Engine won’t turn over, slow revolutions

[92LongBed]

Evening everyone,

as title states i’m having trouble starting my 1992 7.3L IDI f350. trouble started about a month ago where i’d be driving it no problem and then starting it even with the engine hot it would take a few tries.

I confirmed that one of the glow plugs was not receiving power and changed 4/8 of them including the bad one and the truck started up. Turned it off and it will not start again.

Testing the glow plug relay with a light test from a youtube video of a similar model truck i saw to it that it needed to be replaced. Well i just installed the new relay and well truck still will not start.

I’m starting to think it’s the starter at this point. Every time i try to crank this big ole ***** the revolutions get slower and slower.

Could it be the entire glow plug controller causing this? or the starter just being worn out. I bought the truck with no information on when or if the starter has ever been replaced but the truck ran fine for the previous owner. I don’t drive it nearly as much so i made sure it wasn’t the batteries but all that checks out 12V on both

any help would be amazing. i’m moving in 3 weeks and need this running by then.

 

[chillman88]

I'd check the condition of the battery cables and grounds very closely. Especially where the grounds attach at the block.

Could very well be the starter though, these take a lot to spin.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I'll agree with what Chillman said. The glow plug controller doesn't affect the speed that the starter turns over the engine. Actually, the 12 volts are a little bit on the low side for the batteries. They should be closer to 12.5 and above for sitting voltage. They could be getting to be weak. Plus the voltage of a battery doesn't mean as much as the amount of amperage that it's holding. Batteries can show 12 volts or more and still not have much in the way of amperage. That's called a surface charge. Another thing to check is to make sure that your alternator in charging properly. It could be barely putting out any charge. That will cause your batteries to have less and less of a charge over time. Sorry but nobody said that it would be easy to track down this problem.

 

[chillman88]

I didn't catch that about the batteries. Is there an advance auto or something near you? I'd see if you can take them in and get them tested. I've had some that the VOLTAGE was fine, but they didn't put out enough cranking amps to make a difference.

 

[92LongBed]

I didn't catch that about the batteries. Is there an advance auto or something near you? I'd see if you can take them in and get them tested. I've had some that the VOLTAGE was fine, but they didn't put out enough cranking amps to make a difference.

i’ll head to autozone tomorrow to have them tested just to be sure! as for the rest of your advice i have no choice but to give it a go. I want to avoid buying a new starter so i’ll root around on the cables and connections as well. I appreciate your help

 

[chillman88]

Make sure they test each of the batteries separately! If they test them while they're connected to each other you won't get a proper result!

For what it's worth, I've had mine starting without issue on one battery so worst case if money is tight and they end up being bad you can get by for a few weeks on one IF everything else is working properly.

 

[Randy Bush]

If you batteries are good and strong and connections are good more then likely is the starter. Don't waste your time taking starter to parts store to bench test . On a diesel proves nothing other then it spins over. Diesel starters need to be load tested which most parts stores can't do.

 

[Cubey]

I didn't catch that about the batteries. Is there an advance auto or something near you? I'd see if you can take them in and get them tested. I've had some that the VOLTAGE was fine, but they didn't put out enough cranking amps to make a difference.

And sometimes a battery might test ok at one location one day but then bad another. The ones in my F250 were like that when I knew they were bad.

 

[Big Bart]

Some food for thought.

Sounds like nothing is happening when you turn the key to start, so perhaps do some additional checks.

1) After checking your wires and batteries I would test the small wire going to the solenoid that that energizes it when you turn the key to start. You should get 12v positive when you turn the key to start. If yes then hook it back up and you should hear the solenoid click when you turn the key to start. If it chatters or does not click replace it.

2) Take a jumper cable and hook one end to positive on the battery and the other to the side of the solenoid the starter connects to briefly. (It will spark.) Usually the side facing the firewall. See if the starter turns over, if it does replace the solenoid. The starter could still be going out, but now you know it’s not the solenoid.

