mixes with the oil and makes sort of a paste.
My wife's '97 we bought last year is the first auto box I've ever owned so take that with a grain of salt.

To the best of my knowledge it is, but the website should say for sure.

 

Now this may sound lame, but never doing a starter on a LR, aprox how long does it take to pull it? Figure with avg to just above avg mech skills. Call me a whimp, but i dont like wrenching in sub-freezing temps.

BTW, is there enough slack on the wiring that I can remove the mounting bolts and slide the starter back enough to get some lube on the bendix shaft(after disconecting battery of course)?

And: at this point I "assume" it wont be gunked, as (oh no) nothing leaks and the block is clean. I figure it has lightly rusted from sitting 2 months waiting for a t-case.

 

It can take 30 min, or several hours, depending on the condition of the various fixings.
Be sure to clean any gunk out of the allen head starter bolts so that the wrench seats fully.

 

And before "starting" the project, from under front bumper on passenger side, look straight back at motor mount bracket. There is a small bolt head there, may be mud covered, that is where you get the heat shield off. I worked my extensions from ahead of the axle to get at the starter.

 

what you need is to replace the starter drive/bendix spring, but knowing LR they probably make you buy the whole starter.
DM is correct eventually the starter drive will stop meshing with the flex plate and will just start slamming into it grinding the teeth off the flex plate.