Getting harder to start. Slow cranks then faster cranks.

My truck has been getting harder and harder to start.

This morning, worst of all. When I first turned the key, it almost didn't turn over at all. Finally turned over. Really sounded like some grinding going on in the engine.

The second turn over was slightly better. Several turnovers were like the second. Then they started getting faster and faster. Finally, it started.


I am doing everything at startup, just like I always have.

The glowplugs are working.

The electric fuel pump is working.

The oil pump is making pressure enough to register normal on the idiot gauge.


Checked oil while I was in town yesterday. It was low. But I filled it up. If oil level was the culprit, it should have been better today, not worse.

Checked the fuel pump. The glass inline filter that I put in before it, was quite dirty. But not enough to actually clog it. I cleaned that, and put it back. Haven't tried a start since that. But I don't see how low fuel flow at startup would cause the engine to drag and grind like that.

Every time, it seems like the batteries are dead, or right at dead. ....Then it speeds up, and finally starts up.

I tested batteries and alternator. They are fine. Even put the batteries on a charger for 20 hours. So they were absolutely fully charged... Same results when I went to start it.

And if it were the batteries... They would just go more dead. Not crank it slowly as if they are almost dead... And then slowly start speeding up until it is a normal start spin, and it starts...


Ideas?

It's not the weather. It started doing this while it was still warm. And it is still in the low 40s here. And as I said, the GPs are working fine.

Not the oil. Same oil went through last winter just fine.

Don't see how it could be the starter. Seems if it was the starter, it would not consistently be almost impossible to turn the engine over, then slowly get stronger.

I would guess it's either a starter issue or a wire connection issue. I would look at your ground and power cables. I'm thinking that maybe there's an imperfect connection, and there's some resistance for whatever reason. Maybe the resistance just gets less as you use the starter? Maybe the resistance is internal in the starter? Fuel and oil won't affect the way that the starter turns the engine over. It's batteries, starter, or wiring. Probably not the batteries since they tested good and you charged them fully.

My truck started acting like this earlier this year and it turned out to be the starter was just wearing out. It was about 5 years old since it's last rebuild.

Ditto on check your wiring.
1) Check battery connections.
2) Check the battery - cable to engine block.
3) Check the battery + cable to the starter solenoid.


If not pull the starter and have it tested.

Brushes in the starter may be getting stuck and/or worn out. Try tapping it with a hammer and see if it makes a difference.

+1 on starter brushes. If you are really on a budget, pull it apart, clean and inspect, put back together and see if it helps. I try to never say this out loud, but exclusively speaking in the context of your starter, I wish you were closer to Seattle. I have a starter and alternator guy here in Kent who is absolutely and positively the only place I will use from here on out for rebuilds.

Outside of this scope, my recommendation is that the greater borough of Index Washington is far superior to most things in Seattle.

Thank you to all.

I guess I am leaning toward it being the starter.

That grinding noise during the times when it is really slow to turn over just had/has me worried that there is a problem in the engine, instead. After startup, if you stand on the passenger side, it is pretty obvious that there is some rod knock at the back of the engine, as well. That tends to smooth out and almost go away after it warms up.

As I said earlier, though... I would have expected the problem to be consistent throughout the startup, if it was the starter. (And get worse, if it was the batteries or electrical system.)


More data: Once the tuck is warm, as in once I drive 40 miles to town... When I come back out from a store and go to start it, it turns over quickly for a few revolutions. Then goes back into that slow turnover for a bit, before slowly starting to turn over fast again, and start. It does this for every warm start, after that. All day. Then back to the slow beginning, when cold.

Any suggestions on a gear reduction starter?

I don't know how cold it is in your area this time of year, but after driving 40 miles, that truck should definitely start up immediately with no gps if it gets good cranking speed, and definitely if it's only like an hour. It does sound like your starter has been on it's way out from what you describe.


Rock

Use the Power Master 9050. That's the top of the line. If it's out of your budget fro now, try one from DB Electrical. They cost less, but probably won't hold up for long. That said, I have a cheap, no name starter on my Blue Truck that's been on there for 3 1/2 years and I haven't had one issue with it so the cheap ones will last for a while. I do have a Power Master 9050 behind the seat just in case. Someday, when I get the time (and think about it), the power Master will be on the engine and the cheap one will be the back up.

Thank you.

Ditto on Power Master.

Good. Because I ordered one.

I found it amusing that two of the positive reviews on amazon were by people with 92 f250 idi's.

I don’t have one in my IDI but I do in my Jeep and my sons 67’ Ford Galaxie. But once my starter does go, I will put one in.

Their alternators run ”hot” as my alt rebuilder once put it. (Had him clock the back half to work in my jeep.) Which is great if you have a winch or other big power needs. But would recommend a 3G upgrade if you put one in a idi, so the regulator is built into the alternator.

The years don't matter. They will fit any of our trucks as long as it has an IDI engine.