My battery is almost 6 years and yet starts my Bronco up strong in the morning. However, if I run for awhile, shut her down and start back up within 10 minutes or so, it kicks but then the starter almost hesitates like there is no power to it. Does this sound like the battery needs replaced or is there something else I need to look at. Like I said, starts strong in the morning and after sitting for a while. It is just hard to start immediately after running for awhile. Got me stumped.

 

Sounds more like a heat-related starter issue. If the battery is gonna have trouble tunring over the engine it will be after it has been without a charge from the alternator for a while (i.e. over night). Check your connections for corrosion and make sure they are tight. A six-year old battery could be the problem but its less likely given the symptoms as you described them. If the connections appear good and corrosion-free, you can always have the battery tested.

 

I'll second that.

 

i agree with grey, after motor is running the starter heats up (armature inside swells) to the point of actually rubs up against the brushes. takes alil more juice to crank it over, should be a heat sheild there to deflect the heat from your exhaust away from the starter, theres a wrap you can buy for the starter or get a high torque starter that has the brushes set back a little farther to let the armature swell during extreme conditions

 

Thank you very much for each of your posts. Gonna first check for the heat shield, then have the battery tested. Live in central Florida (very hot right now) and it normally happens in the middle of the day. Good information !!

 

I'd go ahead and replace the battery. You are living on borrowed time.

1988 EB Bronco - 302 - AOD - 3.55 Lim Slip 8.8- Manual Hubs and Transfer Case - BFG 32/11.5 AT - 209,000 miles

 

Grab an Optima Red Top and never worry about such problems again.

 

Went to the local Ford dealership where I bought the battery. It had a 84 month warranty and was just under 6 years of use. Failed the battery test and they replaced the battery free of charge. Good deal. However, they recommended a new starter for failing the draw test. They wanted $403.39 to install a new starter. I couldn't afford the starter they recommended and just left with the new battery. What is the draw test and how important is it to the battery. They told me that I had just one bad cell in the battery that was slow to recover, thus the reason for the hard start after running for awhile. Would you all recommend a new starter at this time? What brand would you recommend and what kind of cost should I expect to pay? This Bronco has been with me for a long time and I plan on keeping it until they pull my license. Not looking for a cheap starter if there is such a thing, or are they all the same. Appreciate all the good information that you all have been providing.

 

is it still doing it? if it is, get a starter from ford if you want the best. im sure it will be a pretty penny compared to a reman unit from autozone, but theres a reason. You can put it in yourself, its not a hard job, not 400 bucks hard anyway.

 

heck yea keep that 400 bucks go get yer self some heat resistant tape for headers and wrap the exhaust pipe where its closest to the starter. or go the junkyard and get a heat shield ANY thingbut that $400 STARTER hell i'll fly down from pittsburgh with a starter and put it on for ya for $400 bucks....ouch

 

dont wrap the pipe, wrap the starter. Wrap always seems to hold water really bad, and eventually rots the exhaust out.