Took some life away from my starter today

[chickenpot]

Truck sat for a day, went to start it up and when it gets cold my glow plug solenoid doesnt engage sometimes, it takes a few times of holding the button. I have one to replace it but ive been lazy.. that's beside the point. I thought, "lets just see how long it takes to start without plugs".. well my starter got stuck engaged and stayed turning even after the key was off.. and the engine didnt start either cause i still couldnt fire the glow plugs.. so it's sitting there cranking away, for the time it took me to pop the hood, unlock my toolbox, pull out a 13mm, and pull both ground cables off, only then did it stop cranking.. Of course it took longer than usual to pull the cables cause it was stressful.. was about to head to a job, last think i needed was the truck dead in the water. Once it was all off i was able to fire the plugs and of course it popped right off.. felt really bad for my starter though i know it got hot, my ground cables were warm and i could start to smell it.. definitely shaved some off it's lifespan... Is it the solenoid on the starter that got stuck? im sure it's pure chinesium.

 

[ihc1470]

Probably. Low batteries are often the cause for a solenoid to stick.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Different set up, but I had the fender mounted solenoid stick on my Bronco when it still had a 302 in it. I could open the hood and tap on the solenoid and it would stop. Most likely it was one of the solenoids that stuck on.

 

[franklin2]

Truck sat for a day, went to start it up and when it gets cold my glow plug solenoid doesnt engage sometimes, it takes a few times of holding the button. I have one to replace it but ive been lazy.. that's beside the point. I thought, "lets just see how long it takes to start without plugs".. well my starter got stuck engaged and stayed turning even after the key was off.. and the engine didnt start either cause i still couldnt fire the glow plugs.. so it's sitting there cranking away, for the time it took me to pop the hood, unlock my toolbox, pull out a 13mm, and pull both ground cables off, only then did it stop cranking.. Of course it took longer than usual to pull the cables cause it was stressful.. was about to head to a job, last think i needed was the truck dead in the water. Once it was all off i was able to fire the plugs and of course it popped right off.. felt really bad for my starter though i know it got hot, my ground cables were warm and i could start to smell it.. definitely shaved some off it's lifespan... Is it the solenoid on the starter that got stuck? im sure it's pure chinesium.

When the solenoid gets hot it can weld itself together.

I do not think you would ever had gotten it started with no glowplugs and the starter. The only way I have been able to start one of these things with no glowplugs was to pull it or drift it down a long hill in 3rd or 4th gear. When it does start you have never seen such a cloud of smoke it makes out of the tailpipe till it warms up a little bit.

 

[mf7lakes]

Plug in the block heater

 

[Isaac Ristow]

When a start sticks engaged cranking it's almost always due to low voltage at the starter caused by low batteries or junk cables. The contacts in the internal starter solinoid get hot and weld together when voltage gets low because amperage goes way up when voltage goes down. Usually 1 hit from a hammer on the starter will make it stop. Inspect your cables test your batteries and probably replace your starter

 

[Old Goat]

Since Iam spending your money....
Get a Power Master 9050 Starter.
If your Battery Cables are original, and probably cracked from one end to the other like mine were on my 86, Have new one`s made. I went with Ring terminal`s on both ends.
You could have internal corrosion you don`t see.
Have NAPA make you new one`s.
I replaced the one from Battery to Starter & GP relay to one size larger.
Replace the Fender Starter relay.
Get a set of new group 65 Battery`s.

With winter nipping at our heels, can`t cut corners with the starting system.


Goat

 

[KansasIDI]

Since Iam spending your money....
Get a Power Master 9050 Starter.
If your Battery Cables are original, and probably cracked from one end to the other like mine were on my 86, Have new one`s made. I went with Ring terminal`s on both ends.
You could have internal corrosion you don`t see.
Have NAPA make you new one`s.
I replaced the one from Battery to Starter & GP relay to one size larger.
Replace the Fender Starter relay.
Get a set of new group 65 Battery`s.

With winter nipping at our heels, can`t cut corners with the starting system.


Goat

Roderek Soest makes some really nice battery cables, his website is called ididiesel.com

I have his 3G kit, battery cables, and glow plugs harness

And Motorcraft glow plugs, and Motorcraft glow plug controller. He sells the glow plugs but the controller on his website is made by Standard. But Rockauto sells the Motorcraft controller.

I also have a Powermaster 9050, and Napa group 65 batteries that I got in May, as well as a Walbro FRB-13 electric lift pump, new fuel lines and a fuel cooler on my 91.

It starts very well.

 

[Old Goat]

I was looking at that guys site for GP Harness for the 86.
Mine has seen better days.
The original has the wires for the IP FSS, Cold Timing, and some in block sensors on both sides.
But his and other sellers Harnesses only are for the GP`s.
I was thinking it would be a complete harness, guess Iam dreaming.
I replace the batteries every 4 years.
Replaced the 5 yr old MC Plugs, finally had 2 nonop.
Replaced with the Bosch 80024, and have them manual.
Hold them 11 sec, and she lights right off, yesterday was 31 in the morning.
Blackdawg said he uses them with good results as long as manual.
Bought them off www.sparkplugs.com for $8 and something

Goat

 

[KansasIDI]

@Old Goat

He has what’s called a relocation harness, when ordering specify that you want the conversion harness. That uses a 7.3 controller and plugs.

You must be registered for see images attach

I put one on an 85, have only started it once since then but it fired right up. Mechanical fuel pump and stock fuel lines, has R&D return rails.

Also mounts the controller on the fender well, away from the heat of the engine.

It’s a well rounded kit. Instructions are on his website too.

6.9 Glow Plug upgrade harness

The first step to installing the upgrade harness is to disconnect both batteries. DO NOT DO THE INSTALLATION WITH THE BATTERIES CONNECTED. Trace the power wire from the controller to the fender solenoid. The easiest way to find it is to disconnect the wires from the solenoid, set your multi...

www.ididiesel.com

10/10 would recommend

 

[Ruffnek7tree]

I wouldn't worry too much about the starter, I let a buddy borrow my truck last year, he ran it out of fuel, luckily he made it to my driveway and he cranked on it long enough the battery cable connector melted off the starter, the post is loose, but it still works, so I haven't replaced it yet, yet

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Old Goat]

I doubt it melted off. My guess is was cracked from years of vibration, and finally came apart. Looks like the other 1/2 is
still under the Nut.

Long cranking on the Starter isn`t good.
30 sec of cranking and 3 min cool down between cranking sessions.

We have all been guilty of not sticking to this over the years from
time to time.

Goat

 

[Ruffnek7tree]

@Old Goat the other half of the connector wasn't there, I laid under there in the freezing cold holding it on to get it started enough to move it, he had completely drained the batteries unfortunately.. I just lopped that one off and soldered on a new terminal, easy peasy..

Funny enough, that harness is off a super duty 7.3 truck, I got it with the used engine i swapped into my 01, and when I bought my 93, the whole positive harness was one of the things that had gotten stolen off it.. fits pretty well, in case anyone is needing a new used positive battery cable setup, it works lol

 

[mf7lakes]

NAPA part #: CBL 717986
Line: NAPA Battery Cables

$197 --- positive cable for '93 7.3idi
Fits but had to flip driver's side battery to put pos terminal on outside to be close to fenderwell

Also an entire set pos & neg cables custom for 7.3idi at https://www.ididiesel.com/product-page/idi-battery-cables

 

[BrianX128]

I got annoyed with one of my idi starters when it got stuck on I couldn't get the battery cables off and rather than melting things for some reason I just stuck the truck in 4th gear, let the clutch out, and held the brakes and broke it. I'm not sure why I did that to this day. It did work though.