Good morning, I have a 1993 F250 dually. Since I got the truck, I replaced the glow plugs, fixed the block heater and replaced the batteries and repaired a fuel line leak. I have been having starter issues. I am now on my third starter in because the lugs on the back of the starter keep burning out. Any suggestions on a better then advanced auto starter for my truck?

 

Ok... have you checked out all your battery cables? How long does it normally take your engine to fire up (i.e. how long do you have to crank it)?

 

battery cables are in good shape and any cracks or breaks in the line were addressed right after getting the truck. This morning it was extremely cold and some how my block heater ended up getting unplugged sometime during the night. I knew it would take a bit of cranking but it fried after only 5 mins. of intermittent cranking. Normally when the block heater is left alone it will fire right up.

 

If the lugs are burning out, your connections are bad.
Also, I've noticed the copper strap between the solenoid and motor on a lot of remans is too small and will overheat very quickly. You could try doubling it up with a copper bus bar or similar.

For now, I would suggest brand new battery/starter cables.
Also, 5 minutes of intermittent cranking is enough to kill a starter.

 

I'm going to suggest adding a shut-off switch for your GPs. Then, when it's so frigging cold that you aren't going to be able to start it with the GPs in 10s, give it a whiff of starting fluid. She'll fire right up, and as long as the GPs are cold, you aren't risking them.
Also, when it's that cold, I have found that I don't get any massive detonation with the ether. Just clatters and starts right up, only slightly louder than on GPs.

Obviously, too much will give you ether lock and risk damaging things, but you can tell right quick how much you need.

 

Careful with that way of thinking though... with things that cold, and with how thick diesel oil is, you're going to be running dry for a few minutes until things heat up enough to start flowing properly again.

 

That's still risking popping the prechambers out. There is a very fine line between too much and not enough.
Put in Motorcraft/Beru glow plugs, it should glow 8-10seconds at the near freezing level.
Replace the injector return lines as well, and then at least you aren't fighting other issues.
Synthetic or 5w40 will let it crank a lot easier in cold weather, and you'd be amazed the difference even a half hour on the block heater can make.

 

I am very pleased with the no nose cone remanded starter that Oreily sells, my searching on the interweb, all starters for the iDi are gear reduction type starters there three types or design's that I have found, the type I selected is the newest. and spins very fast, the lugs you are talking about are on the solenoid and the starter I got has a heavy duty solenoid. make certin that they are clean and tight.

 

change your cables. They may look fine, but you would be surprised how badly they have become under the insulation after 25 years. It has solved my starter issues more than once. Van

 

yeah id say the same thing.just the fact of their age means they're no good lol.
especially when cracks and brakes are found like that.
you can tell they are right full of corrosion if you see the outer sheath looks dark/black especially up by the pass side battery.slice it open and you'll get powder..........just no good.replace them and you'll swear the replacement starter is far superior to the past ones,and the old gal will stop burning out on ya too.
when it comes to making sure you have a good starting diesel engine.......i start right here.


now that im onto my second idi truck (additional/not a replacement) i have learned enough to know,this truck needs some injectors too.just by the sound of the idle and the extra cranking (once everything else was 100% tested) it takes to fire up.i'll swap in a set of new stanadyne E codes come warm weather and i bet this cures the 4-6 second crank to fire start time iv still got left and reduces starter ware just as it did my f250.
these trucks are old.they require lots of loving and thoroughly testing if you want reliability like they used to be.you'll be replacing your cables either way.do so before several burnt out starters and extra hard starts,or before.either way,same ending,just one way is lighter on the wallet than the other.2/0 awg minimum.