Hey guys,

My starter seems to be on the way out, but I'd like a second opinion. I have two newer and fully charged batteries, and I've spent many hours over the last two weeks cleaning the **** out of every terminal and groud contact from the batteries and starter and block.

Truck runs good and all, but when starting she acts like the batteries are very weak. Slow turning, which gets a bit faster after a few seconds, probably from friction reduction as oil is moved around, maybe?

Anyway, I have the manual glow plug mod and the only way to start her is to use them, even when warm. She will not generate the cranking speed to start without some sort of fuel burn.

I read somewhere that the bushings in the starter can be replaced, but I doubt that those would cause this level of friction.

It is the Mitsubishi starter, and I replaced the coil thing on the side of it already once.

I hate taking off these starters! haha

Thanks,
Joshua

 

Could be that the brushes (not bushes) in the starter need replaced.
However check the condition of the battery wires. Pull the insulation back at the ends (including ground wires) and check for any signs of burning/corrosion. Replace any that are bad.

 

I thought about the brushes, but would they make it seem like the starter isn't getting the amount of current it needs, while still running? The only brush problems I had in other vehicles was more of a go/no-go situation, rather than a current drop.

I reckon I should replace the wires then, as there is some corrosion under the insulation by the terminals.

Anyone know why I get some white powder on my negative terminals and light blue powder on my positive ones?

Thanks,
Joshua

 

Peel back the battery cables and if they are full of white/blue powder then soak them real good in baking soda and warm water until they are shiny again. Then tape the sheath back on.

IDK about white versus blue... I just know both are bad news

 

ok,what happened here is,the battery cables where left corroded for to long.the extra granking over the years required,has put an extra strain on the starter,thus burning it out.
if you cranked for more 15 seconds at a time,and didn't wait for 2 minutes between each crank,then you really wore her down even faster.
(im sure that this is very common. a lot of people don't know the starter needs to cool down after lots of cranking,and people who live in 32 degree or low temp climates in the winter,im sure find sitting in a cold hard to start truck,don't want to wait for a couple mins between tries lol.do it though! run back inside to stay warm. and get out the block heater! otherwise,it costs a lot of $ to bring back the starting system to new again/perhaps more than one feels the truck is worth.)

i would now:
a.change all the battery cables.
b.have the starter tested at auto zone.

be prepared to shell out several hundred in cables/terminals and a new starter.

if she's an old beater,id do what war suggests.id strip the cables way back until clean copper is found and soak them like crazy.wrap them up with loads of electric tape,and then cut a section of garden hose to slide every one of them into as well and seal the ends of the hose up with silicone.-that's likely to work for a couple years.
then if the starter was found bad (most likely) id search car-parts.com and see if i could find a used starter.

if you have a good solid rig,that you plan to keep for 10 years or more and can afford it;
a.buy tinned marine grade cables,lugs,and terminals.(try to get 3/0 cable,at least going down to the starter.-only really helpful if your temps drop below freezing.)
b.buy a new starter if the old tests bad.

edit,another thing.
auto zone will test batteries free too.
now is the time of year!
if you do replace them-buy at least 850 CCA bats.
if you live where temps drop below freezing,try and shell out the extra for a minimum of 1000 CCA bats.
(im running dual 850's.[1,000 cranking amps when above 32 degree's though.]but since they're new from po,im not replacing with 1k cca's until they bite the bullet. )

 

Thanks for the replies.

I cut away some of the insulation on the worst-looking terminal and all is well under there. It's actually really suprising how clean it is...

And I have two batteries bought at the same time, 850cca, just over a year ago, they are doing well. I live in Western Washington, so it only freezes here for less than a month per season on average.

Its been 42ish every morning for a while, and the block heater wouldn't help right now but will when I figure out how to fix the darn thing! It just doesn't have any cranking force. I have full voltage at the starter(figured that out this morning, truck now doesn't start or even turn AT ALL).

She's got 250k on her and is somewhere inbetween "solid" and "beater", lol.

So I guess taking it to get the starter tested is the next step. Dang it sucks having one vehicle and working 6 days a week at two different jobs.

I still think the fore brushes could be the issue. I thought there were only two but maybe four; either way if less than all of them is in contact from years of use then you get half your current right there, which is what it felt like happened. I would get half current... but then it got worse and worse so who knows. ARgh

Thanks, will update as I find out more.
-Joshua

 

Here is gonna be the best price for a new starter....look around the site..they have quite a few different things available. DB Electrical - NEW Ford Truck 6.9 7.3 Diesel Starter High Torque 85-94 SMT0018

 

Ok, so I drop the starter and pull her apart and I've got some issues, lol. I went to replace the brushes, which I had on hand(or thought I did), and of course they are soldered in and not replaceable. Wouldn't that be a novel thing for all the major auto chains to know?...

I have the kid test it and it PASSES... There were copper contacts that had melted on the rear brush side, it looked like a bad weld or solder rather than a smooth contact, lol. The brushes were worn low enough that I could just shove the unit inside them without any funny business.

So I ask what amps the test was at, cause I'm thinking it's not 100+ as I've heard our trucks pull. He said 12. Haha... anyway, it sounded pathetic during the test, but wasn't even turning in my truck so I guess cleaning it up and putting it back together gave her a little more gusto.

So I get another one from Schucks, lifetime warranty.

Install it.

OH MAN. I've never heard a truck roll that fast via starter ever in my life. All that work I did cleaning up every lead and contact etc paid off bigtime and now I have the sexiest starting truck evar!!!

YaY!

-Joshua

P.S. Thanks for the replies, I am actually not so stubborn as to distain sound advice, but I would rather not merely throw money at a problem and hope it gets better; so I had to figure it out piece by piece.

 

That's a good price on that starter link

 

i paid about 90 for my new bosch with a lifetime warranty. highly recommend it if you can find them, which would be at most auto part stores!

 

I take my starter out every fall and clean it. That makes a good increase is the speed of cranking. It seems to help in my case.

 

This isn't really related, but I was having trouble starting my truck were it would almost feel like it didn't have just enough to start, it was always a little sluggish from the time I bought it, new alternator in her, and she fires up first try cold or warm out, faster than the family F150.
May help, may not.

 

I just put a new starter in my truck tonight and it was night day diffrents I could not belive how easy it started

 

Yeah, a fresh starter is always a good feeling, especially on those cold mornings!

 

I was reading a post you made on the glow plug controller you have on your truck. I have a 1989 Ford F250 7.3 IDI and right now everytime I use it, it will start fine but if I shut it off it will not start again until it completely cools off or use starting fluid. I just purchased a manual controller kit with a manual momentary switch which I hope will stop the restart problem. You post said you installed a momentary switch 5 years ago on your truck. I was wondering how yours is working and if you have had any problems with it? I just got the truck 6 months ago and I still have alot of work to do on it. It's also a gutless wonder and I'm trying to figure out what I need to work on to try and get some power out of her. Any input you may have on the switch installation or ideas of what I need to do to increase the power would be greatly appreciated. Thank you Kathy