Slow starter motor

[landynutkieren]

Anyone got any ideas for a slow starter motor? I've changed the alternator and since then only get solenoid click and no starter rotation...until a jump lead is put between neg batt terminal and starter mount bolt, even then it only manages about one rotation and not fast enough! Batt is new and fully charged, starter to chassis earth strap is good, extra lead been fitted between bat neg terminal and engine block. Put diff starter on - still no change, starters spin happily when not fitted. Could it be two bad starters or is there anything cheaper I could try first??!!

[pickuprover]

Originally Posted by landynutkieren

Anyone got any ideas for a slow starter motor? I've changed the alternator and since then only get solenoid click and no starter rotation...until a jump lead is put between neg batt terminal and starter mount bolt, even then it only manages about one rotation and not fast enough! Batt is new and fully charged, starter to chassis earth strap is good, extra lead been fitted between bat neg terminal and engine block. Put diff starter on - still no change, starters spin happily when not fitted. Could it be two bad starters or is there anything cheaper I could try first??!!

Doubt it is both starters are duff, but stranger things have happened. First, cheapest things first, replace the cables from the battery to the seleniod and from the selenoid to the starter. Make sure all connections are clean. While you have the tools out, clean all grounds (both the ends of the ground strap from starter to frame, and the frame and the starter. As well as the negative battery post, the frame connection, and the engine connection.) Chances are, you either have a duff ground, or the cables are no longer carrying a current. If that does not fix your problem, then I would look at the battery (just because it is new does not mean that is is good, get them to do a load test on it...) Then take the starter into an electrical rebuilder and have them check that.
I went through this earlier this winter, it took some time, but it ended up being a combination of all the above (started out that the cables were no good, but in trying to figure that out, I killed a new battery, and the low current going to the starter burned out the feild core in it and had to be rebuilt.... just my luck...)

[landynutkieren]

Excellent! Cheers m8 will try all that and let you know!!

[pickuprover]

Keep us posted...

[onslow]

Originally Posted by landynutkieren

Anyone got any ideas for a slow starter motor? I've changed the alternator and since then only get solenoid click and no starter rotation...until a jump lead is put between neg batt terminal and starter mount bolt, even then it only manages about one rotation and not fast enough! Batt is new and fully charged, starter to chassis earth strap is good, extra lead been fitted between bat neg terminal and engine block. Put diff starter on - still no change, starters spin happily when not fitted. Could it be two bad starters or is there anything cheaper I could try first??!!

Bridge the solenoid with a big spanner they arent that great if it turns over then thats where the problem lays (cheap of ebay same as mini and early metros)

[pickuprover]

The selenoid also is off the ford trucks, the larger of the two that the store will have in stock....

[landynutkieren]

Cheers fellas, but I also tried connecting batt straight to starter and still the same problem! Suspect it might be the starter!

[p76rangie]

How hard is the engine to turn over by hand. It could be the engine rather than the starter motor.

[landynutkieren]

Yep - did think of that and it turnsover nicely by hand. I bought some cable and crimps this morning so I'll replace em all and see if that helps!

[pickuprover]

When you turned it over by hand, did you have the ignition circuit activated. Try starting it by hand, I wonder if your timing has slipped and the engine is putting too much power back on the starter.... If the starter handle keeps flying back at you, and you cannot get the truck to start, then it might be that...

[TerryS]

As others have mentioned, condition of all the wires is important, and be sure the connections are tight, not making a high resistance contact. That said, I'm fairly certain if you take your starter out, you will find either the front or rear bushing is bad, if not both. The starter will spin nicely when not in the truck because there is no thrust on the shaft due to loading against the ring gear, but as soon as it takes up against the ring gear, it forces the armiture askew, and is most likely rubbing against the field coils.

[landynutkieren]

I've made up a new set of cables and earth braids today which I'll be fitting tomorow! But I do suspect the starter is knackered!! I let you all know how it goes!! Cheers again.

[landynutkieren]

Changed all the cables - no help unfortunately! Ive got a new starter coming today so I'll try that next. I think you're probably right about the armature TerryS. It did start once yesterday, but on the next attempt smoke started coming from the starter! I think the field windings have probably broken down and shorted out now! Cheers fellas, I'll let you know how it goes!!

[landynutkieren]

S-U-C-C-E-S-S!!!!!!!
Replaced starter no better, replaced starter solenoid no better!! Messing around re-checking all the grounds and found that the battery isolator had an 8 ohm resistance across it! Jumped that and hey presto perfect turnover!!! Have now removed it from the truck and all starts perfectly.Thanks for all ya help gents -I'll be thinking of you while I'm getting it extremely muddy this weekend!!

[pickuprover]

Congratulations... Glad we could be of some service, if none other than moral support...