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Author Topic: Starting problems.  (Read 6241 times)

Offline lifted87

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Starting problems.
« on: January 18, 2011, 06:12:14 pm »
Here's some info. hopefully you guys can help me out on this one.. Truck acted like it had a bad battery, starter sluggish to start and eventually would barely turn over, okay dead battery bought a new one and fixed,Right? Still wouldn't start so bought a new starter thinking the starter was dragging and just quit it was the original starter. Put the new starter in fired right up. Let it run to get the fluids going ect. Started fine for a day then let it sit for 2 hours, go to start it and its acting like it did before all this, slowly turning over barely moving the pulleys. So i took the battery out and let it charge on the 2.5 amp setting, till full. Hook up the battery and check voltage with meter and its at 13.1. Turn the truck over and it drops to 10 volts. then back up to 12.7 volts. This has me thinking the battery is bad? I know just because its brand new doesn't mean its a good battery. The voltage drop has me thinking maybe there's a ground somewhere? With jumper cables hooked up and sitting for a while it still does the same thing. No matter how long i let it sit or how many times I try same outcome..Any help is appreciated..
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Offline Lt.Del

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Re: Starting problems.
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2011, 07:39:30 pm »
charge your battery then park your truck.  remove the pos cable overnight.  
next day, put pos cable back on and try to start.  If it does, you have a drain on the battery.
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Offline screamin86

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Re: Starting problems.
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2011, 07:44:41 pm »
Mine acts similar but it takes about a week of not starting/driving the truck to do it.
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Offline VileZambonie

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Re: Starting problems.
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2011, 07:48:16 pm »
Quote from: SgtDel on January 18, 2011, 07:39:30 pm
charge your battery then park your truck.  remove the pos cable overnight.  
next day, put pos cable back on and try to start.  If it does, you have a drain on the battery.

You mean negative battery cable?

10.7 during crank is fine. Do a voltage drop test across the battery cables. I believe I posted a how to if you search.
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Offline Lt.Del

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Re: Starting problems.
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2011, 10:01:23 pm »
Quote
You mean negative battery cable?

I didn't think it mattered which post removed actually since you wont be completing a circuit. No drain would be possible either way.
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Offline VileZambonie

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Re: Starting problems.
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2011, 07:46:08 pm »
It's much safer to remove the negative battery cable.
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Offline Lt.Del

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Re: Starting problems.
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2011, 09:18:58 pm »
Makes sense
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Offline lifted87

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Re: Starting problems.
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2011, 10:02:24 pm »
Ran threw almost everything and now I'm thinking the brand new starter(40 dollar reman) is done. Its acting the way the original one did. I plan to take it back and exchange it under warranty and if it is the starter buy an expensive one off summit. Any thoughts?
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Offline beastie_3

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Re: Starting problems.
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2011, 11:19:59 pm »
have the starter tested before you buy a expensive one.
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Offline lifted87

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Re: Starting problems.
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2011, 08:21:24 pm »
Checked all the ground cleaned them and still the same problem. A mechanic told me to pull the plugs and if it turns fast its not the starter and maybe a bearing or bent rod. Should I take this thing apart and rebuild it or is he full of it?
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Offline VileZambonie

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Re: Starting problems.
« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2011, 08:23:41 pm »
If you have an amp clamp measure the current draw. If the engine is hard to turn over by hand then pull the belts.
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Offline Irish_Alley

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Re: Starting problems.
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2011, 12:06:37 am »
if you can take it to autozone they have a alt tester that on wheels that will also test the start up draw for a bad alt, battery or starter. it has a amp clamp might have to fight one of the workers till you find someone that can work it.
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Offline Jim Rockford

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Re: Starting problems.
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2011, 08:45:09 am »
Most of the time a starter will test fine with no load, but when it has to work under load it fails, Prolly a POS mexican rebuild which 90% of the time is just replace the bendix , clean it and paint it  and rebox it heck half the time they just clean it and rebo0x it, I got a starter one day , opened it at the counter to check it and the frigging gear was missing teeth glad I did cause its a 30 mile round trip to and from the parts store. I would have been livid  to get home and find that crap. Irish is correct, I forget they have that tester on wheels. Amp draw while starting is the only way to tell.
« Last Edit: January 23, 2011, 08:49:33 am by Jim Rockford »
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Offline lifted87

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Re: Starting problems.
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2011, 05:08:15 pm »
She lives!!! After two new starters, a new battery, sanding all of the grounds, new battery cables and three nights in the freezing cold, I noticed the ground strap in on the rear of the motor was broken to the firewall. I thought no way could that cause all this.. Put a new connector on it, self tapped it back in, turn the key, fired right up. So lesson learned. Thanks for all the ideas guys.s
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'87 4x4 350v8 6" suspension 35x12.50 A/T's. Dual exhaust,Flowmaster 40 series mufflers.
Built not Bought
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