1993 F250 IDI N/A

[Goofyexponent]

I posted this in the 911 diesel down forum, but I thought I would post it here and hope that some of the guru's here would have a better chance at seeing it.

I go to start the truck this morning, but she wouldn't go. The lights are bright and all work, the radio comes on no problem and the heater fan even runs full blast just fine, but when I pushed the start button, it rolled extremely slowly for about 1/2 a turn, then all it would do was click at the starter.

I have 12.3 volts on both batteries. I disconnected them and checked them individually. The starter is less than a year old, and both batteries were replaced at the same time the starter was.

I tried to cross the starter solonoid over, but I get the same results. So the solonoid is working correctly.

The truck did this to me about two months ago, but it just started again after I went under the truck and looked around. I never touched anything or moved anything, I just tried it again and away she went. That morning it was hot and dry, but today it was raining cats and dogs.

This time however, the OD light was blinking. I doubt that would have anything to do with my starter though.

Todays temperature was around 10* C or about 50* F, so it's not like it was a cold morning.

Is my starter gone? Or perhaps a bad connection? Or do I have something else to check?

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

Id take a set of jumper cables and go directly from the batteries to the starter. See if that improves your rpms. 12.3 is not a great voltage to start with, I would prefer 12.6-12-8.

 

[Goofyexponent]

I just re-checked the voltage having the batteries sit for a little while....and I now have 12.6 on each battery with the cables disconnected. I tried the jumper cabled and it won't roll over, it just clicks when I put the cables on the lead. Wouldn't 12.3 start the truck?

 

[dyoung14]

Can you turn the motor by hand? it didnt lock it up did it? if the motor turns pull the starter and test it out, if it checks out then its battery or cables

 

[Goofyexponent]

I finally found the problem. After the sun came up I went back out and crawled under the truck. The positive lead that goes to the starter was melted off. The nut came loost, causeing the terminal yo only touch the contact on it's narrow side. All the juice melted the small side of the ring terminal complerely away.

 

[Goofyexponent]

I tried to jump it with cables, but even doubles up, my motomaster cables were just not enough to make her turn fast enough to start. I am going to the local Canadian Tire to get a lead and put it on the old cable....I will post when she starts!

Thanks again for the input 'burners!

 

[icanfixall]

Glad you found what the problem was. I was going to point you in that direction too. Sometimes its the simple things that go bad.Now... Why did this connection loosen up on you... Thats the bigger question and how to make sure it doesn't happen again....

 

[Goofyexponent]

I can gaurentee that it was improper installation to begin with. The front wheel bearings were new when I bought her, and they were only installed finger tight....no preload what-so-ever. And the outer locking ring was barely threaded all the way in.

I like to have something apart once, fix it right and call it a job well done!

 

[DragRag]

12.3 is still low voltage, so address that, or get another meter and double check. Your meter may be out of spec. Just food for thought.

 

[Goofyexponent]

gotcha. I will grap a meter from the shop and check 'r again tomorrow. When I tried to fire it off, it was almost as if the cylinders were full of water. She rolled kinda slow and put a HUGE strain on the batteries and starter, then it just fired right up. I am hoping that the new terminal and my old starter get along ok, it seems to be working fine now.

 

[sootman73]

what kind of starter did you get? if its something from one of the major stores its probably bad. it sounds like a bad starter to me. barely turning over and drawing lots of amps. they do that when they get bad. have the starter tested. you'll know if its bad when it pegs the amp gauge on the machine.

i had this happen once. the old starter was drawing nearly 350 amps unloaded! we didn't know if it was bad cuz we couldn't find the spec on it. so we through the new one on there and there was only 175amp draw unloaded.

 

[Goofyexponent]

I never actualyl changed the starter...i just wound up putting a new ring terminal at the starter end of the positive battery cable lead. 3/0 Cabe if anyone is wondering BTW