Starter Diagnostics

[dreddub]

Ok so I've owned the SIIA for a month now. Getting her there in many ways, but something that is getting worse in this time is the starter. The starter cranks over VERY slowly with long pauses between cranks... no clicking. Usually, I let it turn over once, then pause. Hit it again and it will turn once, pause, then turn again. Many times it will fire on this second turn, but for the last week, the pause between the first turn and the second turn is getting longer and the truck isn't firing. Only once in my ownership, after several failed turn overs, did the starter actually "crank" the engine over several times.

Anyway, I used the search and read a bunch of threads about the starter. I tried using a booster cable to ground a starter mount bolt to the negative battery terminal, but this didn't help. I tried boosting the battery, but nothing changed.

When I do push the starter button, the dash ignition light goes from bright to half to quarter intensity, like the starter is pulling a bunch of power from the system.

Is there anything left/what am I missing before dropping the starter and doing a rebuild or replacement?

Thanks,

Dreddub

[dreddub]

Hmmm, ok, just read a thread about skipping the solenoid with a jumper to take it out of the equation. How exactly would one do that... Don't want to make anything worse.

Dreddub

[stomper]

Run your jumper cable from the positive side of the battery to the positive post on the starter. Make sure it is in neutral and the handbrake is on, and just touch the jumper cable to the starter positive post. It should crank over nice and strong if the starter is good.

[I Leak Oil]

There's a good chance that it's your battery cables that are going bad or dirty\loose connections that are causing this. Not that it can't happen, but I've found that starters are either good or no good. They usually don't exibit the symptoms you describe.

[dreddub]

There's a good chance that it's your battery cables that are going bad or dirty\loose connections that are causing this. Not that it can't happen, but I've found that starters are either good or no good. They usually don't exibit the symptoms you describe.

I agree that there's a good chance its the cables. My wiring harnesses (yes plural because it looks like there's 2 spliced together with leads detached all over the place) is a hot effing mess. I checked tightness and looked them over and they seemed fine, but the hot lead to the starter will be a good diagnostic.

Once I get that sorted and get her up to daily driver status with some other things (roll bar and seat belts) I'm seriously considering paying for or trying to tackle a complete rewire... Still haven't been able to get my front white markers to work because the wires spice so many times its hard to tell what goes where. Knowing my luck (skill) I'll end up starting it and then having to pay someone to fix it.

Ok, I'll update tonight after I get home. Thanks guys...

Dredddub

[dreddub]

Ok, so I attempted the positive to positive diagnostic as listed above. When the positive touched the starter terminal, the starter turned the engine over once, very slowly like it had been doing with pushing the start button, then it quit all together. Now it will not do anything but dim the lights when I push the starter button. I assume this means its thoroughly cooked?

I'm going to push it out into the driveway this morning to do brake adjustments all the way around and maybe do the rear hub seals, so while I've got it out and up I may try to get the starter out... anything else I should do before pulling it? Any reason to think that its salvageable, and any reason to try to salvage it vs. replace it with the nippon version available (elsewhere) or the bosch one through RN?

Thanks for the input guys. Happy 4th!!!

Dreddub

[I Leak Oil]

You could just take it to an electric motor place to have them refresh it. Shouldn't be too much $$$$. The modern starters are nice though.
I'm surprised it's the starter. Usually those symptoms are a dying battery or bad wires/connections.

[dreddub]

You could just take it to an electric motor place to have them refresh it. Shouldn't be too much $$$$. The modern starters are nice though.
I'm surprised it's the starter. Usually those symptoms are a dying battery or bad wires/connections.

Turns out it was a little of both. Battery tested as good, but charge wasn't 100% (probably from trying to start with a bad starter). Got it charged up and the starter would turn again, but wouldn't crank. Pulled the starter and took it to a local starter/alternator shop and they wanted $100 to go through it + $60 for new brushes which I would have to order from RN and take to them... I must have looked like I had "sucker" on my forehead.

Anyway, got a new starter online for $189 and that thing is rocking. Doesn't have to turn over more than 2-3 times, but it does that in a second, not 5 minutes and multiple starter button pushes like it used to.

The only thing I didn't like about the new starter was having to make my own jump cable for the attached solenoid... You'd think that it would be in the box as a "there if you need it" piece.

Anyway... Now time to tackle the leaky rear hub seal and it'll be beach blanket bingo time!!!

Dubs

[east high]

$160 plus you ordering the brushes? Eff that. I had mine rebuilt at a local shop around the way for ~$70 and they had it done in an hour or two. My little buggie starts right up now.