390 Would not Start
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Cross-Country
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 59
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390 Would not Start
Went for a drive in my 1968 F100 with a 390/c6. Started up and drove 30 minutes and thought to pull in and get gas. After the fill up I went to start and it would barely turn over 2 times. The battery is only 6 months old and all cables are clean. So I try a couple more times when a guy pulls up and offers to give me a jump. Haven't had to do that in 20 years. So after we hook it up I turn the key and it jumps to life. Not a bit slow. So I drive 20 minutes and park it. I wait 30 seconds and try to start it. It fires right up. No problem.
So what could it be? I have never seen this before. I checked the cables and connections and it was all clean. This is a new one on me. Any Ideas??????
So what could it be? I have never seen this before. I checked the cables and connections and it was all clean. This is a new one on me. Any Ideas??????
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Just spitballin' here, sometimes when a starter gets long in the tooth, bearings & brushes worn, maybe the armature can get a little catawampus in there, and not want to motor very easily. Draws a lot more current or amps than it should. But it might be an imtermittent thing. If this is what's happening, it will get worse.
This is why sometimes banging on a failing starter with a rock or hammer will get you going again in this situation. Again just spitballin'. Clean cables and ground straps don't necessarily mean electrically good cables, if any of them are factory original, or old enough to vote, they should probably be replaced with quality cables of sufficient gauge size.
This is why sometimes banging on a failing starter with a rock or hammer will get you going again in this situation. Again just spitballin'. Clean cables and ground straps don't necessarily mean electrically good cables, if any of them are factory original, or old enough to vote, they should probably be replaced with quality cables of sufficient gauge size.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 214
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Ace - how long have you had the truck...20 years? I only ask because is this a new issue on a new to you truck or a new issue on a truck you've owned for 20 years? Here's my 2 cents...was having an issue with heat soak on my 360 which was worsened by long starts because of fuel boil. The cranks literally got slower and slower over the course of 2 or 3 cranks. Switched to ethanol free and a phenolic spacer, the starts got short again and my started stopped struggling.
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Cross-Country
Joined: Sep 2018
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Had the truck since high school (first car.... uh truck) that would be 1979. Cables are 3 to 5 years old ( from NAPA0 as well as grounding strap. I thought starter too, but it seemed different then the last time the starter went out. I could take starter off and have it tested I think but I would have to remove the header on that side and it is so cold in the garage....
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,481
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Headers. Bingo, heat soak. You were stopped long enough for gas to allow the starter to get nice and hot. Once you were moving again, there was enough air flow to keep it fairly cool.
When you got home, parked and waited 30 seconds, there wasn't enough time to heat it up again.
You can easily test the theory. This is very common with headers, not just on FE motors but anything where the headers are close to the starter.
Good luck!
When you got home, parked and waited 30 seconds, there wasn't enough time to heat it up again.
You can easily test the theory. This is very common with headers, not just on FE motors but anything where the headers are close to the starter.
Good luck!
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 187
Likes: 14
I agree, it sounds like heat soak. You can purchase a smaller starter that fits like RobbMc Starters, or try to wrap the starter in a heat shield blanket. That will help. It is odd that this is a sudden issue, but it could be because of what others posted, the age of the starter.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,255
Likes: 199
From: Phoenix, Az.
Also clean battery cable connections at the engine. Including the ground cable that goes from engine to firewall. Especially if you have a leaky valve cover gasket. Oil can get in a connection just like penetrating oil. This could cause an intermittent disconnection.
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