Hey Everyone, I haven't been on for a while so I'm sorry for asking questions instead of giving advice.
Have some issues with my starter. I moved my batteries out of the engine bay and into a nice toolbox in the truck bed recently. I got two new 850 cca batteries and replaced all the cables with good wleding cable 'cause I new the longer distance would draw more amps. I'm sure I put all the cables back in the right spots on the starter relay and the starter but now the starter sometimes turns over but doesn't engage the flywheel. I thought the original starter was going bad so I replaced it and now it happened again to the point that the truck started, the starter disengaged but the starter motor kept running so I had to shut the truck off and try again.
I'm thinking that I might have gotten some wires mixed up (dumb, dumb) when I replaced all the cables. Right now I have a large cable from the battery to the starter on one post, another larger cable from the solenoid on the firewall to the other large post and a small wire running from the solenoid to a small post on the starter.
Does anyone have photos of what goes where?
Also, the new starter really cranks it over slow and since I live in Canada Eh I'm affraid that when it gets really cold that she won't turn fast enough. I'm thinking of going to a Nippondenso instead of the direct drive - any thoughts.

Thanks

 

Sorry guys, my bad. My truck is a 1994 F350 7.3 litre idi turbo.

Cheers

 

What size wires did you use?

 

primary positive cable to starter.
single wire from large terminal on fender mount starter relay to starter mount solenoid small terminal.
small trigger wire from ignition switch to small terminal on relay.(this is the plug on wire)
secondary positive cable to the other large terminal on relay with all the other wires

 

wow.i hope you have massive cables! by the sounds of things,they may be just half the size they need to be, for that distance.

 

Your wiring is wrong. Follow the directions given by tjc.

 

Stock cable size from battery to starter looks to be 3/0, I replaced mine with 4/0. A heavy truck typically has a dual 4/0 cable for the positive side on a run of your length. I would run at least a dual 3/0. At work a 1000amp power supply feeds through a dual 4/0 cable.
How have you run the negative side? Is it just a single cable all the way from the engine as well? The factory setup is two 2/0 cables, one to each battery. You need the same amp carrying capacity on the negative side as the positive side.
Also, your starter should be a gear reduction Mitsubishi unit, not direct drive.

 

It shouldn't have a direct drive, they were last used in 84 or so. It should already be a gear drive. The Delcos always were a bit slow cranking.

 

Thanks Fellro, the direct drive is just not cutting it but that's what they gave me at the parts store after the last one cooked itself (only lasted a month). I've since ordered a Nippondenso gear reduction heavy duty one.

 

Hey tecgod13 and Ford_Six thatnk for the help. I used 2/0 cable for everything from hooking the batteries together to the runs to the starter and solendoid on the firewall. I also used 2/0 for the negatives from each battery. Any secondary runs to the solenoid and such were done in 1 guage. I really oversized the cables knowing there would be an amperage draw.
Turning the beast over (other than the slow speed of the new starter) isn't an issue, it just seems that the starter spins but doesn't engage.

 

Hey FORDF250HDXLT, I hope that the 2/0 connecting and from the batteries are enough as well as for the negative cables. I checked with my brother-in-law who repairs electric forklifts and he gave me the advice. I also noticed that the batteries are staying well charged and the alternator doesn't seem to be having any issues.

 

Thanks for the photos tjc transport but I'm not sure I understand. So is there a direct cable (large) from the batteries to one post on the starter, a secondary positive from the solenoid on the firewall and the small wire from the egnition switch? I'm sorta tech challenged so if anyone has a picture of their starter or can they draw a diagram for me? Sorry guys, I really like tinkering with mechanics but compared to most of you and your knowledge base I'm an absolute moron!!
Thanks to all for your replies and help.

 

The solenoid on the starter is controlled by the relay (solenoid) on the fenderwell, kinda redundant I know, but it does cut down on volt drop by running to the key and back. Actually had to do the same thing to get the starter to work right on the Cummins.

They really should not have given you the Delco, as it is not a proper replacement. I know we always have to order the Delcos, as we stocked either the Mitsu or Nippo starters, not the Delcos. They are different part number completely. As you have found, they do not really work well as a replacement for a gear drive. Actually, it is a downgrade, I swapped the 84 my dad has to a Nippo starter from an 86. I had to drill the cable hole a little bigger to get the cable on.

 

if you look at my picture, the left wire goes to the starter solenoid.
the little plug on wire on top is the trigger wire from the ignition switch
the other terminal gets everything else.

the large feed wire is direct from the battery, the red wire is from my battery maintainer.


looking at that picture, i see i really should add another relay to the system. there are way too many wires on the hot side.

i tend to just add things and not closely inspect my work until i see it in a picture.

 

Thanks fellro86 it's good to know that the Nippo starter is going to work. Too bad I can't take the other one back. Maybe I'll put the new one in and tell the parts guys how wonderful it is then wine and whimper until they take it back - ha ha!

Thanks tjc transport, I'm going to get under the hood tomorrow and see if I can make heads or tails of it. I'll let you know how I make out and whether the new Nippo starter makes a difference - I'm sure it will.

Cheers