Hello All,

I have an issue with my '70 F-250 360c.i. The starter motor will only turn over fast enough to start the truck when it is cold or just cool. The problem happens after it has been driven even a short while. It won't crank over fast enough. It sounds like a weak battery, but the battery isn't weak since I've tried two fully charged batteries, one of which is new with 840 c.c.a. After about 30 min. or so, it will turn over fast enough for it to start. And to add a twist, jump starting helped (reason for the new battery of the two).

I am wondering if the starter motor gets too hot. There is an exhaust manifold leak from a broken bolt, but it is one of the upper bolts. The starter does fell VERY warm. I was also wondering if it is a vapor lock. I dunno, I'm stumped! Any insight would be very much appreciated.

Have A Great Holiday!

Bryant

 

Bryant, I suspect your cables are corroded and need replacing. The corrosion can get past the ends inside of the jacket and the volts can't get past.

Second thing check all connections for good clean and tight fit.

Thirdly, Have you recently replaced the intake with an aluminum one, and don't have a 1" phenolic spacer under the carb?


John

 

It's not vapor lock.

If what John says to try doesn't solve the problem, here's another possibility.

The starter is "dragging" when the engine is warm, This is usually caused by a burnt armature.

Replace the starter.

 

The Starter on 360's and 390's can have a tendency to get cooked...especially if you have headers...but I suspect your "bolt leak" is where the heat is coming from....

Replace the starter, but when you buy the new one, order a "racing blanket" to cover it with....which is a long strip of fabric that is shiny on one or both sides and has a velcro closure....you just wrap it around the starter and stick it together.

Another thing that can kill the starter is oil leaking from the valve cover (or elsewhere) and getting in the starter...."bogging it down" with oil.....

I have not had any starter problems since I used the blanket.

 

Thanks for the info guys! This was exactly what I was looking for.

I really didn't believe that it was a vapor lock. I do have the original setup on the truck. Since I live in CA, I just bypassed the heater hose going to the carb spacer. All of my cables are fairly new and clean. There is no oil leak at this time in the area of the valve covers.

This was my Dad's truck and I can't rember when he last replaced the starter. I felt that it was the starter, but I have been wrong many times before. When I change it I will wrap the new one.

Thanks Again!

Bryant

 

Bryant, Don't know the left coast but on the right you can starters and alts. to your favorite parts house and they will test them for you.


I am a big believer in testing the things that don't cost you money first. I hate spending $70.00 and 3 hours to find out it was for not.


John

 

another thing it possibly could be is the brushes are worn out...Ive had the exact same thing happen to me on other rigs Ive had...brushes are by far the cheapest fix for many a starter problem...the brushes are located just behind the metal band at the end of the starter...have a look in there and you may also have to take the end cover plate off to look at them if you cant see well enough to see whats left of the brushes...original brushes are about 3/8" tall as installed...and there are 4 individual brushes per starter...
If they do need to be replaced...they are about 10 bucks max at any parts house...


- cs65

 

CODZ11057B .. Starter Brush Kit (Motorcraft SB134)

Fits all the cars, all of the light trucks (F100/350, Econoline, Bronco) from 1960 thru 1979.

Starters, like ignition modules can be difficult to test off the vehicles to see if they are any good...or not.

These parts usually fail when they overheat, how does that work at an autoparts store?

These parts are colder than a trollops heart when tested this way.

 

Bill I believe they are able to load test for breakdown. I could be wrong though.

You don't think so????


John

 

Thanks again everyone. I purchased a new starter motor and this fixed it. Next thing is to get a heat blanket and to fix my exhaust leak.

Bryant

 

Did you have to turn yours in for a core ??? If so and havent yet, pop the end off of it and look at the brushes just for kicks...if they are worn down I would get another set, swap them out and see if it works..if so...reswap the starter and take the new rebuild back...9 times out of 10 all the rebuilders do is change brushes and bearings and send them back out after cleaning them...Ive seen how the rebuilders work that supply the chain stores...


- cs65

 

Camperspecial, what do you do when the copper points are burned out that kick the drive out or burn the solder out of the armature??or the paper that wraps the fields gets burnt ?we put new drives in ours,lol and new caps and bands with new gaskets, you must buy from some shady chain stores

 

I see no one has mentioned the bushings yet.

 

No...nowadays when ever I need parts for my Fords I buy NOS or dealer parts whenever possible...as for my past experiences, what I saw was years ago...Ive also got a few years in wrecking yards...its ctually where I bought my first car...the first car I could buy on my own that is when I came of age...
Either way, when it comes to starters and alternators the main wear parts are the brushes,bearings/bushings...If a core has been in a fire or some other kind of melt down thats obviously more etensive to repair properly...
Last alt I got was for my 91 Ranger...sucker didnt get a day before it started howling louder then a pack of hyenias...which just proves my point yet again...and when the parts are replaced by the rebuilders you can bet the bearings most likely arent US made...I could be wrong though...

- cs65

 

The starter that I got was a rebuilt Autolite with a lifetime warranty for $49. I guess I could have taken it apart myself, but there is no guarantee that my rebuild will last longer. It was worth it to me to just be done with it. It works great and turns much faster than my previous.

Bryant