Starter Problems

[sirreal]

Having starter problems, any suggestions, Ford 392 ci Crate Engine approx. 2000 miles- I replaced the starter 3 weeks ago (it just would not start-no problems like today), and had no problems until today- car started right up and I drove about 4 miles made a one hour stop, when came out car would not start, then it started up. Made one additional stop on way home for 20 min., car started right up no problem, drove another 5 miles went home. 3 hours later car would not start. Waited another 3 hours car would not start, and then it started, let it warm up, turned it off, again it would not start, waited 5 min. started right up.
Any and all suggestions appreciated

thanks
Rich

[63mercury]

Check the connections at starter, solonoid, and battery also the grounds. electrical problems are sometimes the hardest to find, I had a problem with my every day driver that was about the same and it was a deteriated wire between the starter and solonoid.

[T E Lewis]

Rich,

Start with a simple test, take the starter to your local Auto Zone/NAPA, they should have a test bench for this. Have them spin it for you, and make sure they check the amp draw. Could very well be a starter problem, 3 weeks old or not. A lot of the re-man starters they sell now are really junk. I would try a high tourqe/gear reduction starter.

Good luck!

[pgermond]

Is your starter not working, or is it spinning the motor but the motor won't start?

[Rwillia4]

If the engine is spinning and not starting it sounds like vapor lock.

[white rose]

Main ground cable from the battery to the frame/engine. Take it off and clean it.

[Ron61]

That really doesn't sound like the typical heat problem, so I would do as suggested above. first check all cables and connections. Then if everything checks out well, take the starter and have it tested. Also as Pgermond asked, is it spinning the motor and just won't start or is the starter not spinning at all?

Ron

[Dwight]

Is your battery in the trunk? What size cable do you have? Check the voltage at the starter solonoid when it will not start. Check and clean your grounds. Do you have a ground cable from the frame to the block? A loose clamp on the battery will give you the problems you have described.



Dwight

[sirreal]

I will check the connections tonight, The starter does not spin at all, when it does spin it starts right up.

[Don McCain]

Where is your solenoid located in relation to your exhaust/header set up? Sounds like the solenoid is getting hot!

[pgermond]

I don't think it is a heat issue..... it is definitely electrical. Check all the connections and, for good measure, add another ground cable between the engine and frame.

[sirreal]

the battrey is in the trunk, The solenoid is on the frame directly (2-4 inches) below the Headers. I will start checking all the connections tonight and add another ground if i already do not have one between ths engine and frame.

thanks

[sirreal]

The starter turned over when I tried it tonight, however per most suggestions I started at the battery and worked forward to the solenoid. The battery pole connections were slightly lose, the battery ground was very tight, The cable from the battery to the solenoid was lose, the cable from the solenoid to the starter was tight. I went for a ride in traffic and came home and it started right up. I then waited 1 hour and it started right up again.
I will install a second ground from the block to the frame this weekend as suggested.
I hope this will cure the problem.

I want to thank everyone for their help

Rich

[pgermond]

Rich,

Just for grins.... post after the weekend and let us know if the problem is corrected.

[sirreal]

Will do

thanks again
Rich

[TampaFla]

I am having a similar problem and suspect its the solonoid, but.....when the motor is hot and is turned off, it won't restart until it cools down. Turning the key only gets perhaps a very slow half revolution from the engine (as you would with a dead battery). The cable to the solonoid is too hot to touch. Once the cable cools, the motor starts. The "hot" cable seems to indicate that the solonoid is sticking, but I'm not sure. The solonoid is 6" from the headers and the problem seems to be related to how hot it is outside (and these days that's at least 90 degrees). Any suggestions would be appreciated, if I can't trust it to start, can't trust it enough to go very far from home.

[Ron61]

How long and how big is your battery cable to the solenoid? If the solenoid was sticking it must be bad if just warm weather causes it. If you think it is heat related, either move the solenoid or get some kind of good heat reflecting insulating material and put between it and the headers. Also check all grounds and connections just as Rich did.

Ron

[vettestr]

Get a new gear reduction starter and then do all the rest of this to make her start no matter what.
We make all of our battery cables from welding lead cable. The use of 1/0 AWG is just over 1/2 OD. but because it has a strand count of over 990/30 it is very flexible and easier to work with than cables from the discount auto parts stores. The ends can be crimp or soldier type but I choose soldier type. Just for looks we use red shrink tubing on positive cable ends as we just buy black cable. Retail cost at a welding supply store is about $4.50 a foot and ends are like a buck fifty each. Seal around cable and cable end with even RTV just to keep moisture from entering under the insulation for years of trouble free service. Use about 3 ground cables works well.
You can purchase starter heat shields but making you own from sheet metal and a large hose clamp is pretty basic. Bend tangs around edges so you can bend under shield all around perimeter with a couple of nuts or spacers taped to body in the middle section, the point is to leave an air gap of less than 1/4 inch between shield and starter body all the way around. Use a hose clamp to secure shield to the starter body and make sure it does not move or hit cable connections. Some sandwich header wrap material between the shield but I find air gap works much better, seems to cool quicker.
Last but not least is be careful with these cheapo plastic battery dis-connect switches as I have found many to leak a little current or have a high resistance from arcing across the switch. A metal Cole Hearsey is an NHRA approved sw. and about 30 bucks and Harbor Freight is 6 bucks on sale. Not picking on H.F. as I use stuff from them but you need to match the performance demand to to listed rating on part. Last but not least AGAIN??? always run redundant ground straps All our controls like MSD box, coils, fuse block,relays et... are mounted on a 1/4" aluminum plate that also is mounted with an air gap for cooling. A 10 AWG ground wire from plate to chassis ensures a good ground. High current items like headlights also have their own ground straps.

[trularin]

What happens when it will not start?

Does it click, click, click?
Does it clack and then nothing?
Is it completely dead like there is no battery in the car?

Throw us a bone here.

If it Clikc, click, clikcs, it is not getting enough complete current flow. Battery is down or the ground for the starter is not what it needs to be.

If it clacks and then nothing, the starter is not turning with the delivered current. Possible hot or bad starter.

If it is completely dead, you are completing the ignition circuit to activate the solinoid.

Hope this helps.

[Dwight]

TamapaFla
next time it gets hot and will not start, jump the solonoid out. Use a large piece of wire (about a foot long) or metal and jump from the hot side to the starter side of the solonoid. This will prove if it's the starter or the solonoid. If the cable is hot, it's to small. You need number 2 awg fine stranded wire (#2 awg). Welding lead works great. I use crimp on lugs because I have the correct crimper for the job and soldier melts at 600 degrees. I have seen soldier joints that have melted.


Dwight