Starting problem-why?
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Starting problem-why?
94 F-350 w/460. Wouldn't start today after wife was driving it (not the problem 
). She tried to get it jump started and it sounds like that didn't help it. Had good lights and all. They got it going "somehow" and got it home. Tonight after work, I went and tried. It started on the first pull. Shut it down. Nothing. I can hear the relay (?) but no crank. Got out the hammer and whacked the relay. Nothing. Went under the truck and whacked the starter housing. Started. Did this a couple times and it started everytime. Why would it do that? Header tube runs close (heat?) and it has been slow starting for some time. Could something be corroding internally? I'll change the starter but would like to know, for my own knowledge, why. Thanks FTE.
). She tried to get it jump started and it sounds like that didn't help it. Had good lights and all. They got it going "somehow" and got it home. Tonight after work, I went and tried. It started on the first pull. Shut it down. Nothing. I can hear the relay (?) but no crank. Got out the hammer and whacked the relay. Nothing. Went under the truck and whacked the starter housing. Started. Did this a couple times and it started everytime. Why would it do that? Header tube runs close (heat?) and it has been slow starting for some time. Could something be corroding internally? I'll change the starter but would like to know, for my own knowledge, why. Thanks FTE.
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Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Central NY
Heat damaged starter, bad or going ground (starter gets ground thru the block), Battery cables & grounds (the cables tend to rust internally), old/tired starter thats on its way out (get new, not a rebuild)
Seriously I would clean my contact points up first before replacing the starter.
Remove and clean the + cable and conections all the way to the starter
Remove and clean the - cable. Sand where it connects to the block and frame. Pull the starter and clean where they mate (both on starter and on block)
Lastly pull off the little wire from the starter and clean that as best you can.
If it happens again after that I would replace the starter, but at least all the prep work is already done.
Cheers,
Popa Tim
Seriously I would clean my contact points up first before replacing the starter.
Remove and clean the + cable and conections all the way to the starter
Remove and clean the - cable. Sand where it connects to the block and frame. Pull the starter and clean where they mate (both on starter and on block)
Lastly pull off the little wire from the starter and clean that as best you can.
If it happens again after that I would replace the starter, but at least all the prep work is already done.
Cheers,
Popa Tim
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Changed the starter this afternoon. Cranked it over. Started great. Did it again and again it started fine. Went to Menards a couple hours later. Started fine. Went in, came out about 10-15 minutes later, no start. Monkeyed with the wires, connections, smacked the relay (?) on the fender, and the starter. Nothing. About 15-20 minutes of this, it started. Got it home and checked it a few times without any problems. Now what? Could it be a short of some kind? I keep leaning towards something to do with the heat but it didn't happen when I got it home.
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Wetaskiwin, Alberta
#1 - perhaps consider exchanging the wife for a newer version since that's where your problems all started and an upgrade to version 2.0 might be in order.
#2 - Never, ever stop at Menards again!
#3 - re read Poppa's suggestions about tracing and cleaning all of your battery connections to ground and to the starter and solenoid. It might even be worth your while, and for a relatively low cost, to replace the battery cables with some fresh ones. Lastly, I know that the solenoid/relay on the fender can be a finicky thing that will sometimes work and then not work for a while and then work again. I don't know what they cost where you are, I know that I have two or three used ones in the garage 'cause I change them out any time my starter acts up.
I really dont know what to tell you about the heat from the headers tho'. It dosen't seem likely that heat would damage a new starter so quickly as to cripple it within a few minutes or hours of installing it. Methinks that your problem lies elsewhere.
Good luck and keep us posted with your progress.
Cheers!
Mike
#2 - Never, ever stop at Menards again!
#3 - re read Poppa's suggestions about tracing and cleaning all of your battery connections to ground and to the starter and solenoid. It might even be worth your while, and for a relatively low cost, to replace the battery cables with some fresh ones. Lastly, I know that the solenoid/relay on the fender can be a finicky thing that will sometimes work and then not work for a while and then work again. I don't know what they cost where you are, I know that I have two or three used ones in the garage 'cause I change them out any time my starter acts up.
I really dont know what to tell you about the heat from the headers tho'. It dosen't seem likely that heat would damage a new starter so quickly as to cripple it within a few minutes or hours of installing it. Methinks that your problem lies elsewhere.
Good luck and keep us posted with your progress.
Cheers!
Mike
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Joined: Feb 2004
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From: CA Central Coast
The battery cables may be messed up under the coating. My jeep acted this way until I replaced the cable. Try cutting and peeling a small part of the plastic coating and see if there's oxidation/corrosion.
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From: Otsego, MN
Like Popa Tim has mentioned, clean all grounds, I replaced 3-starters and a relay, had same problems for years.. new starter always did it for awhile but found out was the ground cable, and cleaned the starter mounting surface and all possible ground connections related to the starting circuit, have had no problems for 3-years now.
Hope this does it for ya.
DAJ.
Hope this does it for ya.
DAJ.
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OK-today I started going through the grounds. Everything was looking ok until I got to the "main" ground at the block. After much cussing, I got it off and the coating was torn away and there was a lot of wires ripped apart and from the look of them, it had been some time. Got a new cable but had to fab a mount bracket where it goes to the frame. Took it for a spin but still gun shy about shutting it off anywhere but home. I did restart a few times in the yard afterwards with good luck. Taking her camping tomorrow so that will be the test. I guess when I was juggling the wires around, I made enough of a connection for it to start. With any luck this'll work. I suppose I'll keep the wife and keep giving my cash to Menards now. Sometimes I wonder though. Thanks again FTE folks and keep up the good work.