3) Often a starter on its way out can be temporarily fixed by banging it with something metal. Hammer, rachet extension, a piece of pipe. It basically helps the brushes make a connection or helps the windings move just enough to make a connection. But 50% of the time this works on a starter that all the sudden stops working. If So replace the starter.

Good luck and let us know what you find out.

 

[Big Bart]

One more thought. You mentioned you replaced the glow plug relay. Although that would not effect the starter circuit, perhaps if it blew a fuse, that same fuse is preventing your key in start position from energizing the solenoid. So per above check if you are getting power to the solenoid with the key in the start position. Then jump from the battery positive to the starter cable on the solenoid. That will really help you narrow the search.

Maybe it’s related maybe not.

 

[Selahdoor]

Banging on the starter... The reason 50% of the time, the starter stops working completely after you have done this a time or 6, is because the magnets break from all that banging, and stick to the rotor.

Don't bang on your starter to get it to start. Or if you do, drive it straight to the parts store and buy another starter.

One thing you can do that will cost you nothing: Go out early in the day, when the truck has sat overnight. Do not try to start it. Do nothing before you hook it up. Hook it to another truck with two sets of jumper cables. Have the other truck running at high idle. Let it run for about 5 minutes.

Now try to start your truck. If it turns over easily, then you need new batteries. Or there is something wrong in the charging system. Etc. Your batteries are not getting enough amperage, or they are not storing enough. Or you have a short that is draining them. Etc.

I'd start with replacing the batteries.

 

[92LongBed]

If you batteries are good and strong and connections are good more then likely is the starter. Don't waste your time taking starter to parts store to bench test . On a diesel proves nothing other then it spins over. Diesel starters need to be load tested which most parts stores can't do.

as someone who doesn’t really know what to look for in bad wiring or ground connections this is the only bad thing i have found other than a lot of electrical tape around wires

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[92LongBed]

Banging on the starter... The reason 50% of the time, the starter stops working completely after you have done this a time or 6, is because the magnets break from all that banging, and stick to the rotor.

Don't bang on your starter to get it to start. Or if you do, drive it straight to the parts store and buy another starter.

One thing you can do that will cost you nothing: Go out early in the day, when the truck has sat overnight. Do not try to start it. Do nothing before you hook it up. Hook it to another truck with two sets of jumper cables. Have the other truck running at high idle. Let it run for about 5 minutes.

Now try to start your truck. If it turns over easily, then you need new batteries. Or there is something wrong in the charging system. Etc. Your batteries are not getting enough amperage, or they are not storing enough. Or you have a short that is draining them. Etc.

I'd start with replacing the batteries.

i’m taking the batteries to be tested right now so we’ll see if they’re not doing the job. i appreciate your insight because i was about to beat the hell out of my starter lol

 

[92LongBed]

Some food for thought.

Sounds like nothing is happening when you turn the key to start, so perhaps do some additional checks.

1) After checking your wires and batteries I would test the small wire going to the solenoid that that energizes it when you turn the key to start. You should get 12v positive when you turn the key to start. If yes then hook it back up and you should hear the solenoid click when you turn the key to start. If it chatters or does not click replace it.

2) Take a jumper cable and hook one end to positive on the battery and the other to the side of the solenoid the starter connects to briefly. (It will spark.) Usually the side facing the firewall. See if the starter turns over, if it does replace the solenoid. The starter could still be going out, but now you know it’s not the solenoid.

3) Often a starter on its way out can be temporarily fixed by banging it with something metal. Hammer, rachet extension, a piece of pipe. It basically helps the brushes make a connection or helps the windings move just enough to make a connection. But 50% of the time this works on a starter that all the sudden stops working. If So replace the starter.

Good luck and let us know what you find out.

having the batteries tested one went down to 4V or amps (whatever the measurement is) when tested and the other went down to 10 so it’s definitely an issue

 

[chillman88]

having the batteries tested one went down to 4V or amps (whatever the measurement is) when tested and the other went down to 10 so it’s definitely an issue

That's what I was afraid of.

Is that one positive cable melted into the battery or am I not seeing it right?