starter connection glowing
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starter connection glowing
i have an 85 e350 6.9 van. sometimes when i start it the key sticks in the starter position and i have to quickly turn it back. someone borrowed it the other day and i forgot to mention this. they said they heard the starter going and turned the key back, but i'm not sure how long the starter stayed 'on' before it was turned off.
when i tried to start it today the starter just groaned and turned about a half turn and then i smelled burning. on closer inspection i can see that the negative lead on to the starter glows red hot when the key is turned. does this mean the wire is fried? the starter is fried? something else is fried?
when i tried to start it today the starter just groaned and turned about a half turn and then i smelled burning. on closer inspection i can see that the negative lead on to the starter glows red hot when the key is turned. does this mean the wire is fried? the starter is fried? something else is fried?
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There is no negative lead to the starter. The starter gets its ground connection from the engine block. There should be two ground wires connected to the engine block, one from each battery, located at the front of the engine block towards the bottom.
Something is certainly burnt up if you smelled burning, and if the starter won't turn the engine, you probably need to pull it and replace it. Its possible just the solenoid on the starter burnt out, though I'm not sure they are available separately.
It sounds to me that the ignition switch, or the linkage to it is gunked up. I know that is a common issue with trucks, but I don't know if the van system is different or not.
Something is certainly burnt up if you smelled burning, and if the starter won't turn the engine, you probably need to pull it and replace it. Its possible just the solenoid on the starter burnt out, though I'm not sure they are available separately.
It sounds to me that the ignition switch, or the linkage to it is gunked up. I know that is a common issue with trucks, but I don't know if the van system is different or not.
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i will go get the starter bench tested today. since the starter turns (at least a little) i assume its not the solenoid. i guess if power is going to the solenoid but the starter is burned then it would make the ground wire get red hot? i just didn't want to put in a new starter and find out that something was wrong upstream and fry the new starter as well, but sounds like not too much can happen up there...
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Remember that resistance causes Heat... if the connection gets red hot the connection is consuming the energy needed to turn over the Engine with the starter.
Just like a battery cable that melts off the battery terminal had resistance thus created the heat to melt the lead. If the starter checks good make sure to repair or replace the cable to the starter from the solenoid before reinstalling the unit.
Just like a battery cable that melts off the battery terminal had resistance thus created the heat to melt the lead. If the starter checks good make sure to repair or replace the cable to the starter from the solenoid before reinstalling the unit.
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the starter tested bad. they weren't able to tell me if it was just the solenoid or not. i ended up just ordering a new starter and solenoid because its a work truck and i don't want to get stuck on a jobsite
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Hopefully the new starter fixes your problems.
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once i took the starter out i realized the wire i was looking at was the thicker (6 awg?) wire that connects the solenoid to the starter. it was glowing on the solenoid side.
i put a new battery in and a new starter and wow i've never heard it spin that fast!
unfortunately they sold me a battery with a slightly higher cca rating than the other one that is still in there..so i'm gonna go do some research and see if that will cause any stress on either of the batteries.
thanks for everyones help
i put a new battery in and a new starter and wow i've never heard it spin that fast!
unfortunately they sold me a battery with a slightly higher cca rating than the other one that is still in there..so i'm gonna go do some research and see if that will cause any stress on either of the batteries.
thanks for everyones help
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Once you're running, both batteries (should) be getting 14-14.5V, which is above the 'optimal' charge point anyway(well, once you replenish the lost power at least). I'd say it doesn't matter what much, unless one battery is actually /really/ old/bad.
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Glad its working again!
Generally its recommended that batteries are replaced in matching pairs. Otherwise the older battery could pull down the charge on the newer one causing it to fail earlier. I don't know if its true or not. Higher CCA is better for starting, so if you do end up replacing the old one, get it to match the new one you put in. You'll probably be ok though.
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