Sloooow crank, tried everything!

[DavidS]

OK so here's the story:
Truck is a 1994 7.3 idit that i bought having never seen it run. About 300k odo. The story from the previous owner was it was getting hard to start, so he had bought a new fuel pump but then lost interest and wanted it gone. Batteries were dead (I thought) so it would barely crank. My brief inspection showed that the return lines were in rough shape so I figured I would start with that.

So I brought it home, ordered the return line kit from Conestoga Diesel and installed everything. Even the olives. Also the glow plugs looked like they had been in place for a long time so replaced those. The batteries (which look fairly new) were placed on the charger to get topped off.

Got everything all hooked back up and went to spin the engine to bleed the fuel system, and was disappointed to find that it cranked just as slowly as when I had gone to look at the truck originally. And I mean slow. And the longer you hold the key the slower it gets.

So now I've been chasing that. What I've done:
Swapped batteries with my 88 7.3 which just got new ones
Had starter checked out by reputable auto electric shop, who deemed it good
Replaced positive side of battery harness which was looking bad, and cleaned up both grounds to block

I don't want to think that the motor might be bound up but might that be the problem? My next step is to remove the glow plugs and serpentine and try to turn the engine with a breaker bar to verify that it turns freely but I don't really know how much resistance is normal, so any guidance there?

It had crossed my mind that at the auto electric shop they don't place any mechanical load on the starter when they test it, so say if the contacts in the solenoid were bad would it spin up ok on the bench but still struggle to turn the engine over? I was tempted to go get another starter but wasn't sure if that would be a waste of money...


Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[DougsOBS]

I would replace the starter. My dually had a similar problem, got an Advance auto starter and it fires up as fast as a gasser now.

 

[HS108]

I'd replace that starter, unless its load tested you truly don't know how well it's working.

Also double check those grounds and connections


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[BrianX128]

If you can get it to crank revolution after revolution slow or not I wouldn't worry too much about the motor and more about why it's slow. I've had 3 starters on my idi now and just because they "work" none of them work the same.

I would try a new starter before any more money is thrown at other parts. 150ish on a starter isn't fun, but it might be the cure. Any chance you can post a video of it trying to start or turn over?

 

[hoodshauler]

Just a thought but why not take the starter out of you 88 and put it in and see what it will do before you go buy one.


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[Shadetreemechanic]

These guys pointing at the starter........listen to them.

 

[shawn deere]

Get a gear reduction starter. They are awesome

 

[IH_Diesel]

Just a thought but why not take the starter out of you 88 and put it in and see what it will do before you go buy one.


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Just did this. Swapped my 86 f350 starter onto my 90 f250, and now the 90 starts. My old starter is probably good, but was just really slow.

 

[IH_Diesel]

Are the nippendeno starters gear reduction?
Not sure if I spelled that correctly.

 

[BrianX128]

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If it looks like this, yes. They are awesome.

Do not get the Mitsubishi one that looks like this:

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I've had two of those and they are also gear reduction [somehow], but they've both died quickly and gradually day by day cranking slower until one day they just crapped out.

Most of my hatred for the Mitsubishi style is personal preference and not a summary opinion of the site but I will never put one of those on anything again. Even brand new they couldn't spin the engine at all like the nippendenso style does and they are easier to install.

 

[IH_Diesel]

That Mitsubishi is what the PO had on the 86. Its now on the 90, which sees little use. So I will get a gear reduction for the 86.
Thank you

To the original poster, I recommend a new starter also.

 

[IH_Diesel]

I was going to get this starter. But its not in the cards right now.
https://www.oilburners.net/threads/84-f250-parts.79965/page-2#post-950519

Should be a good one though.

 

[pelky350]

The long one like that has a lot of little gears and stuff inside it, I have one apart outback that came with a bunch of other stuff I got a while back. Like 10 little gears all over in it I belive.

 

[DavidS]

Thanks everyone! Really tempted to go get another starter this weekend, I just know I'm usually guilty of skipping straight past diagnosis and going straight to part replacement...

The starter that is in the truck is the Mitsu one that BrianX28 has had trouble with. Good to know, since I was thinking of going to NAPA and I think that's the one they have there?

Hoodshauler, it did occur to me to swap the starter out of the 88, just didn't want to have both truck down at once, but you're right it would save me from having a new starter on hand that I can't return if it turns out not to be the problem!

 

[franklin2]

I have been down this road with a 89. Did everything you did, new batteries, cables and even swapped the starter. Still cranked slow. Went to take the starter off again and when I did, I happened to glance at where the starter mounted on the bellhousing or adapter, whichever it is. This truck was a little rusty, and I noticed this silver crusty stuff all over the face where the starter mounted. It was corrosion from a previous starter housing. I took a drill and a wheel and ground it all down smooth and shiny. Put the starter back in it, fixed it. Cranked over very fast and nice.