Both of my F 350's have been down the last several months and I have not bothered with them because I am Realslow. I have just opted for the local rental when I need one, anyhow both of them had no start issues and on both trucks it was the starter.


I tested both of them with the old screwdriver across the solenoid several months back and I was like there is no way both of them have bad starters and they do.


I just ordered a PowerMaster and this time I am fixing every single quirk in the trucks they are known to have all at once and I mean everything.


The motors are great but it's the support cast that is the problem for me. I am ordering all the best stuff, even putting in a new 4 core radiator.


Will a PowerMaster solve this issue with 2 class 31 batteries, these quirky issues with these engines kill me but I think I finally got it licked after reading this site a lot so thanks for the help.

 

Hi, My '86 's original starter with 220,000 miles when I took it in to get it checked out by by a great re-builder. Still worked perfect but I could not believe it was still working. It was very near cratering but hadn't yet.
Had it rebuilt , but was hard to believe it lasted that long.

 

I'd say that there's a good chance that the starters are OK... they just need a good cleaning.
All the runoff from the top side of the engine basically drips right onto the starter, and starters don't really like diesel(which dissolves grease) and water(which rusts and corrodes) getting inside.
I've saved a couple of starters with a simple disassembly, clean, grease and reassembly.
Took perhaps 20 minutes with a couple of simple tools.

As far as how long a starter lasts... it depends on:
1. How well it was machined. If the rotor is rough, it'll chew through brushes really quickly.
2. How much crud gets into it
3. How much you abuse it getting the truck started.

With a good glow plug system, nothing getting into it, and a well made starter? Years. Many.
With a poorly built starter and shot glow plugs? You could probably kill one in a week.

 

Yup. I've been doing PM on starters since I got my first car in 1973. Not that religiously any more but still. Don't remember ever buying a new starter. Had to replace a few solenoids though.

 

Wow that's pretty sweet! Heck of a track record...I've just gotten into the same boat with heavy electronics, starters and alternators. Rebuilt my 3g alt in the pickup over the summer and cleaned up my brother's VW starter. Fires off like nothing was ever wrong, been 6 months now.
DIY on these is pennies on the dollar vs buying or paid rebuild.

As for the powermaster they seem to have a good rep on these boards. Don't know personally.

 

Actually I had to buy one 5 years or so ago...but that was for a boat motor so it's different story. I went with DB electrical. Was very impressed when opened a package and found an individual spec sheet for that particular unit side by side compared to OEM specs. Was a high torque unit and worked great for me until I sold that boat. If I ever need one for a truck I will give them another try.

 

powermaster is hands down the absolute best starter IMO.
I have ran them for over 10 years in different applications.
boats that were prone to moisture(open engine v-drive flatbottoms)
muscle cars with the headers cooking the crap out of them,
and for the past 2 years in my truck.
I have not had one fail on me yet.


2 of my favorite features,
the torque of them is awesome, they get in do the job and get out.
faster starts are great


and the ease of the connections.
no more connecting the cables to the starter before installing it.
or waiting and fighting with it.
the top bolt on our IDI's are easier to get to also


BUT....
not even a powermaster can compensate for crappy battery cables.

 

Yaa I'm tired of it, I already ordered the Power M got 2 new 31 class batteries, new Stanadyne Injectors, and I need the injector pumps rebuilt on both of them.


I have a Stanadyne dealer 60 miles from me who will do it for 385 to 450, I would like to have RnD do it but I do not want to ship it 3000 miles away and pay 670 for a rebuild.


This guy has a test machine and charges 60$ to test the pumps.


I finally got somebody to come out and fix my crap so I will get the best and do it right, I'm getting so lazy about fixing my stuff as I get older.

 

I've had a Powermaster in mine for about a year. Before that the plenetary reduction style starter was in there for the 3 years I owned the truck prior to that. It always cranked slow, from crappy batteries and cables and probably all the grunge dripping on it, or the block heater blowing out and soaking it didn't help. If your cables are old and junky, replace them. 2/0 between batteries and 3/0 to the starter. Undersized cables, bad crimps, or old corroded cables are hard on the starter.

Regarding DB Electrical, I have a starter and alternator (10si) from them in my boat. Has worked fine for maybe 3 years and 200+ hours. I had a 130 amp 3g in the truck and it died in well under a year. They wouldn't send a replacement until they had received and inspected the old one, and I didn't wnat to pull it apart to find the failure and repair it since it was still under warranty. I got a 130 amp lifetime warranty unit from PepBoys as it was local and in stock and that has been fine for 2 years now. I had the DB unit swapped out and gave it to a friend to replace a 95 amp 3g he had swapped into his Mustang. It's still working but it's not driven daily so who knows on longevity. In the future I'll be spending the bit of extra for Powermaster if they make one for the application, they really seem like quality units judging from the IDI starter.

 

Thanks....

 

they do, it was a bit pricy, I ordered a serp style 160A 1 wire alternator.


when it came in, I was kinda disappointed that the plug, was deleted and wires "glued" into it.
I was expecting a GM style with zero wires showing.


then when I got the truck running, it wouldn't charge for crap!
so I inspected it and found I didn't have the + wire tight.
have not had 1 issue since.

 

I finally got the heap up and going correctly again and I have decided I no longer need the piston driven engine running with this new starter.


With the Power Master starter and 2 new 31 batteries you just bypass the neutral safety switch then put it in drive and turn the key and BOOM 0 to 60 in about 3 seconds with no help from the diesel motor, this is going to save me a lot on fuel costs. .


I'm impressed.....

 

LOL!! Glad you like the starter so much!

 

had my son go out and start the truck over Christmas break,
we were at my parents in 18 * weather.
while I was in the back of the house I heard him trying to turn it over and he didn't wait for the plugs to glow,
by the time I realized what was happening, and got out there, he had spun the starter for about 2 minutes straight.
let it cool down for 20 minutes and went out to do it myself.
the moral of the story is that my starter didn't burn up, and it still is doing awesome.
powermaster, I swear by them.

 

I have never had it start the truck with less than a second turn of the key and this does it, I am sure the big batteries being new helps too.