The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Is the starter bad???

I'm wondering if I need a new/rebuilt starter. Mine cranks very slowly, and gets quite warm after a relatively short amount of cranking. (6V/foot pedal) No one here load tests starters, they just spin them. I don't think grounding is a problem, I have all new (2/O) cables, just wondering if these are the tell tale signs of a weak starter?

Keith does it slow down even moere when everything is warmed up? I would say in all likely hood you need new bushings and brushes and a good clean up on the starter. Ronnie

New brushes, clean-up, etc. done on starter. I had the motor running this spring, pulled the motor and re-rung it, all new gaskets, etc. and now I'm trying to get it fired again, but I'm wondering if the motor is just tight enough now that the starter has reached it's, "I give up!" point. I haven't had it running so I don't know how it acts when everything is warmed up.

Battery fully charged? Is this 12-volt battery?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Pakrat47:
(6V/foot pedal)

Chech the battery terminal voltage while cranking. If a fully-charged battery is dropping below 5 volts while cranking, there's too much drag on the crank, or you've got a shorted armature. Now, remove the starter, and check terminal voltage while doing a no-load run. If voltage is still low, you've got starter problems.
Jerry

Yesterday afternoon I had the battery load tested, and the battery checks out. Today I'll pull the starter and check for voltage drop. Thanks H.R. Lincoln.

Removed the starter, to initially get the starter spinning, the voltage across the battery terminals drops to 5.5 volts, and then comes back up, that should be about normal correct?

I'd say ur starter is shot based on what you've desctibed. I had one rebuilt about 3-4 years ago. Seems like it cost $100. At the time, I went to 12 volts and ended all that low voltage silliness. Good luk.

Hey Buzz'n, I just checked the voltage in the truck while crankin' and it drops to 3.8 volts, but the motor can't be too awfully tight, because I can crank it by hand off of the dampner pully. I talked to the guy that owns the local Bumper to Bumper store, (the one I worked at just after H.S.), he can have a rebuilt starter to me by Wed. for $65.00. I think I'll go that route.

Seems to me that starter cranked pretty slowly even before I re-rung it. I tried hooking a 12v battery to the starter but believe it or not, that was even worse!

If 12 volts won't crank it, it's definitely time for a rebuilt starter! It sounds like a shorted armature. BTW, the "Super-Torque" starters we used to use on the high-compression race engines were just standard Delco 12V starters with a 6V armature in them. Then somebody got the bright idea to adapt gear-reduction Jap starters to Chevy engines, at about half the weight!
Jerry

Thanks H.R.& Buzz'n, I'll stick the rebuilt in on Wed., if nothing else at least I'm eliminating one more possible weak link. It would be nice to hear it running again so I can concentrate on the body. I don't want to reassemble the front clip until all motor work is done. With the inner fenders off, that 8.25-20 passenger side tire makes a nice shop stool.